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3_lb_trigger
New Member

Reged: 09/11/05
Posts: 13
Loc: Northwest Arkansas
Grey, stinky water
      09/11/05 08:22 PM

Hello everyone. We are moving into a house in the country w/ well and septic. This will be our first experience without city utilities. We've only used the water a couple times, as we're not even moved in yet, but when we went there today, the water was grey and smelled really bad. I don't think it was that way the other times we visited the house unless I just wasn't paying attention. The place has been unopcupied for a few months. Maybe it will clear up again with daily use???? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

CHRISTIAN AMERICAN HETROSEXUAL PRO-GUN CONSERVATIVE. Any Questions?

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egon
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Reged: 09/12/02
Posts: 3031
Loc: Nova Scotia,Canada
Re: Grey, stinky water new [re: 3_lb_trigger]
      09/12/05 03:52 AM

Get the water tested and don't use it as potable water till you get the test resuts.

What type of well is it and how is it located in realtion to other houses etc.?

Egon

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GareyD
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Reged: 10/20/03
Posts: 58
Loc: Georgia, I-20 and the Alabama Line
Re: Grey, stinky water new [re: 3_lb_trigger]
      09/12/05 06:59 AM

Not sure what county you are moving to, but you should check with the county health offices about your well...with all the poultry that is raised and processed in NW Arkansas most of the wells have been condemned due to the horrendously high bacteria counts...the last time I visited, all of the once public spring and fountains in Eureka Springs had been fenced off to keep the public from drinking at them...I grew up/still have land in Green Forest/Carroll Co. and the county/Tyson's was forced to run water lines and the hookup of water to all rural residents on their nickel.

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3_lb_trigger
New Member

Reged: 09/11/05
Posts: 13
Loc: Northwest Arkansas
Re: Grey, stinky water new [re: 3_lb_trigger]
      09/12/05 06:48 PM

egon, I will get the water tested. I don't know what type or where the well is. I'll have to look into that. Looks like I'll be getting a crash course in country living. There's a lot more to it than I thought. Garey D, my place is off 103 between 719 & 412. Right in your backyard. I was unaware that all the chicken houses polluted well water. I'll definately check w/ the Carroll Co. health dept. I asked the guys at work today, and they said it sounds like the well is just low. ( water has lots of sediment too ) It's been a hot dry summer, and all the ponds on the property are a quarter of the size they were before too. They say it will get better when we finally get some rain. Even if that is the case, I will still check the things you guys brought up. Thank You.

CHRISTIAN AMERICAN HETROSEXUAL PRO-GUN CONSERVATIVE. Any Questions?

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Pat
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Reged: 09/15/02
Posts: 4904
Loc: SouthCentral Oklahoma
Re: Grey, stinky water new [re: 3_lb_trigger]
      09/13/05 08:41 AM

Yet another reason to be concerned is having a well that is quickly fed by a rain. If it is that shallow or gets fed with shallow ground water it could be of real poor quality and subject to lots of contaminates. I second Egon's comment regarding needing to get a test before using it. Beyond the test, you shouldn't use the water untill and unless it has PASSED ALL TESTING. You might want to run a significant quantiy for a couple reasons: 1. check sustainable flow rate and 2. see if it tends to clear up, get worse, or stay the same. There are lots of residential water treatment designs that will make some pretty poor water useable but you need to avoid the "good ole boy" advice and use sound engineering and science to guide you.

I have heard folks say things like, "we been drinking from that well for years and it never hurt us." They could be drinking a low concentration of arsenic or whatever and never know it. They might die 10 years sooner than otherwise and never know the reason because THEY DIDN"T TEST THE WATER.

Water tests are not expensive and SHOULD BE REPEATED at least annually, especially with a shallow well or one that is suspect due to turbid water.

Pat

"I'm not from your planet, monkey boy!"


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Pat
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Reged: 09/15/02
Posts: 4904
Loc: SouthCentral Oklahoma
Re: Grey, stinky water new [re: 3_lb_trigger]
      09/13/05 08:44 AM

CHRISTIAN AMERICAN HETROSEXUAL PRO-GUN CONSERVATIVE. Any Questions?


