Privatize the Washington Aqueduct

As reported earlier this month by the Washington Post buried in in the more than 1,200 pages of the President’s budget proposal are a few lines stating that the Administration wants to privatize the Washington Aqueduct, selling the assets for $119 million. The current Administration has stated they have plans to privatize public assets, such as the aqueduct, roads and bridges, intending to use the proceeds from the sales of the assets to fund new infrastructure projects.

Already some officials in the District instead want the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which operates the aqueduct, to turn the facility over to D.C. Water, a public utility, but D.C. Water wants to pay the federal government far less than the $119 million the administration wants from the sale. In addition, Washington DC has not demonstrated an ability to properly run a utility. The Washington D.C. government answers to current political forces not the long term good of the region. It is essential that whoever ends up the owner of the Washington Aqueduct is rigorous in maintaining water quality and the ability to quickly respond to the variable water quality of the Potomac River and is prepared and capable of proactively addressing spills into the Potomac River and emerging contaminants in the water. Flint, Michigan demonstrated that operating a water treatment plant on a river is far more complicated and less forgiving than operating a water distribution system.

By 1996 when the Washington DC government initiated the creation of what would be rechristened DC Water in 2010, some portions of the water delivery system were already 100 years old. The water and rates in place in the Washington DC set by politicians covered the costs to deliver the water and treat and replace 0.33% of the system each year. This was an unrealistic and irresponsible repair and replacement rate. The city was sacrificing the future for the benefit of the current water rate payers. In the spring of 2012 DC Water announced that they have tripled the replacement rate to 1% (with of course the increase in water rates) so that in 100 years the system will be replaced.

In truth, according to an interview the General Manager, George Hawkins, gave on National Public Radio a few years ago, DC Water has gotten so far behind in water pipe repair and replacement that they cannot to catch up at that replacement rate- it will take more than decades and an increased repair and replacement rate to catch up. It is likely, given the age of the water system in Washington DC the increase in replacement rate was probably necessary to address just what was failing each year. One hundred years is longer than the predicated life of a water distribution system, piping systems are rated at 80 years and the average water main in Washington DC was 78 years old at the time. The water pipes in DC are old. They leak. DC Water is trying to use a predictive modeling to determine which pipes need to replace first to keep the good quality water they are buying from the Washington Aqueduct flowing to the homes and businesses in the District. Now they want the government to give them the Aqueduct. It is essential that the drinking water quality be maintained.

The Washington Aqueduct dates back to 1853 when congress appropriated $5,000 to develop the first portion of the system that consisted of the Dalecarlia Reservoir and Georgetown distribution reservoir. That portion of the system was designed to run on gravity, so that the system did not require pumps until much later when the system and the city expanded and demand for water required the expansion of the system. Even today the energy used by the system is reduced because they used the natural elevations in the design of the system. The Aqueduct first began delivering water in 1862. The Lydecker Tunnel and McMillian Reservoir and water treatment plant were added in 1905. The McMillian slow sand water treatment plant was the first treatment plant in the system and was built to address the increasing outbreaks of typhoid fever that were caused by contaminated drinking water. This was followed by a rapid sand filtration system at Dalecarlia to address the continued population growth after World War I.

Today, the Aqueduct draws water from the Potomac River at the Great Falls and Little Falls intakes and treats the water at two treatment plants, Dalecarlia and McMillan. The Aqueduct filters and disinfects water from the Potomac River to meet current safe drinking water standards. The treatment process includes sedimentation, filtration, fluoridation, pH adjustment, primary disinfection using free chlorine, secondary disinfection with chloramine through the addition of ammonia, and corrosion control with orthophosphate. Water quality is tested continually at various points in the process. The EPA sets national limits on residual disinfectant levels in drinking water to reduce the risk of exposure to disinfection byproducts formed when public water systems add chemical disinfectant for either primary or residual treatment. The EPA also sets EPA sets limits on the contaminants regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act to ensure that the water is safe for human consumption. Ensuring that the limits are not exceeded is the job of the owner and operator of the Aqueduct.

The Washington Aqueduct is a federally owned and operated by the Army Corp of Engineers, though the General Manager, Mr. Jacobus, and all employees of the Washington Aqueduct are civilian employees of the Army Corp of Engineers. The Aqueduct was initially built with federal funds, but since 1927 the operating budget and capital budget have been paid for by the Aqueduct’s customers. Today, the operating budget is around $46 million that is supplied by the wholesale water rates charged for the water delivered. The Aqueduct produces an average of 155 million gallons of water per day and sells that water to the District of Columbia (about 75% of the finished water), Arlington County, Virginia (about 15%), and the City of Falls Church, Virginia (10%). In total about one million people a day use water supplied by the Aqueduct.

The Rules for Backyard Chickens in Prince William County

By vote of the Prince William Board of County Supervisors back in 2011 a zoning change was made to allow backyard chickens in some parts of Prince William County. The Supervisors voted to create a Domestic Fowl Overlay District in the county where residents can keep a limited number of chickens and other domestic fowl.

In areas of the overlay district (pink area) that are zoned A-1 and consisting of more than one acre, chickens and domestic fowl are permitted “by right” subject only to any restrictions that may exist in the HOA Covenants and Restrictions. In areas of the Domestic Fowl Overlay District that are zoned SR-1, SR-3 or SR-5  that have more than one acre and not restricted by HOA Covenants and Restrictions, chickens and domestic fowl are permitted after a Special Use Permit is obtained from the County.

To obtain the Special Use Permit for those in areas zoned SR-1, SR-3, SR-5 within the Domestic Fowl Overlay District, you first fill out an application. Then the Special Use Permit applications are submitted to the Planning Office for staff review. The planning staff will then prepare an analysis and recommendation for consideration by the Planning Commission at a public hearing. The Planning Commission will then submit its recommendation to the Board of County Supervisors, and at a subsequent public hearing the Board will consider the case and the Planning Commission recommendation and either approve or deny the application. The Board action is final.

The maximum number of chicken or domestic fowl permitted is proportional to the size of the lot. One "bird unit" per acre is allowed for properties of 1 to less than 5 acres, three bird units per acre for properties of 5 to less than 10 acres. There is no limit on the number of bird units allowed on properties greater than 10 acres other than restrictions by HOA Covenants and Restrictions. A bird unit is:
10 chickens (though only one rooster per acre) or
6 ducks or
4 turkeys, geese or pea fowl or
1 ostrich or emu
20 pigeons, doves, or quail

Note: Only domestic fowl six weeks and older are allowed under the regulation. Also, only one rooster or guinea fowl are allowed per acre. Roosters and guinea fowl must be confined between sunset and sunrise within a caged area on any lot less than ten acres, and the caged area must be more than 150 feet from neighbor’s homes.

