A well is one of the most affordable ways to supply water to a suburban area. It provides life-giving moisture for the natural needs of households, their domestic needs and watering plants on the site. Therefore, the water in it must be devoid of any kind of impurities. Contaminants must be disposed of immediately. Do you agree?
From the article we have proposed, you will find out what stages the purification of water from a well includes, and also whether it can be done on your own. We will tell you how water pollution is determined. Let us present in detail effective ways to eliminate mineral and organic inclusions.
The opinion that well water is a priori clean is erroneous. The depth of this water source is not so great. In the groundwater that feeds the well, impurities are often present in a dissolved or suspended state.
Various types of bacteria often live in perched water, which multiply, create colonies and decompose over time, form hydrogen sulfide-containing compounds. Such compounds give the water an unpleasant odor and make it toxic, and therefore dangerous to human health.
Well water, due to its surface nature, is more susceptible to external pollution and may contain dissolved organic and chemical impurities.
The causes of water pollution can be conventionally divided into two types:
- natural phenomena. These may be changes in the aquifers supplying the source, or seasonal phenomena. For example: getting into the source of organics, sunlight ...
- Problems provoked by man. Occur in case of violation of the installation technology of the structure and errors during its operation. For example: the proximity of septic tanks, depressurization of seams, corrosion of metal elements ...
When arranging a hydraulic structure, it is important to monitor the renewal of water. So, with an irregular fence, it will stagnate and become cloudy. If the head of the source is open, then leaves and branches, insects and rodents can freely enter it.
Decaying organic matter pollutes well water, changing its chemical and biological properties, making it unfit for drinking.
If the well is installed on a quicksand, then there is a high probability that the water contains an increased content of colloidal impurities, organic and chemical substances. All these processes must be controlled and eliminated in time.
You can read all about the causes of cloudiness and yellowing of well water in
The main signs of water pollution
Studies of water from a well should be carried out annually, since its composition in an underground source, depending on seasonal changes and other external factors, can change constantly.
This is especially important if the source is used only in the summer. A number of signs will indicate the need for water purification from the well.
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Subsequently, for the prevention of pollution, cartridge or mesh filters are installed that will trap and accumulate foreign particles at the bottom of the structure.
The appearance of an oil film above the water surface indicates the presence of oil products. This may occur due to depressurization of the mine. Or for the banal reason of improper observance of cleanliness during the operation of a hydraulic structure.
Natural color change
The shade of water in the well depends on the type of pollution. A change in color to green indicates the "bloom" of water. The reason for this may be the direct sunlight entering the mine.
Under the influence of sunlight, microorganisms and algae begin to multiply actively, forming numerous colonies.
The problem is solved by disinfecting water using chemicals and then installing carbon filters.
Brown and yellow shades indicate that the water has a high iron content. Disinfection in this case is not effective. Only the arrangement of the water treatment system and the installation of additional filters will help solve the problem.
The black color of water acquires due to organic pollution, which, in the process of decomposition and decay, infect it. To eliminate decaying organic matter, simple is no longer enough. To get water that can be consumed, you will have to perform multi-stage purification.
The appearance of a strange smell
The clayey or earthy smell is due to the presence in the liquid of organic natural compounds such as 2-methylisoborneol and geosmin. They are formed during the vital activity of soil bacteria and blue-green algae present in the water.
Mechanical cleaning of the structure helps to eliminate the cause, followed by the arrangement of household reverse osmosis and the installation of filters equipped with activated carbon.
The smell of rotten eggs has water in which sulfuric bacteria are present. They produce hydrogen sulfide.
You can remove these bacteria by disinfecting the water using potassium permanganate or chlorine and then installing a filter unit.
The smell of phenol and other unnatural odors indicate that sewage and other human products most likely entered the well shaft through underground aquifers. You can solve the problem by carrying out a mechanical cleaner and installing a carbon filter.
Unusual taste of water
Salty taste appears due to the high content of salts: NaSO 4 , NaCl, MgSO 4 . You can remove it by performing additional post-treatment of water, passing it through.
A metallic taste indicates the presence of iron in the water. Iron removal methods help to correct the situation. For example, installing a compressor that will saturate the water with oxygen, a circulation pump and an iron remover filter.
The sour taste of water, which has a blue-green tint, indicates a high content of carbon dioxide. This phenomenon occurs due to the reaction of water in contact with the copper and bronze elements of the system.
Increased hardness indicates the presence of calcium and magnesium salts in the composition of the liquid. Rigidity is not a constant value. It fluctuates depending on the season and reaches its peak in the summer.
Hardness can be caused by alkaline earth metal salts, which are often found in limestone and dolomite deposits.
To correct the situation, you can install softening systems. Reagent and non-reagent filters of complex purification are capable of demineralizing and softening water.
Well water quality analysis
These "symptoms" indicate serious water pollution. And until the moment it is cleaned, it is not recommended to operate the structure. To find out the cause of pollution and find the best solution to eliminate it, it is necessary to take water samples and submit them for analysis.
The sequence of actions when taking liquid for research:
- A plastic or glass container with a volume of 1.5 liters is thoroughly washed with running water without using detergents. A plastic bottle of mineral or distilled water is perfect for taking a sample.
- The container is gradually filled with water so that an excess of oxygen does not form in the bottle from excessive pressure. If an automatic water supply system is established from the well, the water from the tap should first be drained, and then, at low pressure, fill the bottle to the neck.
- The filled container is tightly closed and wrapped in a dark plastic bag.
- Within three hours from the moment of sampling, the liquid container is delivered to the laboratory.
Keep in mind that after two days from the moment the liquid was taken, the results will no longer be reliable.
