SHOCKING!! ........ My well

[jbp-ohio]

Who has a well? How often do you shock it and what kind of filtration and/or sterilization do you use?

When we moved in here 5 years ago, the previous owner had bleach in the well for IDK how long. I didn't shock it again for a year +.

Then it was every 6 months the next three years. Now I'm doing it every 3 months but it starts to smell after one.

[Zee]

Have not had an issue to shock mine.

[bullsi1911]

What is shocking supposed to do for a well? I have lived on well water, and worked on water wells and water systems (granted, that was 30 years ago, and I was the lowest rung on the ladder go-fer and manual labor), and never heard about shocking a well.

But down here are wells are deep (like 400-600 foot deep holes), so the problems may be different with shallow wells

[Wambli Ska]

My first well in Connecticut put out the best tasting and clean water I’ve ever gotten out of the ground. Never had a problem in over 10 years.

BUT, my well at the ranch had a terrible issue with Sulfur bacteria. They are not harmful but make the water stink and taste bad and turn the inside of your copper pipes black. It was disgusting.

After shocking it a few times using chlorine and having it be a short term fix I invested in a whole house filtering system that used Hydrogen Peroxide injection, followed by Carbon filtering and lastly UV lighting inside the 300 gal holding tank. After that I had the best (lab tested) water possible and all it took was a cheap delivery of 5gal containers of hydrogen peroxide a few times a year and changing the filters as needed. Not a very complex or taxing endeavor but the system took a whole corner of my basement and cost about $10k back then. But, I think they have gotten cheaper since then.

[jbp-ohio]

Have to keep testing mine since they dump pig poop across the road a couple times a year.......

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[jbp-ohio]

Left chlorine in for 24+ hours. Flushed for five. See how long it lasts. Was only leaving chlorine for 12-16 hrs.

My brother has a neighbor with a cow lot across the road from his well. It tests positive for E. Coli if he goes longer than 3 months.

[Wambli Ska]

Yep, with horses on my property we went down 400’ to make sure we avoided that!

[Kansashunter]

Shocking your well will help with bacteria that is in the system but if the water coming into your well it won't do anything. If you have coliform bacteria there are ways to fix that but they all have costs. Chlorine is cheap but getting it metered into your water takes equipment and the water has to have time for the chlorine to work. UV lights work on that also but they need to be kept clean and the bulbs have to be replaced to keep them effective. Doing a test is the best and if the water is good I wouldn't shock it again unless you have to work on the well.

[jbp-ohio]

I shock for the rotten egg smell. Like I said. It used to work for 6 months. I don't want a constant chlorine injection as it's a carcinogen. They have hydrogen peroxide injection but it's $$$.

[Kansashunter]

I can't help you with that one. I don't know what water is like where you are but is it possible to go deeper, of course water well drilling isn't cheap either. That is what I did to fix my water problems, not deeper but a new well, and it was expensive. It was still cheaper than rural water and cheaper to use. Good luck, having water issues sucks.

[Wambli Ska]

I shock for the rotten egg smell. Like I said. It used to work for 6 months. I don't want a constant chlorine injection as it's a carcinogen. They have hydrogen peroxide injection but it's $$$.

We tried just about everything. Peroxide was the only permanent and least intrusive into our life solution we found.

[jbp-ohio]

There is sulfur in the ground. I don't know if going deeper solves anything. Well is 140'.

[Varmintmist]

Chlorine isnt going to help with sulfur. You need a filter or get used to it.
I hit my well about every 3 years. I break up a puck of pool chlorine and drop about 1/6 of it down, mainly before vacation. Run the water and let it sit while gone. Its 500+' though because thats where the water is around here. A shallower well here is basically run off from a coal seam.
Going deeper will may get you into different water, you would have to case off the top part though. Best bet, call a well driller.

[breamfisher]

Probably ought to find out if the problem is hydrogen sulfide in the water, or sulfur bacteria, first. They take different solutions.

[jbp-ohio]

Sulfur bacteria. I get water tested through the health dept.

Edit.... my understanding is the hydrogen sulfide was from sulfur bacteria.

[jbp-ohio]

After the derailment in E Palestine, I need to get a test somewhere else to see if any chemicals make it here.