"Phil J" wrote
I agree with the fellow who suggested adding a cap of bleach to a
gallon of water and waiting to see if the yellow disappears and a
precipitate forms. This would suggest to me that chlorination and
filtration could work for you.
I have seen a simple chlorine-pellet feeder and filtration system on a
local well. The owner says it works well. Let me know if you want
more details as to the make and installation.

That was me, but what I was looking for was to see if any oxidizer will
work. That would say iron etc. is the cause of the discolored water
rather than tannins.

Well mounted pellet droppers can cause problems in the well with the
pump, casing, screen if any and casing etc.. So IMO, they should be used
only when all other means of treatment in the building wouldn't.

Cleaning a well chemically and/or mechanically and then sanitizing it
and the plumbing throughout the building and then treating the water
after it enters the building is the best way to handle these types of
problems without causing other problems.

A couple of other suggestions:

If you haven't already done so, call the local health unit and speak
with a public health inspector (aka environmental health officer) who
has local experience. He/she may be familiar with wells with similar
problems in your area. Len Clarkson or Bob Weston both work the
Coast-Garibaldi area and have years of experience (I am a PHI in the
Kootenays, but soil and water conditions are different here).

Since you seem to be suggesting a direction away from water treament
dealers.... In my experience the guvmint guys don't know equipment, or
at least the latest improvements and application of it and they dont
sell, service and repair it or have parts for it. So to get them
involved when there's an industry specializing in water treatment
equipment and its application does little more than add an entity that
can not be sued or otherwise held responsible if their suggestions fail;
regardless of the cost. And in many instances the advice is flawed due
to suggesting equipment the industry is trying to get away from, such as
manganese greensand filters regenerated with potassium permanganate and
chlorine in any of it's 2 or 3 ways of being used in a residential
application.

What does that gain the home owner really? Seriously, I'd like to hear
the rational behind the suggestion.

Second suggestion:

Clean the sucker! I have found some local conditions where shallow
wells that once produced clear, good-tasting water became foul over
the years. Just dumping a jug of bleach in the well and pumping it
out won't solve the problem. One has to physically enter the well and
scrub the concrete casing with bleach. Believe me, I've done it! In
the case of your well, it would be pretty claustrophobic. Also, be
really careful with air supply. I have entered and cleaned wells (not
as part of my public job, but for friends). I rented a "diaphragm
pump" or a "semi-trash pump" and sucked the well out as I went down.
At the bottom of the wells (ok, I've done exactly 2), was a buildup of
a foot or two or organic sludge. Quite gross. I was standing on soft
muck, which I scooped into a bucket and a helper pulled out with a
rope. I finally got all the guck out and was down to clean sand and
gravel. Then use a strong bleach solution to clean the casing from
top to bottom, pumping all the time so you don't drown... By the way,
there is a clean ladder involved, of course. You will probably find
that the walls are covered with organic slime, but when you are
finished, you will be down to clean, bare concrete. Both wells I did
this on had an immediate return to clean water. I can't guarantee
this will work for you, but a good well cleaning can only help. By
the way, I repeat, be careful about entering this confined space.
Because your well is not wide open at the top, you probably should
also rent an air pump to supply fresh air into the well as you work.
(I have cleaned a 3000-gallon water reservoir this way).
I don't know how big or agile you are, but someone will need to fit
through that 2x3 hole you describe! You need a small, wiry,
dedicated, safety-onsciousl person.
Contact me at if you want to discuss.
Phil J.

Now that I can support.

Gary
Quality Water Associates