Sometimes, you may find that your well does not produce sufficient water or may even fail to produce water. No doubt you will be worried about it as your home will have no water source, and it can be tempting to install a new well. Rather than abandoning the well, opt for reputable water treatment services in Sonoma County. It is quite possible the contractor will be able to rehabilitate the well, and restore the water flow.
When you hire a contractor, they will first examine the well to check whether it is possible to rehabilitate it. Some of the things that they will check include the construction of the well, the ground into which the well has been drilled, and the problem that is adversely affecting the well’s flow rate. Sometimes, underlying changes in the geology or drought can result in the water table dropping. However, if there are other issues, they can often be resolved with the help of chemical treatments.
Causes Of Low Water Supply
One of the reasons for diminishing flow rates in wells is due to drought or some other weather conditions. However, reduction in water supply can be due to a build-up of calcium carbonate, bacteria, silt, sediment deposits or clay which can clog the hole and the well casing. When this happens, water treatment services in Sonoma County will make use of chemical treatments to restore water flow.
Rehabilitating a Well with Reduced Water Flow
While your contractor may clean the well using a brush or injecting high-pressure water, they may recommend chemical treatments if there is slime and iron bacteria obstructing the flow. Usually, to treat these issues, the water treatment service will make use of liquid bacteria acid. If the problem persists, then they will use stronger acids, such as muriatic acid. On the other hand, if there is scale formation that is the cause of reduction in the flow rate, sulfamic acid along with modifiers and inhibitors will be used.
Chemical Treatment for Incrustations
Biological incrustation is the most common reason for reduced well flow. The incrustation is a physical obstruction that develops on the opening, and allows water into the borehole or well screen, on the well screen or rock fractures. Incrustations can occur due to build-up of salts of magnesium and calcium, manganese and iron compounds or slime produced by iron bacteria.
The water treatment services in Sonoma County will make use of a reduced acid solution to dissolve the incrustations and build-ups. Once these get dissolved or loosened, they will be pumped out of the well along with the acid solution for safe disposal.
The severity of the incrustation will determine the type of acid that the contractor will use along with the method to introduce and agitate the acid. Generally, older wells that are acid treated for incrustations recover quite well, and provide an excellent yield of water.
Chemical Treatment for Bio-Fouling
Bio-fouling occurs when iron bacteria or similar bacteria are the cause of clogging the rock fractures, well screens, and the hole through which the aquifer enters into the well. Bio-fouling results in a voluminous and slimy mass to form, blocking the well completely. If the bacteria find their way into the well, it only takes a few months to render the well useless. Also, iron bacteria are hard to eliminate.
It is prudent to remember that once the water treatment service discovers iron bacteria in your well water, it will be a continuous process to ensure your well performs at an acceptable level. Chemical treatment is the best way to treat bio-fouling.
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Here, the treatment provider will use chemical bactericides along with physical agitation of the water to get rid of the biological build-up. Typically, chlorine is preferred for a well of small diameters. This is inexpensive and acceptable to the health officials. Usually, a dosage of 50mg/L of free chlorine is used for general disinfection while 500 to 2,000mg/L is used for severe iron bacteria infestation.
After adding chlorine, it is essential to agitate the well water to ensure the bacteria is exposed to the chlorine solution, and it also helps to dislodge the build-up.
Chemical Treatment for Physical Plugging and Sand Pumping
If your well is old, fine particles from the aquifer can make their way into the well screen and the borehole. Sometimes, the screen can get clogged, resulting in pump damage. Hence, if the screen is clogged, it is best to replace it. However, plugging due to sediments can occur due to the following reasons:
- Improper design of the well
- During the initial construction of the well, there was insufficient surging and pumping that did not remove sediments
- Corrosion of the screen and/or casing
- Pumping too much water out of the well
- Removing the cementing materials in the well that hold the sand together
Depending on the cause of the plugging, the water treatment service will decide the best course of action. The contractor may decide to stabilize the aquifer material so that the next time you pump out water, it will not cause the removal of excessive sediments. However, if the clogging is due to fine clay and silt particles, the only recourse is using chemical treatment.
The contractor will decide the best chemical to get rid of the sediments and clay particles. However, the chemical will have to be agitated into the aquifer formation for the treatment to be a success. Agitation can be done with the help of a high-velocity jet, compressed air, surge plunger or well pump, but a high-velocity jet is considered the best way to agitate the chemical. The dislodged sediments are then continuously removed to ensure your water becomes potable once again.
In Conclusion
Chemical treatments to improve well flow rates require expertise, experience, and knowledge. Hence, it is essential you research the different water treatment services in Sonoma County to choose the best. This will ensure optimal and effective results. That way, you will not have to spend money to drill a new well. If you are in the market looking for water purification or pump installation services, look no further than Weeks Drilling & Pump Co. – one of the best water treatment services in Sonoma County. Call us today for a no-obligation free quote at 707-823-3184.