Just one. Has the word about the surrender made its way back in there? Lee signed the papers, the war is over. Welcome to the USA.

I have some relatives in Mississippi who act as if the war wasn't over yet. Quaint anachronisms...

Pat

"I'm not from your planet, monkey boy!"


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GaryQWA
Silver Member

Reged: 06/04/05
Posts: 117
Loc: Wherever I park the motorhome
Re: Grey, stinky water new [re: 3_lb_trigger]
      09/13/05 09:52 AM

I aggree with Pat, and I'll add that you shouldn't be led by those that have no knowledge of water quality issues or the equipment used to improve the situation. Especially watch out for gossip. As an example here, no one has dealt with the symptoms yet but are more than likely scaring you to death! Be careful of runing the well off unless you understand the potential problems that may cause with the water quality, the pump and the well. Some are expensive to 'fix'.

The gray look can be air bubbles added as you draw the water into a container, and it is if the water clears from the bottom of the glass up. That can also be caused by methane or H2S, neither are a health concern. The odor is caused by bacteria, a Coliform bacteria test (should have been done before purchase) will tell you if there are harmful bacteria responsible. H2S can be caused by sulfate reducing bacteria and shocking the well can resolve that.

You need to find a water treament dealer that is familiar with well water treatment and the equipment used.

Gary Slusser

Gary Slusser
Quality Water Associates

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3_lb_trigger
New Member

Reged: 09/11/05
Posts: 13
Loc: Northwest Arkansas
Re: Grey, stinky water new [re: 3_lb_trigger]
      09/13/05 07:07 PM

Thank You again for all the help guys! I absolutely will do what you have suggested. I also absolutely will NOT use one drop of it until all is well! ( no pun intended ) Pat, yes the word that the war is over made it out here. Then our government got bigger, and greedyer, ( is that a real word?? ) and now act as our keepers rather than our servants. Therefore, it's about time for another war. Don't get me wrong. I love my country, but I don't trust our government. They are for their own interests, not ours. The U.S.A. is still the best place in the world to live, but it's going in the wrong direction fast. Just my 2 cents since you brought it up.

CHRISTIAN AMERICAN HETROSEXUAL PRO-GUN CONSERVATIVE. Any Questions?

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Pat
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Reged: 09/15/02
Posts: 4904
Loc: SouthCentral Oklahoma
Re: Grey, stinky water new [re: 3_lb_trigger]
      09/15/05 06:04 PM

3lb, I pretty much agree with all that. We need to actively participate in our government as they aren't going to get better by themselves, we need to MAKE them get better by keeping an eye on them rather than getting disgusted and ignoring them. Give them no slack, hold them acountable. Make them take responsibility for their actions or lack thereof. We the people have a responsibility to ride herd on the government and make it our servent rather than our master.

Hope you get goon news on your water quality tests. Even if everything looks good, you need to retest at least annually as you can't always see, smell, or taste deteriorated water quality.

Pat

"I'm not from your planet, monkey boy!"


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3_lb_trigger
New Member

Reged: 09/11/05
Posts: 13
Loc: Northwest Arkansas
Re: Grey, stinky water new [re: 3_lb_trigger]
      09/17/05 08:41 PM

I called the realtor about the well to see what could be done about it before escrow closes. He said that it is simply because the water has been sitting in the pipes (not copper) and tank as no water has been run for a couple months while the house was unoccupied. He said to drain the pressure tank, pour a gallon of purex in the well, turn the pump back on, and run the water until it was clear. The purex would kill whatever bacteria was left as it ran through the pipes. I ran this past a co-worker, and a family freind, and they both said that was correct. So, off to Wal-Mart for purex. (thinking it's some kind of water treatment) When I ask where the purex is, the guy takes me to it. Laundry detergent???!!! There must be some miscommunication so I go home and call the family freind. " Hey I asked for purex and the guy gave me laundry detergent." The family freind replies, " Yeah, thats right. Pour it into the well and run it through." Still seems weird to me, I could understand chlorine bleach, but laundry detergent? Well weird as it seems, everyone seems to agree, so I did it today. After only a couple minutes of running all the sinks and tubs, the water is clear, and doesn't smell. Seems to have worked. I will change the filter, and run a bunch more water, then have it tested.

