How to Disinfect a Water Well
A clean drinking water supply is necessary to prevent those drinking the water from becoming sick. If a well test has been performed and it shows bacteria is present in the water, you'll need to shock chlorinate the well to decontaminate it. To properly shock chlorinate your well, you'll need to mix a chlorine solution that has at least 200 parts per million chlorine. To achieve this, a number of calculations are required. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Adjustable wrench
- Tape measure
- Hose
- 5-gallon bucket
- Goggles
- Gloves
- High test calcium hypochlorite containing 65 to 75 percent available chlorine
Instructions
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Calculating the Proper Amount of Chlorine
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1
Determine the thickness of the water in your well. To do so, look at the tag that is on the well column, and take note of the two numbers on the tag. The larger number indicates the well depth, while the smaller number indicates how far below the surface the water is. For example, if the well depth is 150 feet, and the water begins 20 feet below the surface, the water thickness in your well is 130 feet.
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2
Figure out the volume of water in your well. To do so, use a tape measure to measure the diameter of the well casing. According to the North Carolina Department of Environment & Natural Resources, the following figures are standard measurements for both well casing diameter and water capacity. A well casing with a diameter of 2 inches has 0.163 gallons per foot; a 4-inch diameter has 0.65 gallons per foot; a 6-inch diameter has 1.47 gallons per foot; an 8-inch diameter has 2.61 gallons per foot; a 10-inch diameter has 4.08 gallons per foot; a 24-inch diameter has 23.5 gallons per foot; a 30-inch diameter has 36.72 gallons per foot; a 36-inch diameter has 52.87 gallons per foot.
Multiply the water thickness in your well by the corresponding gallons per foot amount. For example, if the water thickness in your well is 130 feet and it has 4.08 gallons per foot, your well holds 530.4 gallons of water.
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3
Add 100 gallons to the total, which is the average amount of water that will be in your home's plumbing system.
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4
Divide the total by 100, then multiply by 6. This will be the total number of ounces of chlorine you will use to shock chlorinate the well.
Shock Chlorinating the Well
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5
Use an adjustable wrench to unscrew the bolt holding on the top of the well seal, then lift off the well seal.
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6
Attach a garden hose to the spigot nearest the well, and fill the 5-gallon bucket until it is approximately ¾ full, then add the correct amount of chlorine to the bucket.
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7
Pour the solution in the bucket down the well head, then insert the hose into the top of the well head.
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8
Turn on the spigot to allow the water discharging from the end of the hose to circulate through the well. Leave the spigot on for at least an hour to allow the water to properly circulate.
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9
Turn off the outside spigot, then turn on each faucet and shower head inside the house one at a time until a strong chlorine smell is noticed, then immediately turn it off. Allow the water to sit for 24 hours to kill off any bacteria inside the pipes.
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10
Secure the well head back on, and tighten it down with the adjustable wrench.
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11
Flush the system by running an outside faucet until there is no chlorine odor coming from the water. Drain the water away from any trees or shrubs to prevent killing them.
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Tips & Warnings
High test calcium hypochlorite containing 65 to 75 percent available chlorine can be found at most pool supply stores.
Once you have shock chlorinated your well, you should have it tested seven to 10 days later to check for any bacteria contamination.
Concentrated chlorine can cause severe burns, so always wear long clothing that completely covers your skin and take extra caution when pouring it to prevent contact with your skin.
Only use the water from the well once it has been completely flushed of any chlorine in the system.
References
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