The domestic fowl regulations require coops or cages and runs on any lot with less than five acres and specifies construction standards and humane areas for each bird, distance from Resource Protected Areas (RPA) under the Chesapeake Bay Act, distance from well heads. The required coops, cages or runs must be enclosed with a minimum four feet high chicken wire fence and must be kept clean and free from excess feed, excrement, and such substances that may attract rodents or other predators.

Runs and cages for chickens must have a maximum density of four square feet per bird. For larger fowl, such as geese or turkey, the maximum run or cage density per bird is 15 square feet. For emus, ostriches and similar large birds, the maximum run or cage density is 100 square feet per bird.

Coops and runs must be located only in the rear or side yard and shall adhere to the same setbacks as non-commercial kennels. Such structures shall also be set back at least five feet from the principal dwelling on the property and at least 100 feet from an RPA stream (Resource Protected Area under the Chesapeake Bay Act) and 50 feet from all other streams. A zoning permit must be obtained for these structures.

Cages, coops and runs on properties not served by public water must be separated from the well head on the property. If the well is a class 3A or B with grouting then the minimum separation distance is 50 feet. If the well is a class 3C or class 4 well, then the minimum separation distance is 100 feet. If the chicken coop is enclosed, has a concrete floor and the chicken manure is removed and placed for trash pickup, or other best management practices are applied, then the separation distance for a class 3C or 4 well can be reduced to 50 feet. Waste management guidelines for surface and groundwater protection were established using Prince William Soil and Water Conservation district guidance. You can get the specifics from the District.

Prince William also regulates how the chicken and domestic fowl can be used. Fowl raised on properties less than five acres in size may only be used for producing eggs. No "dispatch" of fowl may take place on the premises. Chickens and domestic fowl raised on properties five acres or larger but less than ten acres may be dispatched for domestic use only. Fowl raised on parcels of ten acres or larger shall be under the same provisions for dispatch as any other livestock. Got it?

You may also want to read https://greenrisks.blogspot.com/2020/04/how-to-lookup-if-chickens-allowed-at.html

Five Indicted for Involuntary Manslaughter in Flint Water Crisis

Last week the Michigan State Attorney General, Bill Schuette, announced charges for six state and local officials in connection to the Flint water crisis. Five people have been charged with involuntary manslaughter in the case relating to deaths from Legionella, a type of bacteria commonly found in the environment that grows best in warm water, such as hot tubs, cooling towers, hot water tanks, potable water systems, and decorative fountains. When people are exposed to the bacteria, it can cause Legionellosis, a respiratory disease that can infect the lungs and cause pneumonia. Legionella cannot spread from one person to another person. 

The charges are the latest in the Attorney General's investigation that has lasted more than a year and seen 15 people facing 51 charges for various offenses relating to the Flint Michigan water crisis. Charged with involuntary manslaughter last week were:

• Nick Lyon, the Director of Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. Mr. Lyon is charged with involuntary manslaughter and misconduct in office.
• Darnell Earley, the Flint emergency manager from September 2013-January 2015. Mr. Earley is charged with false pretenses and conspiracy, misconduct in office and willful neglect of duty.
• Howard Croft, former City of Flint public works superintendent is charged with involuntary manslaughter, conspiracy and false pretenses.
• Liane Shekter-Smith, the fired head of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality’s Drinking Water Division is charged with involuntary manslaughter and previously with misconduct in office, and willful neglect of duty. 
• Stephen Busch, the Lansing district coordinator for the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality’s Drinking Water and Municipal Assistance was charged with involuntary manslaughter. Previously, he had been charged with misconduct in office, conspiracy to tamper with evidence, tampering with evidence, two counts of violation of the Michigan Safe Drinking Water Act. 

Others charged:

• Dr. Eden Wells, the state’s chief medical officer. Dr. Wells is charged with obstruction of justice and lying to a police officer. 
• Gerald Ambrose, the Flint emergency manger from January to April 2015. He is charged with false pretenses, conspiracy, misconduct in office and will neglect of duty.
• Daugherty Johnson the former Flints utilities administrator is charged with conspiracy and false pretenses.
• Adam Rosenthal a Michigan Department of Environmental Quality analyst is charged with misconduct in office, conspiracy to tamper with evidence, tampering with evidence, and willful neglect of duty. 
• Patrick Cook a Michigan Department of Environmental Quality specialist is charged with misconduct in office, conspiracy and willful neglect of duty. 
• Nancy Peeler, the director of the DHHS program for maternal, infant and early childhood home visiting is charged with misconduct in office, conspiracy and willful neglect of duty. 
• Mike Prysby a Michigan Department of Environmental Quality drinking water offical is charged with misconduct in office, conspiracy to tamper with evidence, tampering with evidence, two violations of the Michigan Safe Drinking Water Act.
• Robert Scott, the data manager for the DHHS Healthy Homes and Lead Poisoning Prevention Program is charged with misconduct in office, conspiracy and willful neglect of duty.
• Corinne Miller, the former state epidemiologist was charged with misconduct in office, conspiracy and neglect of duty. She pleaded no contest to misdemeanor and agreed to cooperate with the investigation last fall on the understanding that the felony charges would be dropped. 
• Mike Glasgow, the City of Flint’s laboratory and water quality supervisor whas charged with two counts of tampering with evidence and willful neglect of office. He pleaded no contest to misdemeanor and agreed to cooperate with the investigation last fall on the understanding that the felony charges would be dropped. 

This all began in 2013 when the Flint city council decided to join the Karegnondi Water Authority (KWA) as the City’s permanent water source in a cost saving measure as wholesale water rates from the old Detroit system kept rising. KWA would supply water to the members by building a new pipeline from Lake Huron. While waiting for KWA pipeline to be completed, the City of Flint planned to use the Flint River as a temporary alternative water source.

The use of the Flint River was approved by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality in 2014. Here is where the problems began. Though the Flint Water Treatment staff, LAN engineering consultants and the DEQ understood that the Flint River would be subject to variations due to temperature changes, rain events and would have higher organic carbon levels than Lake Huron water and would be more difficulty to treat, they thought that Flint had the equipment (after a Water Treatment Plant upgrade) and the capacity to meet the demands of treating river water, after all, the Flint River had been the emergency backup water supply for the city. They were wrong.