CHRISTIAN AMERICAN HETROSEXUAL PRO-GUN CONSERVATIVE. Any Questions?

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Pat
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Reged: 09/15/02
Posts: 4904
Loc: SouthCentral Oklahoma
Re: Grey, stinky water new [re: 3_lb_trigger]
      09/17/05 09:39 PM

3lb, Purex is BLEACH, chlorine bleach. I hope you did not pour detergent down your well!!!!!!!!! Many brands of NON SCENTED bleach are fine for the purpose and some have the instructions on the back of the bottle for purifying water. Larger doses for cloudy water, less for clear. Dosages are a percentage thing, unless you know the size of your well, both diameter and depth of water column you can't know how much bleach is enough. It is hard to put in too much since you can run the water till the concentration drops to acceptable levels. It is easy to put in too little and not kill everything.

You seem to have a foundness for taking a poll among the good ole boys rather than acting on sound sience. People can get really sick from bad water. We aren't messing with you dude, we are trying to help you do the right thing.

You should run the water till there is NO TRACE of anything left that you put in the well, then pull a sample in accordance with the instructions you would get from the testing agency, and get a proper water analysis. It is innexpensive and quick. Not as much fun as spunk water and dead cats in the graveyard at midnight but much safer for anyone unsing the well water.

Lets say just as an example that there is a source of contamination getting undesireable biologics into your well. You shock the ^(&^^$# out of it with bleach and kill everytning. Yu might now pass the colliform bacteria tests now (e. Coli is a marker organism for detecting fecal contamination of your water) Whoopee!!! A couple weeks later the chlorine concentration is quite low and you are drinking s--t again.

I am reminded of the guy who didn't want to have the operation so he paid a few bucks to have the X-Rays retouched. You need to run a lot of water and then get it tested.

Again, sure hope you didn't add detergent!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

Pat

"I'm not from your planet, monkey boy!"


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3_lb_trigger
New Member

Reged: 09/11/05
Posts: 13
Loc: Northwest Arkansas
Re: Grey, stinky water new [re: 3_lb_trigger]
      09/18/05 07:53 AM

Pat, yes I did pour it down the well, and of course I have a fondness for taking polls in person, and on this forum. How else am I supposed to draw on others knowledge when I have none on a particular subject. Like I said before, nobody will be using any of the water until it passes testing. However, I want to try to fix it first. There's no sense in testing when I've done nothing to clear the water yet. I don't need someone to tell me my water is bad when I can already clearly see that fact. We won't be moving in for another month still, and I can run the water continuously until then. Surely all the purex would be out by then. Then I will test and hopefully it will pass. If not, I'll have to take it from there. I'm just the type who always trys to fix problems myself rather than paying a "professional". (sometimes I wonder) Obviously I'll have to use professionals for the test itself, but I never intended to have someone else fix the water when I can do it myself. That's the whole reason I asked about it on this forum in the first place. P.S. The fact that the water cleared up almost instantly leads me to believe that the stagnant water was in fact only in the tank and lines, and not the well itself. However, this whole experience has instilled just enough paranoia in me, that I will probably continue to have the water tested twice a year instead of annually, just to be safe.

CHRISTIAN AMERICAN HETROSEXUAL PRO-GUN CONSERVATIVE. Any Questions?

Edited by 3_lb_trigger (09/18/05 09:01 AM)

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BlueRidge
Gold Member

Reged: 05/07/05
Posts: 286
Loc: Virginia
Re: Grey, stinky water new [re: 3_lb_trigger]
      09/18/05 10:54 PM

In reply to:

There's no sense in testing when I've done nothing to clear the water yet. I don't need someone to tell me my water is bad when I can already clearly see that fact.




YES THERE IS!!! If you don't test it to see what is wrong with it, how will you know what problem you are trying to solve? Shotguns are great for intruders, but even shotguns need to be aimed. KNOW YOUR TARGET!

The shotgun approach to problem solving can be an expensive way to live, and sometimes even dangerous.


