Hello,

We recently made some repairs to our well. The pump gave out and was
replaced and the 6.25" steel casing was sleeved with a 4" PVC pipe to
attempt to reduce the amount of sediment and iron in the water. We
were told by the health department that we would need to shock
chlorinate the well after the repairs to destroy any bacteria. Since
there were no bacteria present prior to the repairs, we didn't think
we needed to do this.

We just got our water test results back and, sure enough, there is
coliform bacteria present in the water now (although fortunately no E.
coli). We have been reading a lot about shock chlorination and the
instructions vary from site to site, with the chlorine to sit in the
system for anywhere from 12 to 48 hours. My first question is:

1) Is there any harm in leaving the chlorine in the system for 1 week
while we are on vacation and then flushing it when we return? Is 12
hours really long enough for this type of treatment?

The other question I have relates to water treatment systems. Based
on our recent water test, our water is as follows (values above
recommended limits are starred):

Harness: 220*
pH: 7.1
Iron: 0.26 mg/l (the PVC sleeving process cut this in half from a
prior reading of 0.47 mg/l)
Manganese: 0.26* mg/l
Sodium: 14 mg/l
Calcium: 74 mg/l
Chloride: 11 mg/l
Sulfate: 11 mg/l
Small amounts of lead, copper, zinc and toluene (far below the
hazardous limits)

The system I am thinking of using is the Puritec MC Series Complete
because I like the idea that it can soften water without the use of
salt and is pretty much maintenance free.
http://www.puritec.com/store/moreinf...Product_ID=258

No contractors we have talked to have ever heard of these Puritec
systems and there is almost no data on how effective they are. My
other questions a

2) Is the Puritec MC Series Complete a reputable brand?

3) Does anyone have any suggestions for treatment systems based on the
above water test results?


Thank you!

Nona wrote:
Hello,

We recently made some repairs to our well. The pump gave out and was
replaced and the 6.25" steel casing was sleeved with a 4" PVC pipe to
attempt to reduce the amount of sediment and iron in the water. We
were told by the health department that we would need to shock
chlorinate the well after the repairs to destroy any bacteria. Since
there were no bacteria present prior to the repairs, we didn't think
we needed to do this.

You've just had a liner added that has been manufactured and installed by
man. You must therefore expect coliforms.


We just got our water test results back and, sure enough, there is
coliform bacteria present in the water now (although fortunately no E.
coli). We have been reading a lot about shock chlorination and the
instructions vary from site to site, with the chlorine to sit in the
system for anywhere from 12 to 48 hours. My first question is:

1) Is there any harm in leaving the chlorine in the system for 1 week
while we are on vacation and then flushing it when we return? Is 12
hours really long enough for this type of treatment?

Absolutely none. A week should be good provided chlorinated to above 40
mg/l., I'd rather 100ppm - sorry mg/l. I am personally sceptical of only 12
hours soak dependent upon conditions. Take your vacation, enjoy, - and flush
on your return.

The other question I have relates to water treatment systems. Based
on our recent water test, our water is as follows (values above
recommended limits are starred):

Harness: 220*
pH: 7.1
Iron: 0.26 mg/l (the PVC sleeving process cut this in half from a
prior reading of 0.47 mg/l)
Manganese: 0.26* mg/l
Sodium: 14 mg/l
Calcium: 74 mg/l
Chloride: 11 mg/l
Sulfate: 11 mg/l
Small amounts of lead, copper, zinc and toluene (far below the
hazardous limits)

Those numbers seem fair to me.

The system I am thinking of using is the Puritec MC Series Complete
because I like the idea that it can soften water without the use of
salt and is pretty much maintenance free.
http://www.puritec.com/store/moreinf...Product_ID=258

No contractors we have talked to have ever heard of these Puritec
systems and there is almost no data on how effective they are. My
other questions a

2) Is the Puritec MC Series Complete a reputable brand?

3) Does anyone have any suggestions for treatment systems based on the
above water test results?

Cannot advise you of equipment that side of The Pond. My main concern would
be about bugs not the minerals.

