WELL SERVICE · WESTERN PA & NORTHEAST OHIO
Bacteria, oxidized iron, and encrustation build up inside a well until the water clouds, the yield falls, or a test comes back positive. A cleaning loosens it, pumps it out, and disinfects what is left, done by a contractor so it is done properly.
Serving our communities since 1967
The National Ground Water Association encourages a periodic well system checkup that asks, among other things, whether the well needs cleaning. These are the signs it lists. A contractor confirms before anything goes down the hole.
Schedule a well assessment- TurbidThe water is cloudy or carries suspended matterDebris and encrustation loosening inside the well, or a screen letting fines through.Cloudy water, explained
- YieldThe well’s capacity has droppedFewer gallons per minute than the pump used to supply. A screen clogged by encrustation makes the pump work harder for less.Pump, or well?
- OdorA new taste or smellAnaerobic bacteria low in the well: methane, a fishy taste, hydrogen sulfide’s rotten-egg odor.The odor patterns
- ColiformA positive test for total coliform or biological activityAerobic bacteria in the upper well produce slime and trap oxidized iron and manganese. Cleaning removes what chlorine alone leaves behind.Read the result
- MechanicalPressurized air or water, wire brushes and scrapers, agitation, or sonic waves loosen debris and encrustation so it can be pulled out.
- ChemicalAcids loosen or dissolve deposits for pumping out, and polymers and caustics handle particular jobs. It works best combined with the mechanical work.
- WHAT A CLEANING CHANGES
- Water into the well again, and the yield with it
- The pump stops fighting a clogged screen
- The well properly disinfected afterward by the contractor
IS THIS YOUR WATER?
What a Well That Needs
Cleaning Looks Like.
Each of these has its own page, because each can have another cause too. Work with a qualified well system contractor to determine whether the well is the reason.
HOW A WELL IS CLEANED
Loosen, Dissolve,
Pump Out, Disinfect.
Some well owners view chlorination as a cure-all. It leaves the debris behind, and the debris feeds the next growth. Cleaning removes it, and disinfection comes after.
- 01
Assess
We look at the well’s age, casing, and intake, its yield, and what the water is doing. A well whose intake or casing has corroded significantly may be damaged by aggressive cleaning, and the owner should know that before the work starts, so that new well construction can be planned if cleaning proves ineffective.
- 02
Mechanical
Debris and encrustation are loosened and removed with pressurized air or water, wire brushes or scrapers, agitation of the water in the well, or sonic waves.
- 03
Chemical
Acids loosen or dissolve deposits so they can be pumped out, and polymers and caustic chemicals suit particular jobs. The most effective strategy is usually a combination of the two approaches.
- 04
Disinfect
Well cleaning is followed immediately by a thorough disinfection of the well system and its immediate environment, completed by the contractor so it is done properly.
WELL CLEANING
Well Cleaning in
Western PA and Eastern OH.
The National Ground Water Association encourages well owners to periodically get a water well system checkup that considers, among other things, whether the well system needs cleaning.
How do you know if a well needs cleaning?
Several signs may indicate a need to clean your well system. The well water may be turbid, meaning cloudy or carrying suspended matter. The well’s capacity, the gallons of water per minute the pump can supply, may have dropped. The water may have developed an odor or taste problem, or it may test positive for total coliform or overall biological activity. Work with a qualified water well system contractor to determine whether your well needs cleaning.
Why do wells need to be cleaned?
Bacteria are the first reason. In the upper reaches of the well, the presence of oxygen encourages the growth of aerobic bacteria and the oxidation of metals. Aerobic bacteria tend to cause clogging by producing large amounts of slime and trapping oxidized iron and manganese and other minerals. Debris from that activity accumulates at the bottom of the well, where the water can become depleted of oxygen, creating an environment for anaerobic bacteria. Those bacteria, natural to the aquifer, are often responsible for methane gas, a fishy taste, various odors, and hydrogen sulfide, which causes the distinctive rotten-egg odor. Slime-forming bacteria are the most visible version of this.
Encrustation is the second. It is the process by which a crust or coating forms on the well intake or casing, typically through chemical or biological reactions.
Cost and operating efficiency
A well that needs cleaning can be more costly to operate. A well screen clogged by encrustation reduces the flow of water into the well, causing the pump to work harder, which means higher electrical costs and wear on the pump. Proper well maintenance offers a positive payoff in extended pump and water treatment system life, and reduced impact on plumbing fixtures and appliances.