Listen to Pat - he's a very knowledgeable person. And TAKE HIS ADVICE. Would you 'listen' carefully to Massad Ayoob or John Farnam and then do the opposite of what he tells you?



Oh, and 3 lbs is way too light for a combat trigger.



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GaryQWA
Silver Member

Reged: 06/04/05
Posts: 117
Loc: Wherever I park the motorhome
Re: Grey, stinky water new [re: BlueRidge]
      09/19/05 01:18 PM

Stagnant water without bacteria in it won't stink unless there chemicals in it; your test showed bacteria present and they didn't get into pressurized pipes by magic.... So tell the real estate guys they don't know what they are talking about.

Bacteria produce gas, as you and I do as part of the digestion process; that's the stink. Without bacteria in the water, the water could sit in the pipes for a long time and still not stink.

Shocking a well, pouring bleach or other liquid chlorine down the well can and does cause serious problems with water quality, pumps, plumbing, the neighbors etc.. Some of those problems are expensive to fix. Chlorine/bleach raises the pH of the water it is mixed with. As the pH is raised, chlorine loses its disinfection quality and becomes a better oxidizer.

Many types of bacteria found in groundwater produce slime when disturbed and that slime and the encrustations it causes, can not be penetrated by chlorine, hence shocking a well can make a bacteria problem worse and eventually require mechanical and/or chemical cleaning of the well a necessity. Finding someone to do that is usually a problem and that leads to a new well. A new well has no guarantee that the water quality will be any better than what was produced by the old well.

Be prepared for the shocking to produce a bacteria free test result a week or so after the shocking (with bleach, not detergent!!) and then come back in anywhere from a few days, weeks or months.

Gary Slusser (18 years in private well water treatment)

Gary Slusser
Quality Water Associates

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3_lb_trigger
New Member

Reged: 09/11/05
Posts: 13
Loc: Northwest Arkansas
Re: Grey, stinky water new [re: GaryQWA]
      09/19/05 09:13 PM

OK, here's the part where I look like a total dumb @$$. Keep in mind that I have never lived on anything but city utilities until now, know NOTHING WHATSOEVER about wells, or water purification, and am learning how to live in my new country environment by trial and error. (Emphasis on error) so be kind in your replies. Before reading the last two posts, I took the advice of the real estate agent and others that confirmed his advice. I figured that three people wouldn't give the same advice if it was wrong, so against my own gut feeling, I poured a gallon of Purex (thick blue soap) down the well. Then, after I had done it, was told it should have been Purex bleach, not detergent. So I went back and poured a gallon of bleach down the well too. (Stop laughing at me!) I went in and turned on all the sinks and tubs to run it through, and now I have a bunch of sinks and tubs full of suds! I guess all I can do at this point is keep running the water for as long as it takes to clear everything out so I can start over.

CHRISTIAN AMERICAN HETROSEXUAL PRO-GUN CONSERVATIVE. Any Questions?

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egon
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Reged: 09/12/02
Posts: 3031
Loc: Nova Scotia,Canada
Re: Grey, stinky water new [re: 3_lb_trigger]
      09/20/05 05:58 AM

Ohh - You are a brave man telling us about the suds. Did that with a dishwasher once. Great fun.

Then there was the camping trip I mistook a small container of detergent for olive oil. The pancakes did taste strange and found their way into the garbage very quickly.

Never fear, you will survive. All of us have made errors.

Egon


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3_lb_trigger
New Member

Reged: 09/11/05
Posts: 13
Loc: Northwest Arkansas
Re: Grey, stinky water new [re: egon]
      09/20/05 06:46 PM

Not brave, just honest. That's funny about the pancakes. Try mistaking your wife's can of hairspray for deoderant. That wasn't fun!

CHRISTIAN AMERICAN HETROSEXUAL PRO-GUN CONSERVATIVE. Any Questions?

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BlueRidge
Gold Member

Reged: 05/07/05
Posts: 286
Loc: Virginia
Re: Grey, stinky water new [re: 3_lb_trigger]
      09/21/05 07:39 AM

In reply to:

hairspray for deoderant









3lb, some day you will look back on this and laugh. The rest of us can laugh NOW!