Flint struggled to meet the Safe Drinking Water Act levels at the water treatment plant. The first problems were with of increased levels of trihalomethanes (disinfection by-products formed when chlorine reacts with organic matter in drinking water) next were increased levels of total coliform and fecal coliform bacteria levels. Just when they were convinced that the finished water from the plant was within Safe Drinking Water Act requirements, there began to appear problems at the tap. Lead levels became highly elevated.

Over the summers of 2014 and 2015 the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services reported 87 cases of Legionnaires’ disease with 10 associated fatalities in Genesee County. Of the confirmed cases in 2014, the source of water at the primary residence was City of Flint water for 47% of cases. Health Department officials haven't definitely linked the water switch to the disease, but Mr. Schuette has come close to doing so in public statements and documents related to the criminal charges filed last week. Still, prosecutors likely have to prove a direct link of the Legionnaires’ disease outbreak to improperly treated Flint water and the negligence of state officials. Though the message is clear that regulators and state employees have duty to perform their jobs to protect the public health.

Hard Water

In many parts of the country (including mine) the water contains high levels of dissolved minerals and is commonly referred to as hard. Groundwater very slowly wears away at the rocks and minerals picking up small amounts of calcium and magnesium ions. In the water clinics we run here in Prince William county, we have found almost 38% of homes tested in the 2012-2015 water clinics had water softeners, many of these systems unnecessary. Water softening systems have been oversold. Before considering treating your water test it to get a full picture of the nature of your water supply. While these hard water minerals are harmless to human health, but they do cause household problems. However, no treatment is without consequences and an inappropriate treatment could create other problems.

Water hardness are either reported in milligrams per liter(mg/L) or grains per gallon (gpg). Water containing approximately 125 milligrams of calcium, magnesium and iron per liter of water or 7 grains per gallon can begin to have a noticeable impact and is considered hard. Concentration of magnesium and calcium above 180 milligrams per liter or 10.5 grains per gallon is considered very hard. As the mineral level climbs impacts become noticeable. These minerals combine with soap in the laundry and bath soap to form a pasty scum that accumulates on bathtubs and sinks, and doesn’t rinse well from fabric, leaving clothes dull. Hard water spots appear on everything that is washed in and around the home from dishes and silverware to the floor tiles and car (though commercial car washes use recycled water and are more environmentally friendly). When heated, calcium carbonate and magnesium carbonate are removed from the water and form a scale (lime scale) in cookware, hot water pipes, and water heaters. As the scale builds up more energy is required to heat the water and hot water heater and appliances have work harder which will burn them out eventually. Thus, in hard water locations hot water heaters and other appliances have a shorter life. 

from VAMWON

There are a number of simple things you can do to reduce the effects of hard water in your home, without having to resort to treating your water, so called softening. My water has elevated levels of calcium and magnesium 170 milligrams per liter yet I do not have a whole house water softener. The simple things to do to address hard water are:

• Choose a detergent based laundry product. Some laundry detergents/soaps do not produce as many suds in hard water, these are likely to be soap-based products and do not work as well in hard-water as detergent based products. These days, there are laundering powders and liquids available for a wide range of water hardness. Occasionally running your washing machine with vinegar and hot water will clear out the buildup of lime scale.
• Reduce the temperature of your hot water heater. When water temperature increases, more mineral deposits will appear in your dishwasher, hot water tank and pipes. By reducing the temperature, you will save money and will reduce the amount of mineral build-up in your pipes and tank. Use rinse agents to remove mineral deposits. There are low pH (acidic) products available to remove mineral deposits from pots and pans and dishwasher. 
• Alternatively, you can use plain white vinegar by using the dishwasher dispenser or placing a cup of vinegar on the dishwasher rack. Boil some white vinegar in your kettle to remove hard water deposits. Drain and rinse your hot water heater annually.

In days past, at the first sign of hard water, domestic water supplies were commonly softened by using a salt based conventional water softening system. Water softening is basically an ion exchange system. The water softening system consists of a mineral tank and a brine tank. The water supply pipe is connected to the mineral tank so that water coming into the house must pass through the tank before it can be used. The mineral tank holds small beads of resin that have a negative electrical charge. The calcium and magnesium ions are positively charged and are attracted to the negatively charged beads. This attraction makes the minerals stick to the beads as the hard water passes through the mineral tank. Sodium is often used to charge the resin beads. As the water is softened, the sodium ions are replaced and small quantities of sodium are released into the softened water, thus the taste.

Eventually the surfaces of the beads in the mineral tank become coated with the calcium and magnesium. To clean the beads, a strong salt solution held in the brine tank is flushed through the mineral tank. Sodium is typically used and is cheap, but potassium can also be used. The salt ions also have a positive electrical charge, just not quite as strong as that of calcium and magnesium, but the high concentration of salt ions overpowers the calcium and magnesium ions and drives them off of the beads and into the solution. The excess sodium solution carrying the calcium and magnesium is flushed to the septic system and into the environment. Some sodium ions remain in the tank attached to the surfaces of the beads and the resin is now regenerated and ready to continue softening the water.

The amount of sodium in water conditioning systems is a real problem for humans and the environment. All of the salt is released into the septic system and ultimately the leach field and groundwater, and these conventional salt-based water softening systems contribute to three problems:

1. The brine backwash can cause salt buildup in groundwater and other aquatic environments. Water softeners release sodium chloride and other chloride salts into the environment. This can adversely affect groundwater aquifers, streams and rivers. This can add to problems in areas that are already suffering from high concentrations of salts due to road salt application.
2. Brine backwash in the conventional septic tank had interfered with the digestion of the cellulose fibers and reduced scum layer development, carryover of solids and grease to the distribution system.
3. The brine back wash system uses water to flush itself out regularly. The EPA estimates in that a conventional softener can use up to 10,000 gallons per year for the backwash cycle. This could be a significant increase in water use for well owners. 

In addition softened water should not be used to water house plants, the salt build up will eventually kill them and they will not thrive. Softened water should also not be used in steam irons or evaporators like evaporative coolers. In addition, while some studies have shown that sodium does not interfere with bacterial action in ATU tanks in alternative septic systems, David Pask, Senior Engineering Scientist of the National Small Flows Clearinghouse has seen septic distribution pipes plugged with a “noxious fibrous mass” that was grease and cellulose from toilet paper that only occurred in homes with water softening systems. He felt the brine in the conventional septic tank had interfered with the digestion of the cellulose fibers and might be carried over into the septic systems drain field. Field practitioners reported to the Small Flows Clearinghouse negative impact from water softening regeneration brine.