In the absence of the opportunity to immediately deliver the taken sample to the laboratory, you can extend the life of the “sample” by placing it in the refrigerator for 2 days
It is not possible to perform a water quality analysis on your own. Obtaining accurate results cannot be achieved without the use of special equipment.
Research of this kind is carried out by:
- sanitary and epidemiological stations;
- state laboratories at geodetic centers;
- licensed private centers;
- accredited laboratories of Rospotrebnadzor.
The price of the service depends on the type of analysis. It can be abbreviated, focused on the identification of a certain group of substances, or complete, including chemical and microbiological research.
The organoleptic qualities of drinking water from the well, indicating the permissible parameters, will be summarized in a general table
The results obtained are recorded in the protocol, which indicates the permissible percentage of impurities and substances in accordance with the current sanitary standards. The protocol will be accompanied by a conclusion on the suitability of water and the presence of potentially hazardous microorganisms and substances in it.
At the request of the customer, experts can also give recommendations on how best to purify water in a particular well and what filtration systems to use in the future.
Effective cleaning methods
If the results of the study showed that the fears are not groundless and the water contains impurities hazardous to health, the situation should be corrected as soon as possible.
The choice of method depends on the cause of the contamination. If debris has accumulated inside the structure, and mucus has formed on the walls, it is worth using a mechanical method when cleaning the structure.
Mechanical cleaning of the mine
The method involves cleaning the walls and bottom of the hydraulic structure by washing or scraping off the accumulated layers. best done in late summer or early spring before the snow melts. In the off-season, the lowest level of groundwater is observed.
Accumulated sludge and mucus should be cleaned regularly, as they are ideal conditions for the growth of bacteria that release toxic substances during their vital activity.
The mechanical cleaning procedure includes several main steps:
- Water pumping. Before performing mechanical cleaning, the structure is pre-emptied by pumping out the liquid with a drainage pump. Keep in mind that it will not work to completely drain the well shaft, a small amount of water will still remain at the bottom.
- Cleaning the walls and bottom. The cleaning worker, dressed in a protective suit, descends into the well. The assistant remains on the surface and takes the filled buckets. Debris and silt residues are removed manually using a metal brush or a conventional scraper. Crushed stone and sand covering the bottom of the structure and performing the function of a bottom filter are replaced with new ones.
- Repair and strengthening of well rings. If necessary, to prevent the displacement of the rings relative to each other, they are reinforced with metal brackets.
- Seam sealing. If cracks are found in the joints between the rings, the defects are sealed with cement mortar, to which liquid glass is added.
Dosing cartridges are ceramic small cylindrical containers, inside of which a mixture based on bleach and calcium hydrochloride is placed.
The case of cartridges with a volume of 250 to 1000 cm 3 is made of ceramics, the porous walls of which freely pass active chlorine into the water. The number of cartridges required for decontamination depends on the volume of water in the mine and the degree of its contamination.
Disinfection using dosing cartridges should be carried out under the guidance of SES workers, while controlling the quality of water in relation to microbiological and sanitary-chemical indicators.
The containers are suspended in the well shaft, immersed in the water column and placed at a height of 20 to 50 cm from the surface of the bottom filter. Control over the concentration of the active substance in water is carried out after 6 hours from the moment of immersion of the cartridge. It should be 0.5 mg/l. If the indicators are lower than necessary, another cartridge is deepened.
In the future, control over the concentration is performed every seven days. Cartridges are replaced at intervals of every 3-4 weeks.
Alternative UV cleaning method
Disinfection of the contents of the well can also be performed by irradiating it with ultraviolet light. This method is less time consuming, but more expensive. Disinfection with ultraviolet light is performed only after preliminary mechanical cleaning.
The unit is a disinfecting chamber, inside which is placed an ultraviolet lamp equipped with a protective coating.
UV rays, the wavelength range of which is 200-295 nm, are capable of destroying pathogenic microorganisms. The higher the dose of radiation, the less time is required to decontaminate the contents of the mine. To destroy most pathogenic bacteria, a radiation dose of 15 mJ / cm² is enough.
The main advantage of water purification by ultraviolet irradiation is that it does not cause a change in the taste of drinking water.
Prevention of water pollution
Cleaning and disinfecting water in a well requires a lot of time and effort. To minimize the occurrence of this kind of trouble in the future, do not forget to carry out preventive disinfection measures.
To prevent water pollution in the well, following a number of simple rules will help:
- When taking care of the construction of a clay castle. To do this, dig a trench around the well 1.5-2 meters wide and 50-100 cm deep. It must be covered with clay and compacted tightly. The constructed clay castle will simultaneously perform two functions: to prevent the penetration of moisture and to prevent contamination of the structure through the seams between the rings.
- When arranging a bottom filter, use flint gravel, which has the ability to soften water, or zeolite, which acts as a natural sorbent.
- Equip the head of the well with a lid or canopy. They will prevent dust and small debris from entering the mine, as well as protect well water from direct sunlight.
- To reduce the risk of leaks during the operation of a hydraulic structure, use stations with remote ejectors and submersible pumps.
Proper arrangement of the water source will eliminate the need for frequent disinfection work.
If your summer cottage does not yet have its own source of water and you have not decided on its type, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with the information in the article comparing, evaluating the pros and cons of both options.
Conclusions and useful video on the topic
Video review of the tableted disinfectant Aquabreeze:
Video presentation of the lamp for ultraviolet disinfection system:
Don't expect thunder from a clear sky. After all, water is what we use every day. That is why it is so important to be sure that it does not contain harmful substances. To protect yourself and your loved ones, do not neglect the rules of operation and regularly check the composition of the water, even if it seems crystal clear.
We are waiting for your stories about self-cleaning and disinfection of well water. Please write in the comment box. Here you can ask questions, share your impressions, useful information and thematic photos.
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