HTH

Clot

On Mar 4, 5:34 pm, Nona wrote:
Hello,

We recently made some repairs to our well. The pump gave out and was
replaced and the 6.25" steel casing was sleeved with a 4" PVC pipe to
attempt to reduce the amount of sediment and iron in the water. We
were told by the health department that we would need to shock
chlorinate the well after the repairs to destroy any bacteria. Since
there were no bacteria present prior to the repairs, we didn't think
we needed to do this.

We just got our water test results back and, sure enough, there is
coliform bacteria present in the water now (although fortunately no E.
coli). We have been reading a lot about shock chlorination and the
instructions vary from site to site, with the chlorine to sit in the
system for anywhere from 12 to 48 hours. My first question is:

1) Is there any harm in leaving the chlorine in the system for 1 week
while we are on vacation and then flushing it when we return? Is 12
hours really long enough for this type of treatment?

The other question I have relates to water treatment systems. Based
on our recent water test, our water is as follows (values above
recommended limits are starred):

Harness: 220*
pH: 7.1
Iron: 0.26 mg/l (the PVC sleeving process cut this in half from a
prior reading of 0.47 mg/l)
Manganese: 0.26* mg/l
Sodium: 14 mg/l
Calcium: 74 mg/l
Chloride: 11 mg/l
Sulfate: 11 mg/l
Small amounts of lead, copper, zinc and toluene (far below the
hazardous limits)

The system I am thinking of using is the Puritec MC Series Complete
because I like the idea that it can soften water without the use of
salt and is pretty much maintenance free.http://www.puritec.com/store/moreinf...Product_ID=258

No contractors we have talked to have ever heard of these Puritec
systems and there is almost no data on how effective they are. My
other questions a

2) Is the Puritec MC Series Complete a reputable brand?

3) Does anyone have any suggestions for treatment systems based on the
above water test results?

Thank you!

The words "water softener" or "soften water" are conspicuously absent
from the Puritec web site because they do not offer a water softener.
The Puritec may "condition" the water in some aspects as a filter but
it will not soften the water.

To "soften" water is to remove calcium (among other things like iron)
from the water and that is commonly done by one of two methods.

One method is ion exchange as done by a water softener. A water
softener exchanges either sodium ions (if using NaCl) or potassium
ions (if using KCl as a SALT SUBSTITUTE) for calcium (and other) ions
in the hard water. That's it, no ifs, no ands, no buts, and no sales
double talk. Simple chemistry and physics. Softening water is not
black magic. It is physics and chemistry with a side of mechanics. No
matter how hard sales people try (and want) to they can not violate
the laws of physics or change the nature of chemical actions and
reactions.

The other is by a filter and/or membrane technology or distillation,
but no simple filter will remove calcium. You would need a reverse
osmosis unit large enough to service your entire house. You would not
want to pay for that big an RO nor pay for the service and routine
maintenance it would require and RO water would be very aggressive in
your plumbing and it would waste a lot of water.

NO magnet(ic) gizmo or electronic gizmo or "conditioner" will soften
water but people waste their money on them EVERYDAY.

Check out this URL for one story a href="http://www.nmsr.org/
magnetic.htm" http://www.nmsr.org/magnetic.htm /a and there are
many more on the net if you Google.

Pick the right softener (not a box store brand), size it properly for
your water conditions and usage and the SFR of your plumbing, and get
a competent install and you should go 15-20 years.

According to Clot :
Nona wrote:

1) Is there any harm in leaving the chlorine in the system for 1 week
while we are on vacation and then flushing it when we return? Is 12
hours really long enough for this type of treatment?

Absolutely none. A week should be good provided chlorinated to above 40
mg/l., I'd rather 100ppm - sorry mg/l. I am personally sceptical of only 12
hours soak dependent upon conditions. Take your vacation, enjoy, - and flush
on your return.

I'd say _probably_ none. While it's pretty darn dilute, chlorine does
attack copper and other metals. Very long dwell times may not be a good
idea, or at least, if you've guessed at the bleach amount, and put
in way too much.

The Ministry of Health of Ontario has the following detailed instructions
on how to shock a well:

http://www.health.gov.on.ca/english/...infection.html

The above says 12 hours. Previous iterations said 24 hours IIRC - they
must have had good reason to reduce it.

