Iron Bacteria

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:
  1. Slowly add 12% chlorine at 1 gallon per 100 feet of well depth.
  2. You should smell the chlorine coming out of the hose fairly strongly.
  3. Place a hose down the well casing to circulate water while bypassing all filters.
  4. Then turn water off and open up every faucet inside the house until you smell the chlorine at the sink.
  5. Let it sit in the lines for 24 hours like that.
  6. Then open up several faucets and let it run for a couple of hours until the chlorine smell gets faint.
  7. At that point open up the filters so you let a little of the chlorine go through them.
  8. Repeat every 6 months