Most Common Water Well Problems

Most Common Water Well Problems

Turning on the tap only to see or smell something amiss with your water could strike fear into the heart of any homeowner. For homeowners who own private wells, these issues may seem more severe than they are, and many common well water issues can be solved pretty quickly. Like many other house problems, the first step to fixing them is to find out the cause and then figuring out what solutions you can use to restore your water supply. To find out how to fix these problems, our water treatment team has put together a handy guide to identifying and remediating these issues.

For water treatment or any expert water testing, contact the professionals at North Florida Water Systems Inc. Schedule an appointment today for quick and efficient water treatment services.

Hard Water

Your property could be a part of the 85% of the country affected by hard water, which is caused by high levels of calcium and magnesium in your well. If you suspect that you are being affected by hard water, look for these common indicators.

  • Flaky Hair & Dry Skin
  • Stained Bathtubs & Sinks
  • White Spots & Residue On Dishes Or In The Dishwasher
  • Limescale Buildup On Faucets
  • Low Water Pressure
  • Clothes Fell Rougher & Lose Their Color

Leaving this issue unfixed can be expensive to deal with and can lead to damaged plumbing, clothing, and appliances. Replacing clothing items over time as they become rougher or lose color can also add up over time. While hard water doesn’t pose any health risks, it can cause premature aging to your hair and skin.

One solution to resolve your hard water problem is to add a water softener to your filtration systems. A salt-free water softener is an efficient alternative to a salt-based system that produces massive amounts of salty wastewater.

Acidic Water

While the pH balance of freshwater varies globally, it also strongly depends on weather patterns and human activities. Acidic rainfall typically occurs due to runoff from mining operations and the decomposition of plant life. The water is considered acidic when it drops below a pH balance of 7.0. Be on the lookout for any of the following symptoms of acidic water.

  • Blue-Green Or Rust Stains In Sinks & Tubs
  • Cloudy Water
  • Bitter-Tasting Water
  • Pinhole Leaks In Plumbing
  • Corroding Faucets

One of the main issues caused by acidic water is that it can corrode pipeworks and plumbing, which in turn can cause leaks or burst pipes. While any stains in your sinks are likely caused by steel and copper, they can also indicate whether any of your old plumbing is leaching lead into your drinking water. Ingesting lead can cause severe and irreversible neurological and physical damage, especially for children.

By installing an acid-neutralizing filter or using soda ash injections, which raise water’s pH, you can bring your drinking water to a more neutral pH balance. You can also replace metal pipes with plastic components approved by the National Science Foundation.

Fecal Bacteria

Human and animal waste contain harmful bacteria like E. Coli that can pose a major health risk to you and your family if it gets into your drinking water. This harmful bacteria can get into your well through any cracks in your well casing, agricultural runoff, or overflowing sewage lines and septic tanks. Unlike acidic water or hard water, symptoms of fecal bacteria in your water well are harder to detect, but there are two main signs:

  • Gastrointestinal Illness Throughout Your Household
  • There May Be An Odor From Your Water

If you are noticing any of these signs in your household, your water might be contaminated. Using a chlorine shock in your well will get rid of any existing fecal matter in your well. Installing a water filtration system with UV protection is effective for treating bacteria and viruses in your water. We suggest performing a test in late spring or early summer because this type of bacteria is more likely to show up during wet weather.

Sediment

As sediment builds up naturally over time, it can cause a rather common issue. Your well pump could also be set too low, which can cause sand or sediment to be drawn into the pump. A well pump typically sits at a minimum of 10–20 feet higher than the well’s base. Make sure to look out for these symptoms of sediment in your water well:

  • The pump may bring up substantial amounts of sand, which would leave no doubt that there is a sediment issue
  • Sometimes the sediment can be diluted into the water
  • Cloudy water when fresh from the tap
  • Sediment can collect at the bottom of a resting water glass

Sediment can cause plumbing, pipes, and water-based appliances to wear down sooner than anticipated. Sediment build-up can also lead to clogged pipes. Any health hazards aren’t caused by the build-up of the sediment itself but rather from pollutants or pathogens and dissolved metals like mercury, lead, and arsenic.

Raising the pump can temporarily solve this problem and prevent sediment from getting in your water, but any further development in your well should be fixed by a professional. They will be able to not only remove any remaining sediment, but they can also repair any defects in the well casing or seals and replace the screen, which can eliminate sediments pathway into your well.

Sputtering Water

When turning on a faucet and the water sputters or spits out, this typically means there is air in your system. This usually comes from either a malfunctioning pump or a break or crack in the water pipe above the pump. Look for these signs that indicate air pockets:

  • Odors that may result from a gas pocket, such as methane

To diagnose and fix this sputtering, the well will have to be pulled. While intermittent sputtering isn’t usually a cause for concern, prolonged or persistent problems with it mean that you should have your pump examined.

A professional will be able to purge any air out of your system and prime your pump to ensure the air pocket is gone. If you do smell an odor along with sputtering water, immediately call a well company because they can possibly be dangerous to your family.

Turbidity

Turbid water is a pretty common indicator of a sinking water table, which would cause your pump to pull from shallow areas where there are higher amounts of silt and sand. This suspended water can also be due to water drilling, runoff, or other activity that disturbs the Earth. Look for these common signs of turbidity:

  • Dirty, murky, or cloudy-looking water
  • Haze on glasses or plastic containers that have been washed

If the cause of this turbidity is microbial life, adults and children could be at risk for viral or bacterial infections. Once turbidity begins, the pump may begin to wear more quickly due to abrasive silt and sand.

To fix turbid water, ensure that your well screen is sized correctly and in good working condition. Adding a sediment pre-filter to your water filtration system can also reduce turbidity. Depending on whether the turbidity is microbial, you might need to add in some UV protection as well.

Poor Tasting Or Poor Smelling Water

Poor tasting or poor smelling water can be caused by a hardware issue, such as corroded plumbing pipes. Your private well can also become contaminated with harmless bacteria, silt and sand, and other decaying organic waste in the soil above. This contamination is typically caused by hydrogen sulfide. To know how serious this issue is, the water would need to be tested by a state-certified lab. This can be harmful to your family, so keep your eye out for these signs:

  • The water will have a rotten egg taste or odor
  • Decay and a chemical reaction with soil and rocks

Hydrogen sulfide gas in the air can be harmful at high levels, so it is important to remove any of this gas from your water or vent it into the air. Finding the source of the smell should be your first step. A professional will be able to help not only find where the odor is coming from but can also help to fix the problem.

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