Brownish or dirty looking water can be caused by many things. With a little effort and money you can narrow down the possibilities. The major causes of brownish or dirty water are:
- Surface infiltration or other contamination
- Well collapsing, damage to the well or water level dropping
- Iron (and/or manganese) in the water
- Rust or breakdown of the metals in in the household piping or fixtures
The first thing I did was go outside and check my well cap. Last fall when I chlorine treated my well to keep the iron bacteria in check, I sheared off one of the bolts on the well cap. I figured that the other four bolts would hold the cap in place adequately, and I would get around to replacing the cap the next time I chlorinated the well. The well cap looked fine, the seal seemed good. I did not observe any changes in the well head.
It didn’t rain last night or very much lately, so it probably was not surface infiltration, but just to be sure and check for potential contamination from a failing septic system (mine or my neighbor’s), I’m checking the bacteria. My septic tanks were pumped about 18 months ago and my alternative septic system inspected less than two months ago. I was not really expecting to have a problem with that, but it is a possibility. My neighbors may not have been as diligent in maintaining their systems.
I test my well water every year at the County Water Clinic- I got the results back May 6th and the water was fine, no problems with anything. However, I also test my well for coliform every few months using a “Safe Home” do it yourself bacteria test and always have a couple around the house. I pulled one out to test the water. If there is any sudden change in your water appearance or taste, always test your water. I drew the sample; it takes 24 hours to get the results. By Sunday morning the test results showed that the coliform bacteria were ABSENT.
A bacteria test checks for the presence of total coliform bacteria which includes harmless and fecal bacteria. These bacteria are not normally present in deeper groundwater sources. They are associated with warm-blooded animals, so they are normally found in surface water and in shallow groundwater (less than 20-40 feet deep). Most coliform bacteria (with the exception of fecal and e-coli) are not harmful to humans. Typically, a well with surface infiltration has an episodic discoloration of the water often associated with rainfall and snow melt. The presence of coliform surface bacteria would certainly identify there is a problem with water quality. So, I know that I do not have surface infiltration or contamination from septic.
The next likely source of brown water is from the well itself. It is typical in Virginia not to have well casing beyond 40-50 feet deep which is true for my well. I have the most common modern well installation, an immersion pump down in the well. Changes in water level or supply could result in the pump pulling up a bit of mud or the pump could have wracked a bit and is hitting the side of the well hole. Also, a bit of debris in the well or from the pump could have been pulled up. This could be the cause of my problem.
Water that suddenly turns brown and stays that way for more than a few minutes may indicate a problem with the well structure, pipe or casing, or be an indication that the water level is dropping. Your well could be going dry. If your well is going dry, then the first signs of a problem might be brownish water appearing seasonally when there is a lot of water use at the end of a day.
My little episode occurred briefly first thing in the morning. I ran the water for a couple of minutes, but it stayed discolored. I turned on the hose and watered my flowers in front. The water cleared up while I was doing that. I came back into the house to confirm that on the white sink. That would seem to indicate that the pump pulled something out of the well.
Another source of brown water is iron (and/or manganese) in the water. Iron and manganese exist in many different chemical forms, and are naturally occurring elements commonly found in groundwater in many parts of the country. At levels naturally present in groundwater 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 appear as be left as granules or sediment in tubs.
My water tests results on May 6th showed very low levels of iron and manganese. While water chemistry can vary somewhat, it is highly unlikely that it could have changed that quickly and significantly. It is possible that some build up from iron bacteria that I treat my well for every other years broke got pulled up, but that generally appears as a bit of slime floating in the water.
Finally, rust or breakdown of the metals in in the household piping or fixtures can cause water to appear brown or dirty. This is also unlikely, my pipes are plastic, the discoloration was at more than one sink and both faucet sets were less than 4 years old. In addition, the water was running clear within minutes. Nonetheless, this could be the beginning of a problem with my well or equipment.
Even though the problem has resolved itself and I know I do not have coliform bacteria in my water, I plan to investigate further. Some fault in the well or pump system caused this and the well and equipment is almost 15 years old and should not be ignored. This is where I get to spend money. Next up will be a “Well Check” from a company participating in the Virginia Tech program and possibly have a camera put down the well to see what is going on.
No comments:
Post a Comment