Iron Bacteria
- If iron bacteria is detected, then an extra step must be taken. Iron bacteria usually shows up on the report as mild, moderate, or aggressive. Iron bacteria grows in the well and actually eats iron. Oxidizing it will aggravate it. This means that when the iron bacteria comes in contact with oxygen or ozone, this slimy yellow/orange/brown residue gets even worse: it coats the pipes and is not good to consume.
- For mild to moderate iron bacteria, a chlorine injector will treat it.
- The most effective way to treat aggressive iron bacteria is to shock the well once every six months by pouring into the well head one gallon of chlorine for every 100′ of well depth.
Well Chlorination Procedure:
- By-pass all filters
- Run a hose from the nearest spigot to the well head.
- Place the end of the hose into the well and turn on the water to recirculate the water in the well.
- Slowly add 12% chlorine at 1 gallon per 50-100 feet of well depth. Add a quarter of a gallon at a time.
- When you are able to smell chlorine coming out of the hose fairly strongly, turn off the hose.
- In the house, open up every faucet until you smell chlorine coming out of each faucet.
- Let the lines sit still for 24 hours. Go on a hike, go fishing, spend the evening in a hotel, go have fun somewhere else, but do not run water for 24 hours.
- After 24 hours, turn on all the faucets until the chlorine smell is light or completely gone. This sometimes takes an hour or two.
- At the filter, turn off the by-pass and open the valves to and from the filters, resuming your water to normal use. The house will smell of chlorine for a day or two as the chlorine exits the pipes between the filters and the faucets.
- Repeat this process every 6 months. Spring and fall are the best times.