Take it a bit slower the next time. No sense clearing leather faster than the other guy if you put six rounds into the dirt. Or, to use another metaphor, measure twice, cut once. Some things are hard to undo, so get advice from MULTIPLE sources before you get to the DOING part. (This forum is a good place to get some of that info. Good folks here.) Life in the country is not only different, it can sometimes be less forgiving of errors.


Now the question for Gary is, has 3lb done permanent harm to his well? Or is there hope for it to recover?

Or is there no way to tell at this point?



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Pat
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Reged: 09/15/02
Posts: 4904
Loc: SouthCentral Oklahoma
Re: Grey, stinky water new [re: BlueRidge]
      09/21/05 09:02 AM

3lb, By now you have probably surmised that I am trying to help, not harrass. I did get a funny image in my mind when you first mentioned detergent and again when you mentioned suds. (Egon, I did the sudsy detergent in the dish washer thing too!)

Consider that for generations the Romans ( a very enlightened group for their time) used lead lined pipes for their water supply. Plumbing, plumbers, plumb bob etc are all based on the Latin word Plumbum which translates as the metal lead. Lead was NOT A GOOD THING to run your water in. More recently there was a program to replace all the old drinking fountains (lead based solder) with new lead free drinking fountains. For decades we drank from lead poluted drinkiing fountains and thought it was OK. It wasn't. Folks who have been doing something for years all the while believing it to be OK will spread their ignorance to you if you let them. You need to qualify your sources.

I listen to nearly everyone but I qualify the sources. You have sources available to you HERE that can help you help yourself far better than the sales agent (whose primary interest is in the sale going through and apparently better than your local good ole boy group). I don't claim to be an expert but have already made enough mistakes to have learned a few things. Others here have bona fides that demand your attention on this topic.

In the words of a past president, let me make one thing perfectly clear... My good ole boy and poll references were NOT aimed at the denizens of this forum.

Ohh, I almost forgot... Even betteer than the sudsy detergent in the dishwasher was the time I got up early and didn't want to turn the lights on in the head (bathroom on a boat) which might disturb my wife (louvered door.) I squeezed a little paste out on my toothbrush and got right into my rigidly choreographed routine only to notice after a couple seconds that the toothpaste didn't have that minty fresh taste/tingle but instead was sort of dull and yucky. Needless to say even till this very day (decades later) I still don't have dandruff in my mouth thanks to a tube of paste style Head and Shoulders shampoo.

Pat

"I'm not from your planet, monkey boy!"


Edited by Pat (09/21/05 09:11 AM)

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GaryQWA
Silver Member

Reged: 06/04/05
Posts: 117
Loc: Wherever I park the motorhome
Re: Grey, stinky water new [re: 3_lb_trigger]
      09/21/05 09:54 AM

We all make mistakes, the thing is we have to be able to survive them and learn from them. So yer still alive and should remain that way as long as you don't ingest any of this water until all the detergent and bleach is proved to be gone by at least a chlorine test.

I'm not a fan of shocking a well, or real estate agents and other gossip peddlers telling folks what to do with their wells. About 100% of them don't know anything other than what they have heard and when it goes wrong they won't admit it to anyone so others never learn of the problems it can cause.

Run your well off with a garden hose, not into any sewage system and not on vegetation you don't want to kill. When the smell of chlorine and the suds are gone, get a chlorine test done and be aware that chlorine escapes as you draw the sample slowly as drawing a draft beer, keep aeration to a minimum and overfill the container and cap it tight.

I've heard of some suggesting the use of detergent (Dawn) to remove oil from a well. I've never heard of the outcome other than they say it works, which oil/crease cutting Dawn should but I have no idea of the problems if any that it might cause. I'd think minimal problems as long as you get it out and don't ingest the water until then. By just running water, that may take a long time because the heavier liquid detergent probably is laying on the bottom of the well and your pump inlet is much higher so there is no agitation to mix it into the water below the pump inlet. The best way to remove it would be to pull the pump and air lift the sediment and detergent. You use a large air compressor and pipe the air to the bottom and turn on it on and the water in the well comes up out of the top of the casing. Repeat as needed until the water is suds and dirt free. Otherwise you bail the well.

