Water Wells

[Newview01]

Had an old well tested today and sent a camera down.

Pretty corroded. Lots of iron bacteria. Probably clogged the perforations a lot. Considering original (was drilled in 79) flow rate was 50 gpm, now down to 15.

Filled a few buckets, seemed to be hair floating on the top. The well guy said if there isn’t 5’ of dead mice at the bottom, there is 8’. Makes sense to me as it never had a lid.

Question is, can it be shocked / cleaned, and reused? Or can it be shocked / cleaned / decommissioned, and can another well be drilled in the same aquifer with no bacteria risk? What are my options?

[CMichaud]

I am no expert but based on what you are telling me I would be inclined to try shocking it and see what happens.

From the condition you are describing and based on the age you probably run the risk of destroying whatever crap is built up inside which may be protecting what remains of its integrity

How deep is the well?

[TROLLER]

Originally Posted by CMichaud

I am no expert but based on what you are telling me I would be inclined to try shocking it and see what happens.

From the condition you are describing and based on the age you probably run the risk of destroying whatever crap is built up inside which may be protecting what remains of its integrity

How deep is the well?

X2 Shocked mine a few yrs back and it came back no issues. Had the water tested and it was clean. That being said why not get a driller to come out and service the well? They can give you the best advise, I did and that is why I had my well shocked.

[Gifted Intuitive]

It can be cleaned. There is a machine that operates as a pressure washer and a hose will be lowered into the well. The pressure will blow debris about 30 feet above the well casing. When cleaned the water can be tested.

[Newview01]

The well was originally drilled to 100’, but now is only 92’.

Has not been used recently.

[Newview01]

Originally Posted by Gifted Intuitive

It can be cleaned. There is a machine that operates as a pressure washer and a hose will be lowered into the well. The pressure will blow debris about 30 feet above the well casing. When cleaned the water can be tested.

I don’t want to be there when that happens. What is the likelihood of the cleaned well not having any bacteria left?

[hal53]

Originally Posted by Newview01

I don’t want to be there when that happens. What is the likelihood of the cleaned well not having any bacteria left?

Bailing some of the fill out might be a better initial option to be sure you know what you're dealing with

[Grizzly Adams]

With all the circumstances mentioned, I'd abandon it and drill another. Obviously it must have been open for those mice to end up in there and who knows what kind of viruses they were carrying. Bad water can kill you and the structure of the well doesn't sound promising either. Casing is probably about gone.

Grizz

[buckbrush]

Has anyone here ever used a casing scraper on a water well to clean the perfs?

I was going to borrow one from work and try it on my livestock well, its 4 1/2" steel.

I don't see any problem with using an old well as long as possible but with the dead mice and a bad test I wouldn't even want to use it to wash with.

[roper1]

The well isn't that old. I'd try a pump test, maybe some cleaner, pump it again. Use a decent casing cover, should be good to go. 15 GPM still a fairly decent rate, 50 is a big well. The recharge rate might improve with use. Certainly cheaper than a new well. Good luck.

[Newview01]

We pumped for a good hour, water was still coming up hairy (from the dead mice) and black (from the iron bacteria).

I am leaning towards drilling a new well.

Was quoted $7k to decommission the old and drill a new to 120’, with plastic casing.

[Dewey Cox]

Blow the well out, pump it for a few days, and then shock the sh!t out of it.
That’s what I’d do

[Flatlandliver]

Originally Posted by Dewey Cox

Blow the well out, pump it for a few days, and then shock the sh!t out of it.
That’s what I’d do

X2
Don’t just shock and pump it, you need it blown out.
And buy a cap.