In areas with limited access to municipal water, most people rely on water wells as their primary water source or as a backup in the face of shortages. Well water is beneficial because it provides an abundant supply of usable water, especially in areas with high water tables. It’s also a cost-efficient option, given that wells have relatively low upfront costs and require very little maintenance.
However, using wells as sources of water does have a few disadvantages. For one, wells in some residential areas rarely have purification plants, exposing users to risks like bacterial contamination, lead poisoning, bad odour, and mineral scale build-up in water-related household appliances. In some cases, the well’s water pressure might not be sufficient to meet the household’s needs.
Residential Well Water Solutions
Fortunately, these shortcomings can be overcome with proper well water solutions in place. Here are seven well-known well water solutions for residential properties that you should be aware of.
01. Production Solutions – Low Yield Well Solutions
Like every other water source, wells have their ‘peaks’ and ‘low times’. During the low seasons, too much pumping reduces the well’s water yield. The water shortage that follows could frustrate you, given that you won’t be able to run the dishwasher, cook comfortably, or do laundry.
Fortunately, effective technologies have already been developed to help improve water storage and provide consistent pumping pressure. A good example would be EPP well solutions, which cutting-edge designs allow you to pump your water into a tank only when there’s water in the well, thanks to the integrated automatic control box.
In other instances, low well yields may be a result of a broken or aged pump with very low efficiency. This can easily be repaired or replaced by professional well service technicians.
02. Hard Well Water Solutions
Hard water is a result of well water carrying minerals found in the soil, like calcium and magnesium. You can tell if your well water is hard through a simple do-it-yourself hard water test or by observing the following:
- Stains on your sinks when doing laundry
- Stains on the areas below your taps
- White residue remaining on utensils
- Clothes losing their colour gradually
- Your skin becomes dry and your hair flakey after taking a bath
- Building up of scale in your water appliances such as electric kettles
- Clogged pipes that result in low pressure
An effective way to deal with hard water is installing water softeners or a water filtration system that removes the minerals causing the hardness. Popular options include 3-stage filtration systems and ion-exchange softeners.
03. Well Water Solutions for Acidic Water
The pH value of your well water determines its acidity level. Anything below seven is considered acidic, and this may erode your piping system over time, leave a bad taste in your mouth, and potentially cause bad health conditions in the long run. You can identify acidic water by looking out for the following signs:
- A metallic or bitter taste in your water
- Rusting in tubs and metallic piping
- Numerous leakages in your plumbing
Luckily, acidic water can be salvaged by installing filters that neutralize the acid or injecting the well and storage tanks with soda ash. Also, you should make a point of replacing metallic pipes with plastic ones, as those are less prone to corrosion.
04. Well Water Solutions for Bacteria
Wells in or near a residential area are prone to bacterial contamination because of the abundance of human and animal waste in the soil. The contaminants will most likely percolate into the well water from overflowing septic tanks, leaking sewer lines, or rainwater runoff and eventually passing through small cracks in the well’s lining. This type of contamination can be identified by watching out for the following signs:
- A bad odour, similar to rotten eggs
- Staining and discolouration of your bathroom and clothes
- Massive sediment build-up in water containers
- The occurrence of health problems like fatigue, diarrhea, vomiting, and severe stomach pain among people who use the well as a water supply.
The most effective solution to bacterial contamination in well water is using chlorine shock and a UV-protected filtration system. These two options are designed to kills the bacteria in the water, greatly reducing the risk of infections. A more preventive measure involves using barriers and catchers to harvest rainwater that runs around the well to ensure the runoff doesn’t carry waste and sediments into the well.
05. Fluoride Well Water Solutions
Fluoride used in regulated amounts is good for the health of your teeth. However, if the well water has elevated levels of fluoride, it could lead to problems like: Fluoride used in regulated amounts is good for the health of your teeth. However, if the well water has elevated levels of fluoride, it could lead to problems like:
- Brown-stained teeth, more so in kids
- Vulnerability to bone fractures
- Joint pain
It’s best to contact water experts to address the fluoride problem in your well water. In most cases, they’ll install a deionizer or reverse osmosis filter to keep the fluoride at the correct levels.
06. Solutions for Construction Zones- Well Water Sediment Filter
If you reside near a construction site, the well may be filled with sediment from the constant disturbance caused by drilling and pounding of heavy machinery. This phenomenon is referred to as turbidity, which is known to make the water look muddy.
Fortunately, dealing with turbidity is fairly easy, especially if you are using sediment filters that mechanically separate the sediment from the water.
07. Well Water Solutions for Iron and Manganese
When drilling your well, you might end up disturbing iron and manganese deposits, which are usually found in the bedrock. Consuming these minerals in minimal quantities has no adverse health risks, but it could cause problems for appliances that use water from the well. You can identify too much iron and manganese from:
- Black stains in appliances
- An oily appearance
- Brown or orange-coloured water
- Bitter or metal-like taste
A popular solution to excess iron and manganese in the well water is using oxidation filtration on iron and chemical treatments for manganese. Other than that, the reverse osmosis filter is an all-in-one solution capable of getting rid of these minerals.
Conclusion
Well water problems may seem like a cause of despair, but that isn’t always the case. Most of these issues can be solved, especially if you can pinpoint the source of these issues. A quick online search can give you a list of potential firms you could work with. Other than that, you should consider asking neighbours who’ve dug wells before, as they may be familiar with similar issues and they can suggest well water solutions that have worked for other wells in or near your area.
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