Why did the water in the well become cloudy in the spring and what to do about it

Water is the source of life for every living organism. The well-being and health of a person largely depends on its quality. When building a well on a personal plot, many imagine how they will drink perfectly clean, cool and tasty well water, but expectations do not always correspond to reality. A common problem is that the water in the source becomes cloudy. It is unusable, it is necessary to establish the cause of water pollution and take all measures to eliminate it.

Reasons for cloudy water after cleaning a well

It is generally accepted that water from the bowels of the earth is healthier than the one that flows through the centralized water supply and is chlorinated. This is true, but over time, the liquid from the well can also become cloudy, odorless and have an unpleasant aftertaste. The main reasons for the development of this phenomenon:

• Violation of the tightness of the well rings. When arranging the well, reinforced concrete rings are installed on top of each other along its entire depth. The seams between them during the construction phase are sealed with a special solution. Over time, the movement of soil layers can displace the rings, which leads to depressurization of the joints. If there is dirty water in the well every spring, the reason is precisely this, since melting snow, heavy downpours significantly increase the load on the joints.
• Changes in the composition of the aquifer. Sometimes pollution penetrates into the source not through unsealed seams, but through the aquifer itself. For example, this can be observed if an industrial enterprise is located nearby, which discharges processed products into natural reservoirs, destroying not only it, but also nearby territories. It is almost impossible to deal with this type of pollution, since new waste will pollute the aquifer again and again.
• The liquid contains chemicals or a high concentration of iron. If the water turns bright yellow, then industrial wastewater may be the cause, but if the liquid has a slightly yellowish tint, this indicates a high iron content. To eliminate the problem, it is necessary to equip the well with a special purification filter.
• Stagnant water is another common cause. Perhaps the source is used less often than it should be. Because of this, the water is not renewed and stagnates. Organic compounds entering the well from the outside begin to decompose, creating a favorable environment for the development of pathogens.
• Improperly designed or equipped well shaft. For example, the sun's rays enter the well throughout the day, which creates ideal conditions for the development of pathogens. The source must be protected from third-party objects and sun rays falling into it. To do this, a canopy can be made over the mine or simply covered with a lid.
• Errors during the installation of the pumping station. Sometimes, the liquid begins to grow cloudy in the well only after turning on the submersible pump. Most often, this problem occurs if a vibration pump is installed or is too powerful in a particular case.

If, after pumping out the well in the spring, the water is more turbid, it is worth, first of all, to check the tightness of the seams and the integrity of the concrete rings. These are the main and most common causes of turbidity in the well.

Ways to eliminate turbidity in water

If a problem appears, you need to urgently take action to eliminate it. First of all, the root cause of the appearance of turbidity is established.

If the water becomes cloudy as a result of sludge or sand rising from the bottom, it is sufficient to additionally install a mechanical purification filter. This equipment effectively captures unwanted impurities and removes them from the water.

If the turbidity is formed after melting snow, heavy rains, we are talking about the depressurization of the annular seams. It is necessary to completely pump out water from the well, wash and thoroughly treat the seams with a special solution.

After the root cause has been eliminated, work can begin to restore the quality of the spring water. The algorithm is as follows:

1. Completely pump out water from the well using a pump.
2. Armed with a brush with coarse bristles and abrasive particles, lower it into the well and start cleaning the rings from contamination.
3. The entire surface of the concrete rings must be thoroughly disinfected.
4. Get rid of layers of sand, silt and other debris with a small container.
5. Study the walls of the well carefully. For damage, through holes, seams must be tight.
6. If a clay castle was not provided during the construction of the well, it must be created.

To prevent re-contamination of the water, it is recommended to install an aspen bottom filter.

Well disinfection

If the well water begins to deplete unpleasant odors, this indicates an active multiplication of bacteria. The cause of unpleasant odors is hydrogen sulfide, which is released as a result of the vital activity of pathogenic microflora. Such a liquid is unusable.

Well disinfection can be done in several ways:

• Well cleaning with chlorine.
• UV treatment.

The disadvantage of the latter method is its high cost. However, there are also advantages - the implementation of the method does not require preparatory work, the taste of spring water does not change.

Ultraviolet radiation source - special devices that need to be mounted in places close to the place where the liquid is taken. This method is more often used as prevention than cleansing.

As for disinfection with chlorine, unlike ultraviolet radiation, it can adversely affect the well-being and health of a person. When using a chemical, it is important to strictly follow all directions and recommended dosages.

You need to work in personal protective equipment: special gloves to the elbow and a respirator. Conventionally, the entire disinfection process is divided into three stages:

1. Preparatory work.
2. Well cleaning.
3. Final disinfection.

For cleaning, chlorine is poured into the bucket and thoroughly mixed with water, poured into the source. After that, it is covered with a lid for several hours. After this time, you can proceed to the final cleaning of the well.

It is necessary to completely free the source from water and start cleaning the walls, removing mucus and dirt from concrete rings, and from the bottom - silt and debris accumulations. All waste is raised to the surface and disposed of.

It is also important to assess the condition of the concrete rings: is there any damage on their surface, what is the condition of the joints. Defects are eliminated, seams are treated with a special solution. After completing these works, it is necessary that the source is completely filled with clean water.

A disinfectant solution is re-prepared at the rate of 200 grams of bleach per 1,000 ml of water. The contents of the container are poured into the shaft and left for at least 24 hours. After this time, using a pump, you need to completely pump out the water, treat the walls and pour over a lot of clean water. Several times the water is collected and pumped out.

After disinfection, it is recommended to heat the well water for the next two weeks.

Preventive actions

The optimal frequency of preventive disinfection of a well is once a year. It is recommended to perform the following activities:

• Making a "house" for the source or a roof over it. This will reduce the amount of debris and dust entering from outside.
• Arrangement of a clay castle.
• After cleaning, you need to make a high-quality bottom filter. As a rule, flint gravel (10 cm) and a mineral of volcanic origin - zeolite (20 cm) are used. Before laying out the filter, rinse the material thoroughly with plenty of clean water.

These simple preventive measures will not only reduce the frequency of cleaning, but also the rate at which turbidity appears in spring water.