Terry Bounds, an engineer, in an article published in the summer 1994 issue of Small Flows (the precursor of the Small Flows Quarterly magazine) states that in his work he has seen noticeable differences between septic tanks with and without water softener brine discharges. Mr. Bounds said that in the tanks with added water softener discharge, he saw reduced scum layer development, carryover of solids and grease to the distribution system, and a less distinguishable "clear zone" that might mean solids remain suspended instead of settling in the tank.

Personally, I do not care to add all that sodium to my diet while removing calcium carbonate and magnesium (something that is also sold in pill form for stronger bones). If you are on public water, you should not need to soften your water. If you must soften your water there may be other options- which I will discuss in a future post.

Contaminants found in Deep Groundwater

All the water that ever was or will be on earth is here right now. More than 97% of the Earth’s water is within the in oceans. The remaining 2.8% is the fresh water on the planet most of which is contained in the icecaps and glaciers with the remaining fresh water is stored primarily as groundwater with a tiny fraction stored as rivers and lakes. Groundwater forms the invisible, subsurface part of the natural water cycle, in which rivers and streams are the visible components. The “visible” components are all strongly affected by weather and climate, and although they can be contaminated quickly, they generally recover quickly too. By contrast, the subsurface processes of groundwater percolation and seepage are much slower ranging from weeks to years to millennia.

There is groundwater everywhere on earth, but our ability to pump it and use it varies from place to place, depending on rainfall and geology- the rock and sand layers within whose pore spaces the groundwater sits. Generally, groundwater is renewed only during a part of each year through precipitation, but can be withdrawn year-round serving as a natural reservoir. Provided that the withdrawal rate does not exceed the rate at which groundwater is replenished, and that the source is protected from pollution, groundwater can be abstracted indefinitely.

The groundwater cycle in humid and arid regions differ fundamentally from each other. In humid climates like ours, with high rainfall, large volumes of water seep into the groundwater, which contributes actively to the water cycle feeding streams, springs and wetlands during periods when the rainfall is lower. In semi-arid and arid climates, there is by contrast practically extremely limited exchange between the surface water and groundwater because the small volume of seepage from the occasional rainfall only rarely penetrates the thick and dry (unsaturated) soils. The groundwater is much deeper and isolated from surface contact. In these areas groundwater resources are only minimally recharged. Our understanding of the complete water cycle is still only rudimentary.

We do know that groundwater availability varies by location. Precipitation and soil type determines how much the shallower groundwater is recharged annually, and the volume of water that can be stored is controlled by the reservoir characteristics of the subsurface rocks. Groundwater may be present today even in places with very dry climates because of the nature of the local geology and the historic climate cycles that have occurred through time. Giant groundwater deposits of limited recharge are thought to exist on nearly all continents, but the amount of groundwater that can be pumped out is unknown. Scientists are just beginning to study deeper sources of groundwater.

Groundwater is usually cleaner than surface water. Groundwater is typically protected against contamination from the surface by the soils and rock layers covering the aquifer, and until now, the scientific community has believed that this fossil groundwater was safe from modern contamination, but a recent study has challenged this belief. University of Calgary hydro-geologist Dr. Scott Jasechko led a team that discovered ancient groundwater is not immune to modern-day pollution. This study was recently published in Nature Geoscience.

Dr. Jasechko and his co-researchers measured the amount of radioactive carbon in the water to determine the age of the groundwater from more than 6,000 groundwater wells around the globe. Based on their findings they estimated that the majority of the earth's groundwater is likely fossil groundwater, derived from rain and snow that fell more than 12,000 years ago. Dr. Jasechko and his team estimated that this fossil groundwater accounts for between 42%- 85% of available fresh water within a kilometer of the earth's crust. However, they discovered that half of the groundwater wells in the study also contained detectable levels of tritium, a radioactive isotope that was spread around the globe as a result of thermonuclear bomb testing.

Rain and snow that fell on earth after the 1950s contains tritium. Disturbingly, traces of tritium were found in deep well waters, which indicate that contaminated rain and snow melt of today may be able to mix in with deep fossil groundwater and, in turn, potentially contaminate that ancient water until now scientists believed to be pure. This suggests that contemporary contaminants- chemicals of our modern world may be able to reach deep wells that tap fossil aquifers. "The unfortunate finding is that even though deep wells pump mostly fossil groundwater, many still contain some recent rain and snow melt, which is vulnerable to modern contamination," says Jasechko. "Our results imply that water quality in deep wells can be impacted by the land management decisions we make today."

Groundwater is the only available clean drinking water in many parts of the world, and now we find out it may not be as clean as we assumed. Once contaminated, groundwater is very difficult to clean and often after removal of contaminated plumes only long term abandonment of use to allow for natural attenuation is the only possible course of action. Precious groundwater resources increasingly need to be protected and well managed to allow for sustainable long-term use.

Check List for Chlorine Shocking a Well

You disinfect a well and plumbing system by circulating a concentrated chlorine solution throughout the system. The level of chlorine to use is between 50 ppm and 200 ppm (parts per million) depending on which University extension office is asked. I typically use about 200 ppm as recommended by The Virginia Cooperative Extension where I volunteer unless I am addressing a significant iron bacteria problem in which case a much higher concentration of chlorine is necessary. Be aware that too concentrated a solution or too weak a solution will not be effective. Do it once the right way.

Why disinfect a well, there are several reasons, the most common reason is because coliform bacteria was found in the well water. In that case, standard protocol is:

1. Carefully check the well and water system for points of contamination. Make sure you have a sound and secured sanitary well cap and that the soil around the well is packed to drain water away from the well. 
2. Then treat the well and plumbing system with chlorine for 12-24 hours to disinfect system (thet 12-24 hours is essential). Then flush the chlorine from the system.
3. Retest the water after the chlorine has left the system in about 10 days to two weeks. If coliform bacteria is “absent” you’re done. If not, then it is time to install a long term disinfection system.