I wouldn't tell too many people, especially any 'official' types or 'journalists', what you've done. They'll be calling for the well to be condemned, someone will want your kids, pets and all livestock removed and all produce buried in plastic bags and have guys in white contaminate suits swarming all over the place as they drill test wells to track the plume of 'contamination'. LOL

Gary Slusser

Gary Slusser
Quality Water Associates

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Pat
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Reged: 09/15/02
Posts: 4904
Loc: SouthCentral Oklahoma
Re: Grey, stinky water new [re: GaryQWA]
      09/21/05 11:18 AM

3 LB, On the serious side you do need to get your "polution" out of the well as fast and as complete as you can. If there are any nearby neighbors who get a head of foam on a glass of water they might contact you through a lawyer regarding a hefty lawsuite. Don't assume that the sales guy won't have a big laugh with his buddies about the city slicker who dumped detergent down the well when told to use bleach.

Bad news rides a fast horse.

Pat

"I'm not from your planet, monkey boy!"


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3_lb_trigger
New Member

Reged: 09/11/05
Posts: 13
Loc: Northwest Arkansas
Re: Grey, stinky water new [re: Pat]
      09/23/05 02:32 PM

O.K. this is getting really frustrating now. I went to run the well off with a hose like Gary said. I turned the pump off, drained the tank, then turned the pump back on to let it just run through straight off the pump. Everything was going fine for a while, there was only a small amount of bubbles, and no smell of chlorine. Then it started barely flowing, so I turned the pump off thinking maybe it needed a rest. When I turned it back on, it pumped out dark, muddy water for a minute, then clear for a minute, then barely trickled again. I turned it off since it wasn't hardly pumping, waited a while then turned it on again. Same thing. While it was trickling clear, I disconnected the hose and waited to see if it would fill the tank back up. Half an hour later, pressure gauge still sitting on zero. So now, I have no water at all!

CHRISTIAN AMERICAN HETROSEXUAL PRO-GUN CONSERVATIVE. Any Questions?

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3_lb_trigger
New Member

Reged: 09/11/05
Posts: 13
Loc: Northwest Arkansas
Re: Grey, stinky water new [re: 3_lb_trigger]
      09/23/05 05:07 PM

After the all the stuff in my last post, I turned off the pump and left the property for a few hours. When I went back, I turned the pump on, and could hear the ball in the check valve rattling, so I had flow to the tank. I knocked on the side of the tank and it was about 1/4 full. I opened the valve to the hose and the water was coming out was clear so I turned the hose back off, opened the valve to the house, and went inside to check it. Everything worked as normal. Pressure was good, water was clear, everything back to normal right? Well it seemed so until I went back out to the pump house, and the check ball isn't rattling, the gauge still reads zero, and knocking on the tank makes a hollow sound even at the bottom now, indicating that it is empty. Now I'm really confused! I resolve to quit while I'm ahead and call the local well company. After describing what's happening, he says it sounds odd, and he doesn't know what would cause that, but for $77 he'll show up and give me a 1/2 an hours worth of diagnosis. I told him I'd get back to him if I couldn't figure it out on my own. During the conversation though, he asked the address, and when I gave it to him, he said that his records indicated that he had replaced the pump in that well in 2002 with a good quality pump which should last a long time. Should I just wash my hands of it and pay the guy?

CHRISTIAN AMERICAN HETROSEXUAL PRO-GUN CONSERVATIVE. Any Questions?

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Pat
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Reged: 09/15/02
Posts: 4904
Loc: SouthCentral Oklahoma
Re: Grey, stinky water new [re: 3_lb_trigger]
      09/23/05 05:59 PM

3LB, To pay or not to pay, that is the question. Maybe you should ask around and try to get a consensus.

Seriously, water at a residence is an important attribute and needs serious consideration beyond the level of support you got from your sales guy and the peanut gallery. Among other things it sounds like your well doesn't produce a very high flow. Mine doesn't either. If overtaxed my well produces a lot of fine red cloudy stuff. I have virtualy unlimited water available but I can't take it out super fast. Opening a hose bib straight off my well for too long will cause the problem. Runing a hose with a nozel on it off of a hose bib at the house, even opened up all the way causes no problem. Apparently the sustainable flow without sediment with my well is about what a hose with nozel wide open will flow.