How well systems are cleaned
Some well owners view chlorination as a cure-all for water quality problems. While chlorination might temporarily prevent taste and odor problems, it leaves behind debris or accumulated organic material, and that material provides a food source for future bacterial growth. Chlorination alone may therefore not be effective in the long run. There are two basic approaches to well cleaning, mechanical and chemical, with the most effective strategy often being a combination of the two, and an array of options within each. A water well system contractor is best qualified to help the well owner decide which methods to use, depending on the condition of the well.
Mechanical processes for loosening debris and encrustation and removing them from the well include pressurized air or water, wire brushes or scrapers, agitation of the water in the well, and sonic waves. Chemical cleaning often involves various acids to loosen or dissolve debris so that it can be pumped out of the well. Depending on the job, polymers and caustic chemicals that increase the alkalinity of the water are also used.
The age of a well may determine which methods are used to clean it. If a well’s water intake areas or the well casing have corroded significantly over time, they may be damaged or destroyed by more aggressive cleaning practices. In such cases a well owner may opt to proceed directly to new well construction, or prepare for that option if cleaning is ineffective.
Well disinfection
Well cleaning should be followed immediately by a thorough disinfection of the well system and its immediate environment. Disinfection of the well should be completed by the water well contractor to ensure that it is done properly. Shock chlorination on its own, after well work or a positive coliform test, is part of the same service, across ten counties:
HOW WE WORK
Assess the Well.
Then Clean It.
The signs only suggest a cleaning. An assessment confirms whether one is needed, and which methods the well can take.
- 01
Assess
The signs you noticed, the well’s history and age, a yield test, and, where it helps, a camera down the hole.
- 02
Clean
Mechanical and chemical methods chosen for the condition of the well, and the loosened material pumped out.
- 03
Disinfect
The crew shock-chlorinates the well system and its surroundings after the cleaning, not in place of it.
- 04
Retest & record
A water sample after the work settles, the yield checked against what it was, and the visit recorded for next time.
A LITTLE CLARITY
Well Cleaning Questions.
Straight Answers.
How do I know if my well needs cleaning?
Signs that may indicate a need include water that is turbid or cloudy, a decrease in the well’s capacity in gallons per minute, a developing odor or taste problem, or water that tests positive for total coliform or overall biological activity. Work with a qualified well system contractor to determine whether cleaning is appropriate rather than assuming it from a symptom alone.
Why do wells need to be cleaned?
Bacterial activity and encrustation build up over time. Aerobic bacteria in the upper reaches of a well can cause clogging through slime production and the entrapment of oxidized iron and manganese, while anaerobic bacteria lower down are often responsible for methane, a fishy taste, various odors, and hydrogen sulfide. Encrustation forms a crust or coating on the well intake or casing.
Should I just put bleach in my well?
Treating chlorination as a cure-all is a common mistake. It might temporarily prevent taste and odor problems, but it leaves behind debris and accumulated organic material that can support further growth. Shock chlorination is a legitimate service when applied appropriately, but it should follow an assessment rather than substitute for one.
What is shock chlorination?
It is a measured dose of chlorine, introduced into the well and drawn through the whole system, held long enough to disinfect the water, the casing, the pump, and the plumbing, then flushed out. It is the disinfection step that follows a cleaning, and a service on its own after well work or a positive coliform test. The dose depends on the well’s depth and diameter and the water’s chemistry, which is why it is the contractor’s job.
How often should a well be cleaned?
There is no fixed schedule. The National Ground Water Association encourages a periodic well system checkup that considers, among other things, whether the well needs cleaning, and the signs above are what that checkup looks for. A well with iron bacteria or a history of encrustation may need attention more often than one without. The annual checkup is where that pattern shows up.
Does a well that needs cleaning cost more to operate?
It can. A well screen clogged by encrustation reduces the flow of water into the well, making the pump work harder, which results in higher electrical costs and additional wear. Proper maintenance tends to pay off through extended pump and treatment system life and reduced impact on plumbing fixtures and appliances. Call (724) 588-2652 to schedule an assessment.
Talk with the Chatfield team.
(724) 588-2652A LITTLE KNOWLEDGE GOES A LONG WAY
Know Your Well.
WATER PROBLEMSSlime-forming bacteria.
The slime in the toilet tank and on the fixtures: what it is, where it comes from, and what a cleaning does about it.
WATER PROBLEMSBacteria in your water.
What a coliform result means, what to do now, and which treatment follows.
WELL SERVICEThe annual well checkup.
The wellhead, the yield, the switch and tank, and the water itself, once a year.
YOUR NEXT STEP
Cloudy, Smelly,
or Slower Than It Was?
Call or fill out the form to schedule an assessment. We’ll look at the well, the yield, and the water, and tell you what a cleaning would and would not fix.