Chlorine shocking a well is also used to knock back iron bacteria which can foul a well, damage pumps, stain plumbing fixtures, clog pipes, faucets, showerheads, and produce unpleasant tastes and odors in drinking water. There are no drinking water standards for iron bacteria so water is very rarely tested for it. Confirmation is usually based on visual symptoms in the water, including the slimy brown/red appearance (often most noticeable in the toilet tank) and an unpleasant musty odor. Over time as iron bacteria takes over the system the perceived quality of the well water declines as iron bacteria produce unpleasant tastes and odors commonly reported as: "swampy," "oily or petroleum," "cucumber," "sewage," "rotten vegetation," or "musty." There is often a discoloration of the water with the iron bacteria causing a slight yellow, orange, red or brown tint to the water. The standard protocol for treating iron bacteria is to chlorine shock the well at a recommended chlorine concentration of 500-1,000 parts per million unless the well is already fouled then the pumping equipment in the well must be removed and cleaned, which is usually a job for a well contractor or pump installer.

I have had iron bacteria problems and coliform bacteria in the past. I chlorine shock my well every couple of years simply to maintain water quality and knock back the iron bacteria. This practice was until recently fairly radical in the private well sector, but is common in small public supply wells.

This past weekend I helped someone who attended our Prince William County Drinking Water Clinic chlorine shock his well. He is someone who sought help from VAMWON where I volunteer and then came to the water clinic. He is a professional, bright and capable, but not an engineer and wanted help with the project. I know there is nowhere to turn to get your well done right, so when he pressed I agreed to show up and provide guidance on how to do it. Given my arthritic hands I am fairly useless with a wrench, but I can walk you through it and lend a hand and it is really an easier job with to people. Here is how you do it:

First you need to know how deep your well is to calculate how much chlorine to use. Also, the flow rate on the well will give you an idea on how long it will take to clear the well of chlorine. Get a copy of the Well Completion Report from the county. They will make a copy for you, but if you ask nicely they will just email it to you saving you a trip to the department of health.

Depth of well tells you how much water is stored in the well boring. The typical 6 inch diameter well stores 1.47 gallons per foot, so you multiply your well depth by 1.47 and then add about 110 gallons for the hot water heater and household plumbing . You will need about 3 pints of chlorine per 100 gallons. If you have a very large hot water heater and lots of treatment equipment you will need to add another half a gallon of chlorine. Buy extra- you might need it.

A few days before disinfecting your well you need to purchase all your supplies. You will need:

• a plastic tarp, 
• 3 -5 gallons of plain unscented Clorox bleach (you need 3 pints for every 100 gallons of water with standard bleach), 
• an 8” diameter funnel, 
• rubber gloves
• a relatively new scrub brush 
• a white 3 gallon bucket (I can’t easily lift a 5 gallon filled with water and chlorine), 
• lots of chlorine test strips 
• a clean and relatively new hose or hoses at least long enough to reach the well from the spigot
• a pair of safety glasses or goggles

In addition, you will want to purchase 6 gallons (or more) of bottled water (to carry you while we have no water to use and make sure that our coffee and tea do not have any chlorine residue to spoil the taste), new refrigerator filters, and coliform home test kits for use in a couple of weeks.

When you are ready to disinfect your well, you need to have about 24-30 hours when you will not be able to use the water. Shock chlorinating a water supply system can potentially damage  pressure tanks, water softeners, filters and filter media, and other treatment devices, but the only way to kill the bacteria is to run the chlorinated water into the components and let it sit in the system. Virginia Cooperative Extension always recommends that you check with component manufacturers before shock chlorinating your water supply system to determine how to bypass or protect this equipment if necessary. With my components I consider this wear and tear. 

I began by filling my bucket with some water and chlorine then go into the basement and turn off the power to the well. Then turn off the power or gas to the hot water heater and drain it, and close the water intake valve. Once the well is fully chlorinated you will refill the hot water heater, but keep it cold (and turned off) during the hold time.

Now it is time to unbolt and remove the well cap. Examine the well cap to make sure it is in good condition and the screen on the base is sound. Next take your brush and clean off the well cap using the chlorinated water from your bucket. Once the well cap is good and clean place it on the plastic tarp or wrap it in a clean plastic bag. Next scrub the edger of the well casing to remove any dirt and take a rag dipped in chlorine water and wipe down the wires in the well examining them for any damage. Get the wiring nice and clean and push them aside.

• Put on old clothes and safety glasses
• Run your nice new hoses from the house to the well and place on the tarp
• Fill bucket with half water and half chlorine. 
• Turn off power to the well
• Drain the hot water tank
• Remove well cap
• Clean well cap with chlorine and water solution and place in clean plastic bag
• Clean well casing top and well cap base using brush dipped in chlorine water
• Pull wires in the well aside if they are blocking the top of the well and clean them with a rag dipped in chlorine water mixture. Make sure there are no nicks or cuts in the wires. 
• Put the funnel in the well top and pour in the chlorine and water mixture
• Now pour in the rest of the chlorine SLOWLY to minimize splashing
• Go back to the basement and turn the power to the well back on
• Turn on the hose and put it in the well 
• Sit down and wait for about 45 minutes or an hour

What you are doing is recirculating the water. It is running from the well to the pressure tank to the hose and back again. This effectively is mixing the chlorine into the well water. The deeper your well the longer this takes. Also, if you have any treatment tanks installed ahead of the pressure tank they are also being included in this cycle. After about 45 minutes the water should look orange and test strongly for chlorine. 

• Use the hose to wash down the inside of the well casing
• Turn off the hose
• Carefully bolt the well cap back in place
• Fill your hot water heater with water
• Draw water to every faucet in the house until it tests positive for chlorine then flush all your toilets. Turn off your ice maker. 
• Then it was no water for 12-24 hours 
• Set up your hoses to run to a gravel area or non-sensitive drainage area. The chlorine will damage plants 

After 16 hours turn on the hoses leave them to run for the next 6-12 hours. The time is dependent on the depth of the well and the recharge rate. Deeper wells with a faster recharge rate takes longer. If you cannot run your well dry-it recharges faster than I can pump you need to keep diluting the chlorine.

• After about 6 hours of running the hoses begin testing the water coming out of the hose for chlorine. Keep running the hose and testing the chlorine until the chlorine tests below about 1 ppm.
• Now it is time to drain the hot water heater again, refill it and turn it back on
• Open each faucet in the house (one at a time) and let run it until the water tested free of chlorine. Be aware the hot water will sputter- big time- until all the air is out of the system. Flush all the toilets
• Change the refrigerator filter cartridge and dump all your ice and turn your ice maker back on. 
• You are done. 

