Frequent Water Well Water Issues and How to Fix Them – Part Two

If you own a private well or get water from a well-sourced city, it can make you paranoid. After all, well water does not undergo municipal treatment of any kind.

So, it’s understandable that you’re on edge when you never know what might come from your tap.

What well water issues will you face next — odd colors, rancid odor, bad flavor? They’re enough to make anyone break a sweat!

Luckily, there’s a fix for just about every well water issue. Use it to look up common well water problems and their solutions.

Why Is Well Water Rusty Orange?

Hundreds of homeowners with well water find ugly orange stains in their sinks, tubs, showers and toilets.

Iron and tannins are two common culprits for this. And luckily, both are preventable.

Iron-rich water often emerges from the tap perfectly clear. But as it combines with oxygen, it turns orange. Conversely, tannins are natural organic materials that make water have a light yellow color.

Cleaning orange stains out of iron or tannins takes specific cleaning products. A sponge with white vinegar or lemon juice usually does the job. For tougher stains, though, you might need a combination of white vinegar and baking soda. For stains that have lingered a while, you can also try an industrial-strength cleaner, such as CLR.

And sure, it’s great to stain your carpets less, but you want to keep them cleaner.” And the most effective way to do that is to install the right water treatment equipment.

One of the best solution to remove iron is a chlorine injection system which effectively counteracts the contaminant.

Conversely, the removal of tannins involves first passing water through a water softener and then an anion exchange resin system. This specialized system swaps out negatively charged ions for the tannins, then pulls the tannins out of the water.

Well water can contain contaminants, including bacteria, chemicals and heavy metals. Start your FREE water test today, clean water is a must for every family.

Why Are Grey Stains Being Caused by My Water?

If you notice rusty-looking grey stains on your sink and shower drains, then you most probably have excess calcium and/or hydrogen sulfide. Which is the problem is best determined by a water test.

Regular cleaning supplies can be unsuccessful in removing these grey stains. A much better approach is to soak, scrub and rinse it away with a combination of baking soda, white vinegar and dish soap.

Removing stains requires the proper water treatment equipment depending on the contaminant.

As previously stated, excessive calcium is one of the components of hard water. So, a water softener should remove stains caused by calcium.

To eliminate hydrogen sulfide, you will have to disinfect your well and buy a specialty filter to oxidize and remove the contaminant.

Why Does My Water Look Oily?

The oily film on the well water has one of two likely sources: It could be natural, caused by contaminants from iron bacteria and hydrogen sulfide, or it could be a byproduct of industrial pollution stemming from petroleum runoff or oil spills.

Industrial pollution could lend your well water an oily film, potentially deadly, so you should get well water tested immediately. A simple way to try it for yourself is to swirl a stick in water. If the film separates like platelets, then you have organic sources to contend with. But if the platelets recombine back together again, then the film originates from industrial pollution.

But perhaps the best way to be sure is to have your water tested at an EPA-certified water testing lab.

If your well water test indicates that you have iron bacteria or hydrogen sulfide, then a chlorine injection system or specialty water filter should solve the problem.

If you discover industrial pollution is what is causing the oily film, then do not drink your water until you get the proper water filter which will keep the pollution out. For your health, a whole house carbon filter will likely be your best bet.

Why Is My Well Water Making Me Sick?

Because well water is drawn directly from a natural aquifer, it can sometimes be contaminated by waste with coliform or E. coli bacteria. Drinking this contaminated water can cause diarrhea, vomiting, stomach illness and more.

A good way to avoid a situation like this is to check the lining of your well regularly for cracks. Finding and fixing cracks in the well still won’t guarantee you’ll be protected, of course.

In addition to this, you will need to set up a chlorine injection system or UV filter. These water treatment systems routinely neutralize coliform, E. coli and other pathogens that can cause illness.

The best way to find out what is creating problems in your well water is to get it tested by an EPA-approved testing laboratory.

What is Causing Blue-Green Stains from My Water?

When well water becomes too acidic, it can leave blue-green stains. This occurs when the water’s pH balance falls below 7.

There are several reasons why well water may become acidic. Natural sources to consider are slightly acidic rainwater and the decomposition of plants. Acidification can also stem from human-caused sources, such as chemical spills and mining runoff.

Water “effectively dripping” through these pipes leaves these unsightly stains on the way to your homes as well as giving water a bitter taste and slippery feel. It can cause health issues such as eroding enamel on teeth and costly problems in the house, like scale accumulation in pipes and water heaters.

Bursting bubble (pH): To eliminate high acidity from water, first test the pH of your water to see what level of acidity you’re dealing with. Keep in mind that for pH levels of 5 to 6.9, a calcite neutralizer will suffice for a pH correction. For levels of 4-4.9, a calcite-corosex mix will be the best choice. For levels lower than 4, you will use a soda ash chemical feed pump. An expert with a license can also assist you in selecting the correct system for your needs.

Why Is My Water Cloudy or Dirty?

Turbid well water is cloudy or dirty looking when it comes out of the tap. This happens when water has significant amounts of clay, silt and organic or inorganic matter in it, ngg.

This ugly water often carries dangerous bacteria that can lead to health issues. The abundance of material can give a pump that draws from well water extra work to do and even lead to its failure.

First, check your well screen for damage if you’ve got high turbidity in your well water. In many cases, the elements will sneak in around gaps in the screen.

Water filtration is one of the best strategies to ensure protection against turbidity in the long term. Options for available water filters include sediment filters or reverse osmosis filters. You might also want a UV filter to kill any nasty bacteria that turbidity has brought along with it.

Final Thoughts

We hope we’ve helped solve some of your well water issues. We know there are many more issues than we’ve been able to enumerate in this blog. Diagnosing water well water treatment problems should be done with a water treatment professional.