A larger pressure tank, fed with a flow restrictor, is a good thing in these situations. The flow restrictor prevents the well from being drawn down too quickly and the large size pressure tank will supply decent volumes of water for a fair period of time. If you aren't filling a pool or irrigating a field you may make out OK. We can run the dishwasher, clothes washer and a shower or two and not have a problem but sustained fire fighting would not be a good use for our well.

I believe you have discovered a separate problem/issue with your well, unrelated to the first except the first caused you to discover the second. At some point it will become a prudent to run the water enough to clear it. You needn't do this at a super high rate. Total volume counts a lot and doesn't have to be done at a high rate. You have discovered what happens when you overpump your well. Avoid that.

When (if) you get things seeming to functon normally, i.e. clear water fills and flows from the tank when consumed in moderation, pull a sample as directed by the testing agency and find out if you have a contamination issue and what if anything is to be done about it. Next you can aceratin the water prolduction rate that you can safely sustain and consider using a flow restrictor to prevent exceeding your production capability. The flow restrictor goes between the well and the pressure tank. You may elect to get a larger or another tank to place in parrallel with the current tank. That will give you a better "surge" capacity for those times when several consuming devices just happen to make overlapping demands.

Keep us posted on your efforts and results.



Pat

"I'm not from your planet, monkey boy!"


Edited by Pat (09/23/05 06:00 PM)

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GaryQWA
Silver Member

Reged: 06/04/05
Posts: 117
Loc: Wherever I park the motorhome
Re: Grey, stinky water new [re: 3_lb_trigger]
      09/23/05 10:36 PM

There may be something like biomass blocking the pump's inlet screen. I vote for calling the well guy out and tell him everything that's been done; detergent, bleach, draining the tank to run off the well etc.. He may have to pull the pump. The price will depend on how far he travels, what type of drop pipe the pump is on and how long he thinks it might take him. If galvanized, the price will be the highest and if PE tubing the least.

Gary Slusser

Gary Slusser
Quality Water Associates

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Pat
Veteran Member

Reged: 09/15/02
Posts: 4904
Loc: SouthCentral Oklahoma
Re: Grey, stinky water new [re: GaryQWA]
      09/24/05 01:59 PM

GaryS, You're no fun... Speculating about the number of angels dancing on the head of a pin is far more exciting than using a microscope to count them.

Pat

"I'm not from your planet, monkey boy!"


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3_lb_trigger
New Member

Reged: 09/11/05
Posts: 13
Loc: Northwest Arkansas
Re: Grey, stinky water new [re: Pat]
      09/24/05 08:16 PM

Well, I just can't call in someone to save me yet, because then I would have been defeated by this, and I still have some fight left in me. Here's the latest....... I went to the property this morning and looked at the tank. Still empty, gauge still at zero. (as I expected) The tank is only connected to the water line at the bottom, so I'm thinking maybe it's not refilling because it can't displace the air in the tank now.? I turned on the kitchen sink at a trickle and left it for the day hoping that maybe the constant, slow moving water in the pipe would start a siphon effect in the tank. When I returned at the end of the day, the tank was half full, gauge still reads zero. At least it seems SOME progress is being made. I have a couple questions now. Is the tank only pressurized by the pump itself after it is full? Also, Is the tank in fact full of air now, or does it have some kind of diaphram inside that caollapses when it is drained?

CHRISTIAN AMERICAN HETROSEXUAL PRO-GUN CONSERVATIVE. Any Questions?

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egon
Veteran Member

Reged: 09/12/02
Posts: 3031
Loc: Nova Scotia,Canada
Re: Grey, stinky water new [re: 3_lb_trigger]
      09/24/05 10:18 PM


Have you had the pump running constantly for this period of time?

Egon

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3_lb_trigger
New Member

Reged: 09/11/05
Posts: 13
Loc: Northwest Arkansas
Re: Grey, stinky water new [re: egon]
      09/25/05 08:40 AM

No, I can hear it clicking on and running for a minute then clicking off periodically.