There are a few twists and turns that can come up. If you have iron bacteria in your well, your will see gunk in the water when you are re-circulating the water in the well. In that case I typically run off some water for an hour or so to get some of the gunk out. Then add an additional gallon of chlorine to the system and recirculate for another half an hour before I close up the well. Also if you have treatment tanks in your basement, you also want to drain after the chlorine has been flushed out of the system. Do not drain them into your septic system. Good luck.

Using Iron Filters for your Well Water

Iron and manganese are naturally occurring elements commonly found in groundwater in many part of the country were the underlying geology is igneous rocks. At naturally occurring levels iron and manganese do not present a health hazard. However, their presence in well water can cause unpleasant taste, staining and accumulation of mineral solids that can clog water treatment equipment and plumbing and discolored water. The standard Secondary Maximum Contaminant Level (SMCL) for iron is 0.3 milligrams per liter (mg/L or ppm) and 0.05 mg/L for manganese. This level of iron and manganese are easily detected by taste, smell or appearance. In addition, some types of bacteria react with soluble forms of iron and manganese and form persistent bacterial contamination in a well, water system and any treatment systems. These organisms change the iron and manganese from a soluble form into a less soluble form, thus causing precipitation and accumulation of black or reddish brown gelatinous material (slime). Masses of mucous, iron, and/or manganese can clog plumbing and water treatment equipment.

The key to iron and manganese removal is oxidation. An oxygen molecule must be supplied to change the minerals from the soluble bicarbonate to the insoluble hydroxide form so it can be filtered from the water. Four methods are typically used to deliver oxygen: aeration, ion exchange (a water softener), a greensand or iron filter, or chlorination.

If you have an iron problem, a manganese greensand filter often referred to as oxidizing, iron or red water filter might be a good solution for you. Like most home model water filters the typical manganese greensand filter is a pressure filter, a fully enclosed tank type filters that operates at the same pressure as the water delivery system so that you do not need to buy a booster pump. These devices are used for a variety of water treatment processes such as taste and odor improvement, iron and manganese removal and removal of suspended matter (turbidity) in water. The water treatment performed by a pressure filter is determined by the filter media that is inside the tank. Most companies that sell pressure filters use the same tank for all treatments but change the inside filter media depending on the type of treatment needed.

Iron filters contain a resin designed to remove iron and manganese that is in solution. It will also act as a filter and catch iron and manganese precipitates that have been oxidized before reaching the filter. Typically these filters are effective for iron and manganese removal concentrations up to 10 ppm. However, this type of filter will not tolerate iron bacteria, because the slimy material that is produced coats the greensand and fouls it. The greensand filter must be regenerated with a new solution of potassium permanganate when the oxygen is depleted. This process is similar to regenerating a softener. The filter must be backwashed every so often based on the size of the filter. The typical cycle is weekly.

The iron filters have been less successful in actual practice. Before you install any treatment system test your water thoroughly. An iron filter will not function if there is iron bacteria present in the well, because the slimy material that is produced by the iron bacteria coats the greensand and fouls it. Next, the functioning of the filter is pH dependent. Iron filters can remove iron when the pH is about 7.5 or higher, but manganese is very difficult to remove at pH values below 8.5. So to install a greensand or iron filter you first must adjust the pH of the water to the appropriate level. The final problem is iron breakthrough.

For the iron filter to work properly the correct flow rate is the secret to effective iron removal. Adequate flow is required to clear the filter bed of sediment before it becomes too dirty. Most well pumps used for private drinking water wells supply 10 to 15 gallons per minute (gpm) of flow. The size filter that can be used is limited by the backwash water available. That is why many of the home pressure filters are tall thin “bottle-type” units that are only 8 inches in diameter. This size filter can be backwashed with 8 to 10 gpm flow. However, the low surface area only provides treatment for a limited water flow of about 2 gpm on average or about 5 gpm for short peak flows. Use of higher volumes of water would result in iron breakthrough. At first the water will appear clear then often become brown or rusty after a few minutes. The chemical coating on a greensand or iron filter has limited oxidizing capabilities, but they can all be made more effective with the addition of a pre- oxidant step using air, chlorine, or peroxide in a first tank followed by the filtration step.

Before you select a treatment method for an iron and manganese problem you might want to consider all your options. Another approach for iron and manganese removal is chlorination. Chlorination and filtration can remove high concentrations of iron, iron bacteria, and hydrogen sulfide gas. The iron, manganese and hydrogen sulfide gas is oxidized by the chlorine. A sediment filter is used to remove the rust particles followed by an activated carbon filter is used to remove excess chlorine and other impurities. The resulting water has an excellent taste. For this system to work the pH of the water must be above 7. No other method of home water treatment has as many benefits as chlorination- disinfection and oxidizing agent.

Be Prepard

On April 6th we were at the kitchen table having lunch when the sky already gray from the rain turned dark. Then it began to hail, but the hail was not falling it was pounding the house horizontally. The intensity of the hail increased and was a little scary. Just as I stood up to close the drapes, the NOAA Weather Radio alarmed. (You might want to have one, too.) There was a tornado 5 miles northeast of Haymarket. We are 5.5 miles northeast of Haymarket! My husband said two words, “basement now.” We grabbed the cat and our coffee cups and went down stairs. You need to have a plan in place for storms or other emergencies- there is no time to consider you need to be prepared to act. We settled in my husband’s man cave (actually the basement is an over crowed and cluttered library, office and home theatre) and turned on the TV to the weather channel just as the power went out. In less than 20 seconds the TV was back on.

Ten years ago when we first bought this house, I had a Guardian 16 kilowatt automatic generator manufactured by Generac installed as part of our emergency planning. When the power to the house is cut, the generator automatically kicks in to power most of the house in under 20 seconds. (Generac advertises that the new generators come on-line in 10 seconds. I have not timed the generator since having the gas line replaced last year, but I think it is longer than 10 seconds.) The generator runs on liquid propane from a tank buried in my yard that also powers my hot water heater, backup furnace, fireplace, gas grill and stove. The generator can supply the house for 23 or more days depending on whether the gas furnace is running, and is housed in a lovely insulated aluminum casing under my deck (muffling the sound) and looking almost good as new even after ten years of sitting outside. (Note that if the generator runs more than a few days it will need oil.)