Ontario's MoH advisories of this type are pretty much on the ball, so I'd
trust the 12 hours given.
--
Chris Lewis,

Age and Treachery will Triumph over Youth and Skill
It's not just anyone who gets a Starship Cruiser class named after them.

Nona wrote:

We recently made some repairs to our well. The pump gave out and was
replaced and the 6.25" steel casing was sleeved with a 4" PVC pipe to
attempt to reduce the amount of sediment and iron in the water. We
were told by the health department that we would need to shock
chlorinate the well after the repairs to destroy any bacteria. Since
there were no bacteria present prior to the repairs, we didn't think
we needed to do this.

Wrong - as you discovered. When you open the well, bacteria in the air and on
the material (pump, pipe & wiring) will contaminate the well.


We just got our water test results back and, sure enough, there is
coliform bacteria present in the water now (although fortunately no E.
coli).

Total Coliform is a tracer. Although not dangerous in itself, it's an indicator
that there could be other bacteria present that is dangerous. It's easier and
cheaper to test for total coliform.

We have been reading a lot about shock chlorination and the
instructions vary from site to site, with the chlorine to sit in the
system for anywhere from 12 to 48 hours. My first question is:

1) Is there any harm in leaving the chlorine in the system for 1 week
while we are on vacation and then flushing it when we return? Is 12
hours really long enough for this type of treatment?

No harm at all. The times quoted are minimums. The lower amounts are based on
ideal pH and temps. If you get outside the normal pH & temps, or if you have a
problem with iron, it takes longer to completely sanitize the well.

It states "at least 12 hours.

Chris Lewis wrote:
According to Clot :

1) Is there any harm in leaving the chlorine in the system for 1 week
while we are on vacation and then flushing it when we return? Is 12
hours really long enough for this type of treatment?

Absolutely none. A week should be good provided chlorinated to above 40
mg/l., I'd rather 100ppm - sorry mg/l. I am personally sceptical of only 12
hours soak dependent upon conditions. Take your vacation, enjoy, - and flush
on your return.

I'd say _probably_ none. While it's pretty darn dilute, chlorine does
attack copper and other metals. Very long dwell times may not be a good
idea, or at least, if you've guessed at the bleach amount, and put
in way too much.

The Ministry of Health of Ontario has the following detailed instructions
on how to shock a well:

http://www.health.gov.on.ca/english/...infection.html

The above says 12 hours. Previous iterations said 24 hours IIRC - they
must have had good reason to reduce it.

Ontario's MoH advisories of this type are pretty much on the ball, so I'd
trust the 12 hours given.

--
Message posted via http://www.homekb.com

Thank you all for these detailed and thoughtful responses! I will be
reading the links and thinking through the other information you
posted. For now, we will plan on a 1-week shock chlorination, being
sure to measure the bleach very carefully. I also have a lot more to
think about with regard to the "softening" systems after reading
justalur's post.

These are the moments when I wonder what we ever did without the
internet. I am still in awe that I received such great responses from
an international consortium of experts in less than 24 hours!

On Mar 5, 10:01 pm, Nona wrote:
Thank you all for these detailed and thoughtful responses! I will be
reading the links and thinking through the other information you
posted. For now, we will plan on a 1-week shock chlorination, being
sure to measure the bleach very carefully. I also have a lot more to
think about with regard to the "softening" systems after reading
justalur's post.

These are the moments when I wonder what we ever did without the
internet. I am still in awe that I received such great responses from
an international consortium of experts in less than 24 hours!

Over the last 21 years I have shocked many wells. Shocking a well is
at best a temporary fix. It can cause serious and expensive problems
with the water quality, pump, electric cable, drop pipe and casing
etc.. More chlorine is not better. Chlorine raises the pH of the water
which decreases the disinfection properties of chlorine. Allowing a
well and pump and your plumbing to sit in chlorine is not a good idea.
Chlorine damages metals and power cable insulation etc.. And bleach is
heavier than water, so the bleach settles to the bottom of the well
and sits there doing nothing for the rest of the plumbing system
unless you use water.

If you get around to buying equipment, seriously consider buying
online and if have the desire and tools to install it yourself (it is
simple plumbing), you'll save a lot of money and get as good or better
equipment while preventing yourself from becoming dependent on a
plumber or local dealer.

Gary Slusser
Quality Water Associates