CHRISTIAN AMERICAN HETROSEXUAL PRO-GUN CONSERVATIVE. Any Questions?

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egon
Veteran Member

Reged: 09/12/02
Posts: 3031
Loc: Nova Scotia,Canada
Re: Grey, stinky water new [re: 3_lb_trigger]
      09/25/05 11:00 AM


Think you had best shut the pump off for at least 24 hours, preferably 48 or more.

If you have pumped the well dry and the formation is coned it can take a lot of time to reestablish the original water level. Surface tension's and permuability may greatly effect the rate of recovery for a resivoir that has been pumped dry.

It may be time for proffesional help.

Egon

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GaryQWA
Silver Member

Reged: 06/04/05
Posts: 117
Loc: Wherever I park the motorhome
Re: Grey, stinky water new [re: 3_lb_trigger]
      09/25/05 11:04 AM

Pat, I was speculating... lol

3lb, yer makin' it worse. Up until a year ago I did this stuff for part of my living. You have messed up the air precharge in your system. You should not have drained the tank. You should not leave a faucet open and then leave because if the water starts flowing, you can fill a septic system fairly quickly and overfill the sink and have water all over the floor before you get back.

Now you're pump is not running constantly, it shuts off and then comes on again. That kills pump motors and spins the electric meter; that raises the electric bill substantially. IF the pump comes on with all water in the house shut off on the main line just past the pressure tank, you have a leak on the well side of the pressure tank. More than likely it will be in the drop pipe in the well but can be underground to the house. The leak could be the check valve in/on the outlet of the pump. But the pump isn't getting all the water it needs. The well could be 'dry' or the inlet is blocked or there is a hole in the plumbing. Or the motor is only seeing 120vac instead of 230 etc..

You aren't going to fix this yourself unless you and a buddy can do electric ohms/amps/continuity checks www.franklinelectric.com and then if needed, pull the pump. If the drop pipe is galvanized, you'll need a derrick truck or pump pulling machine but they are limited to total weight of usually 600 lbs. Galvanized is usually 20' sections with threaded couplers and the weight of the pump; and water if the check valve is not leaking. Galvanized can have a hole in it, so can anything else, or you could have a broken fitting and the pump can be hanging on by a thread. In some cases they fall off the plumbing and break the cable, then you go fishing....

Gary Slusser

Gary Slusser
Quality Water Associates

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3_lb_trigger
New Member

Reged: 09/11/05
Posts: 13
Loc: Northwest Arkansas
Re: Grey, stinky water new [re: GaryQWA]
      09/25/05 12:06 PM

O.K., I guess I'll drop my never say die mindset, admit that I'm in over my head on a subject which I have no knowlege, and call out the well guy. I am the type who would rather learn something new, and gain experience, as opposed to just calling someone out. This time however, it appears the job may be best left to a pro. Thanks for all your help guys. I'll let you know the end result.

CHRISTIAN AMERICAN HETROSEXUAL PRO-GUN CONSERVATIVE. Any Questions?

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DuaneBoyce
New Member

Reged: 03/08/05
Posts: 15
Loc: central West Virginia
Re: Grey, stinky water new [re: 3_lb_trigger]
      09/26/05 10:18 AM

I just wanted to say this was one the funniest post I have ever read. Living in the country is great just takes a bit to adjust. Keep us posted on the well and Good Luck!

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3_lb_trigger
New Member

Reged: 09/11/05
Posts: 13
Loc: Northwest Arkansas
Re: Grey, stinky water new [re: DuaneBoyce]
      09/27/05 07:07 PM

I have left everything alone for a couple days, and the well guy came out and everything went fine. Pressure was good, water was clear, and tank was full. He said I just ran the well out trying to run so much all the time, and during the days in between me messing with it, and him coming out, the well finally had some time to recover. So I guess I'll just take it from here with a water test. Causing problems by my own ignorance sucks , but at least I'll come out of it a wiser man, and will be much more careful with the well from here on out.

CHRISTIAN AMERICAN HETROSEXUAL PRO-GUN CONSERVATIVE. Any Questions?

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