The generator works great. Without electricity I would have no water, no septic and my freezer containing a quarter of a cow (grass fed sustainably raised down the pike) is in danger of spoiling, my carefully laid down wine is in danger of being damaged and my life generally disrupted with the loss of the all the modern conveniences. Instead my generator powers the well, septic, elevator, refrigerators and freezer, the cable and high speed internet and most, but not all, of the house. Over the years we’ve adjusted the load a few times, but we are never without power. The generator is serviced annually and my propane tank is never allowed to fall under 50% full. The propane tank has a very readable gauge on it. We stayed in the basement until the storm had moved on and the tornado warning for our area had passed.

We emerged from the basement to find 7 of my 15 plum trees pulled out of the ground. A chair from the deck had been lifted by the wind over the railing and flung out into the yard and the rest of the deck furniture was “rearranged” by the storm. The funnel to my rain gauge was gone, but all the solar panels were still on the house and a when I did a quick binocular survey of my roof I did not see any damage. Since then, we have had several significant rainstorms that brought a total of 13.46 inches of rain (as measured by my rain gauge with a new funnel) and no leaks. So, I think our roof made it this time. All that rain has alleviated the drought that had been building in this area over the past year. There is no longer any area of Virginia that is in drought- a silver lining to the recent rains.

You always have to plan for emergencies and the future to be ready for what comes at you. When my husband wanted to retire and suggested we look around for a place to live-my criteria was adequate water, location where a mild temperature increase from a climate warming would not be devastating, and high speed Internet. My husband was born and breed in Virginia and in truth there was little chance of us retiring anywhere else. Fortunately, based on several different predictions, the eastern slope of the Piedmont region of Virginia is a climate change sweet spot, and far enough from the shore and high enough that rising sea level (or sinking land which is also happening around here) would not impact us. It was predicted to get wetter and warmer (like the Carolinas), has a moderate four season climate with lots of available water in the Culpeper Groundwater Basin and average annual rainfall of over 44 inches a year.

When I finished my basement and installed the elevator that made it possible for those who can no longer climb steps to live in this house, I installed a secondary sump pump utilizing the elevator shaft (installed a couple of feet below the basement) as the natural drainage point. The sump pumps are also tied into the generator. Power is most likely to fail just when you need a sump pump, so a backup system is necessary- either a battery or a generator. The sump pumps are tested and run each spring when I drain the hot water heater- last Wednesday though by last week I knew they were working. The house has good natural drainage, but all the rain lately had at least one of the sump pumps was operating this spring. Our land has a good slope of about 40 feet from the northwest corner to the southeast corner with the house itself on a slight rise that serves to keep the basement dry.

Hurricane season officially launched last week. NOAA's 2017 Atlantic Hurricane Season Outlook indicates that for the Atlantic an above-normal or near-normal hurricane season is most likely. The outlook indicates a 45% chance for an above-normal season, a 35% chance for a near-normal season, and a 20% chance for a below-normal season. NOAA is predicting 11-17 named storms, 5-9 hurricanes with 2-4 of those major hurricane storms. Now is the time to plan for storms. Make sure you are ready for the next big storm. Check out this link to the Prince William Emergency Preparedness Guide.

Problems with Well Water-Iron and low pH

As part of my volunteer work as a VAMWON volunteer often get calls and email for help. Also, the blog seems to generate questions, too. I received the following inquiry by email:

We have been dealing with water issues for some time (10 years) and I think I have my hands wrapped around things. It would take a while to go into all the details but, basically we have a low pH, high iron, magnesium, and flow rate of 7 gallons per minute.  Originally, we had a water softener and acid neutralizer that did not seem to solve the problems. I installed a Chem feeder with soda ash and chlorine followed by an iron filer. My issue is that I believe my pipes have continued iron in them? First thing in the morning when I turn on the water, the water is actually very clean and then within a gallon, when the water starts flowing, it gets a bit brownish. Not as bad as before, but discolored. Makes me think that particles start to come off of the pipes. Does that sound right?  

A Chem-feed is a brand of diaphram pump used for feeding a controlled amount of chemicals, in this case chlorine and soda ash into a system. Soda ash is used to treat low pH and chlorine can very effectively treat high levels of iron as well as many other things. (I really love chlorine as a treatment option because of its versatility).

Low levels or iron can be treated with a water softener, but water with a low pH tends to be soft and combining an acid neutralizer with is really just a system to make the water hard and a water softener usually does not give good results. Chlorine treatment should be followed by a filter to remove the precipate and a carbon filter to remove excess chlorine. I had several questions.. Do he have a holding tank to assure an adequate contact time for the chlorine? How big is your pressure tank (it is possible to use the pressure tank in lieu of a holding tank to increase contact time if the treatment is installed ahead of the pressure tank) What concentration of chlorine was he using? What was the natural level of iron? After treatment what is the pH and chlorine level? What is the pipe material of construction?  What is the iron and manganese concentration after treatment?

To solve any water problem properly, you need to fully understand your natural water chemistry and the chemistry after treatment and when you are experiencing breakthrough. In this case the appearance of iron after some flow suggests breakthrough. Very high iron levels without adequate contact time for the chlorine could have this effect. I suspected that he was using his pressure tank instead of a contact tank and the first gallons had had adequate treatment after sitting overnight. However, other things could be going on.  I needed more information and facts to be any help. I sent my questions.

Iron 3.65 ppm

ph 6.7

manganese 0.1

TDS 52 ppm

Iron bacteria noted in sample

Lab testing did note "yellow color removed by 0.45micron filtration."I have a 15 gallon Chem- feeder.  Added soda ash until PH was 8 right before iron filter, and 4 cups of bleach.  Very trace chlorine on test strip right before filter.  Small pressure tank.  No contact tank, no other bacteria noted.

Filter installed after chem feeder "removes iron, rust, sulfur, manganese, dirt, turbidity, tastes, odors and even chlorine", per manufacture.  Backwashes overnight. The pipes are copper and cpvc mix.

 Some of the pipes were removed because of damage and the pipes removed at time of installation were lined with orange residue.  I don't not have a high concentration on test Iron strip from sink taps.  

 Was thinking maybe the residue is washing away, causing the water to be brownish?   The color is faint and mostly notable in a white styrofoam cup.  

The pH of water is a measure of the acidity or alkalinity. The pH is a logarithmic scale from 0 – 14 with 1 being very acidic and 14 very alkaline. Drinking water should be between 6.5 and 7.5. For reference and to put this into perspective, coffee has a pH of around 5 and salt water has a pH of around 98. Corrosive water, sometimes also called aggressive water is typically water with a low pH. (Alkaline water can also be corrosive.) However, his water is naturally within the normal range. It does not really need any treatment.

Low pH water can corrode metal plumbing fixtures causing lead and copper to leach into the water and causing pitting and leaks in the plumbing system. However, there is no reason to think that kind of corrosion was taking place here. The presence of lead or copper in water is most commonly leaching from the plumbing system rather than the groundwater. Acidic water is easily treated using an acid neutralizing filter. Typically these neutralizing filters use a granular marble, calcium carbonate or lime. If the water is very acidic or there are other problems to be addressed a mixing tank using soda ash, sodium carbonate or sodium hydroxide can be used. Acid neutralizing filters will increase the hardness of the water because of the addition of calcium carbonate. The sodium based systems will increase the salt content in the water.

Iron and manganese are naturally occurring elements commonly found in groundwater in this part of the country. At naturally occurring levels iron and manganese do not present a health hazard. However, their presence in well water can cause unpleasant taste, staining and accumulation of mineral solids that can clog water treatment equipment and plumbing and discolored water. The standard Secondary Maximum Contaminant Level (SMCL) for iron is 0.3 milligrams per liter (mg/L or ppm) less than 1/10 of the level in his water. This level of iron is easily detected by taste, smell or appearance. In addition, some types of bacteria react with soluble forms of iron and manganese and form persistent bacterial contamination in a well, water system and any treatment systems. These organisms change the iron and manganese from a soluble form into a less soluble form, thus causing precipitation and accumulation of black or reddish brown gelatinous material (slime). Masses of mucous, iron, and/or manganese can clog plumbing and water treatment equipment accumulate in pipes and hot water heaters.

Multiple problems can be addressed with a single treatment train. You can increase the pH by injecting soda ash, and add chlorine to oxidize the iron in a single operation. However, it appears that iron and iron bacteria are his only problems. A holding tank may be necessary, to allow the chlorine enough time to do its work in iron removal. Adding retention time always improves efficiency, and with some treatments can be essential to do the job. While filters are necessary to remove the “precipitated” contaminant (iron in this case), or to remove an injected chemical and its by-products after it has done its work. Excess chlorine is often removed using a carbon filter. If the water has adequate contact time, an oxidizing filter should not be necessary. It appears that he is using the Chem-feed to unnecessarily raise the pH and the iron filter to remove iron. He should be using the Chem-feed to control iron using chlorine.

The concentration of chlorine he is using (if he is even using it constantly), may not be adequate or the chlorine could be shaking loose the build-up in the pipe as he suggested (it could also be iron bacteria), or the treatment train is not properly set up for the level of iron. It is possible that he is using the iron filter to remove the iron and it just can’t do the job. To properly solve the problem I would first attempt to “blow it” out of the pipes and the well by using a very heavy chlorine shock and overnight hold. Then flush the system. This is effectively what public water systems do every spring to clear out their pipes.

After chlorine treating and flushing the system, next try adjusting the treatment system to more effectively control the iron and forget the pH. The Chem-feed should be constantly feeding chlorine and then followed by filtration to remove precipate and chlorine. If that fails, get a holding tank to increase the contact time with chlorine and adjust the treatment system accordingly. He will need to chlorine shock the well with about 600-800 ppm chlorine solution and then run the solution into the house and let it sit 16-24 hours in the pipes and hot water heater without using water. Do not flush out the well into the house or you will have to pump the septic tank (that much chlorine will cause a die-out in the septic system) and drain the hot water heater. For details on how to do this read my posts on Iron Bacteria and Chlorine Shocking My Well about two years ago. He does not have low pH and does not need to continue treating that problem.

He got back to me with some more questions:

1. I was cautioned that shocking the well could cause sediment that could harm the pump.  Would you agree?
2. Hot water heater - I have heard of changing the anode rod?  and poring a cup of bleach into the hot water heater? Then flushing it.  
3. How do you feel about using IronOut in chem feeder for a one time flush of the pipes.
4. If after flush with no success, would you recommend a contact tank or just a much larger pressure tank.  (I heard large pressure tank helpful for well pump life).

I still can't figure out why sometimes (last night), water was completely crystal clear, then a few hours later not.  Chem feeder is about 1/4 full at this point.  Thinking of adding 4 cups of bleach, and flushing pipes again.

IronOut is an acid in a solvent base. DO NOT EVER PUT IT IN YOUR DRINKING WATER pipes. It contains Sodium hydrosulfite which has a probable oral lethal dose (human) 0.5-5 g/kg of body weight. Because of rapid oxidation to sulfates, sulfites are well tolerated until large doses are reached; then violent colic and diarrhea, circulatory disturbances, central nervous depression, and death are described. It is best not to have human consumption to be safe.

In the commercial and public water supply sector it has been accepted for decades that the appropriate maintenance treatment for a well is to acid or chlorine treat to eliminate encrustation and buildup. Only in the past five to ten years so has this knowledge migrated to the private well sector. University extension departments now accept that as a water well ages, the rate at which water may be pumped (commonly referred to as the well yield, flow or performance) tends to decrease. Now Penn State Extension states that “often, reduced well yield over time can be related to changes in the water well itself including:

• Incrustation from mineral deposits
• Bio-fouling by the growth of microorganisms especially iron bacteria. This is also likely to kill your pump.
• Physical plugging of "aquifer" (the saturated layer of sand, gravel, or rock through which water is transmitted) by sediment
• Sand pumping
• Well screen or casing corrosion
• Pump damage”

They go on to state that the two most common methods to rehabilitate a water well are: chemicals to dissolve the incrusting materials from the well including acids and chlorine; and physically cleaning the well. Physical methods include using a brush attached to a drilling rig, high pressure jetting, hydro fracturing, and well surging. Chemical treatment usually dissolves the encrustations and extends pump function. I suppose it is possible that pump could catch a pebble or rock shaken loose and be damaged, but so can a pump you leave alone. These days regularly treating a well with chlorine is the recommended strategy to extend the life of a well and equipment. See well maintenance tips from Penn State University Extension, University of Minnesota Extension, University of Arizona etc. Pouring 4 cups of chlorine into a Chem-feed system is entirely inadequate to do the job.

Proper disinfection of the well and plumbing system using 600-800 parts per million chlorine includes the hot water heater. (Don’t forget to turn it off-you do not want hot chlorine water.) Anode rods are typically magnesium and should not have any impact or involvement in a rust problem. Hydrogen sulfide a different story. Leave it be.