How to purify well water

Sand pulls through a layer of gravel backfill

The most common cause of sanding is a faulty filter.

If the well is made in accordance with all the rules, then its bottom is a tightly welded end. The old regulations stated that the weld end could be replaced with a conical point oak chop. However, at present, in the vast majority of cases, instead of brewing, gravel is simply poured into the pipe, similar to how it is done when arranging wells. However, the problem is that water flows into a well and a well at completely different speeds.

The grid of any well becomes clogged after some time. Its resistance begins to exceed the resistance provided by the gravel backfill. Water arrives through the backfill and brings sand into the well. At the same time, grains of sand can have completely different sizes - from the smallest to very large.

In addition, if such a well is equipped with a high power pump, during its operation, the gravel plug may have less resistance than even a clean filter grid. Under such circumstances, the sand begins to flow very quickly into the well through the gravel pack. And it can be pulled up to the level of the pump, i.e. pretty high.

Quite often, this phenomenon is accompanied by the fact that the clay, liquefied under the constant influence of the water flow, will no longer hold the gravel backfill. And because of this, muddy water with a clay admixture will go.

Do-it-yourself water purification systems from a well

One of the options for home-made water purification from a well using the aeration method is shown in the photo below. Two stages of aeration are used here for a more complete water purification and removal of all impurities. The need for the second stage is determined based on the results of cleaning the first stage: the quality is far from always satisfactory. Re-aeration can help with this, but this is far from the only way: you can put one of the filters. He will do a good job, and will rarely clog.

Two-stage well water purification system

In this embodiment, water from the well is supplied through shower heads. Thus, primary oxygen enrichment occurs. There is also a submersible atomizer from an aquarium compressor. The water level is controlled by a float switch (used to control the water in the pool). At the bottom of the tank there is a tap for draining settled substances.

From the first tank, water is taken in the same way as in the previous version, from the lower third. the system is organized in the same way. From there, water can be supplied to the final cleaning and disinfection filter, and then it is diluted around the house.

See the video for another example of a home-made water purification system from a well.

Homemade water purification tips

If we talk about home-made water purification systems from a well, then different approaches and methods are often used. Here are some quotes:

I remove iron cheaply and simply. I have a 120 liter tank. I pour 7-10 grams of lime into it, then blow it out with a compressor from the aquarium for 4-5 hours and let it settle for 3 hours. Then I supply water to a filter with a 2 micron cartridge, and from there into the system. This method was made in the country. I change the filter once a month. A friend at home made the system larger - by 500 liters. There are two compressors running 12 hours. If you increase their power, the time can be reduced.

This is how the primary enrichment of water with oxygen in a home-made version looks like: a shower head through which water flows. Only it is desirable to raise it higher so that more oxygen is captured

The second option is no less interesting:

I had a lot of sand and silt coming out of the well: my consumption is high and it “pulls” a lot of all sorts of rubbish. I solved the problem by installing a filter.I only gutted my own cassette (after the filter became unusable), and poured crushed shells into it. Some pour marble chips. Works fine too. Only the fraction is needed not small, otherwise it will be quickly clogged. And then I have a tank with blowing (aeration), and after it there is already a filter that removes what the first two could not. The last filter I have is a barrel filled with BIRM. It has a faucet for washing. So once every couple of weeks I wash the backfill, and it needs to be changed after three years.

How to clean the well from silt with your own hands

There are several ways to clean the well and prevent further silting. There are also special mechanisms and substances for cleaning.

A water compressor can be used, and with its help deposits of sand and silt are easily removed by a jet of water under pressure. There is an air compressor that is used to remove soft particles such as sludge. Another way to clean the well from silt is to blow the pipe along its entire length with a vacuum plug. To clean the well, the so-called explosion is used - an artificially induced short circuit, as a result of which a bottle of gunpowder lowered to the bottom of the well explodes. As a result, the blast breaks the blockage at the bottom of the well, and it is easy to pump it out with a pump along with water.

Acid can be used to clear the blockage, but it must be used with caution, as it can damage the filter or even the pipe itself. Therefore, you must strictly adhere to the instructions and observe the proportions of the solution that are indicated in it.

Acid must be injected into the well pipe at one time and left in the well for 2 days, and then pump water until the bottom is completely cleaned.

If your well water comes with sand, this problem needs to be addressed as soon as possible. Silting, sanding - no matter how the professionals call the problem, if you really want to, you can clean your well yourself with some effort. When filled with a creamy viscous substance. It can have a different origin - from mineral to organic. When sanding, as the name of the phenomenon implies, sand passes into the source. As a result, the water from the well is dirty. And such water with sand is suitable only for household needs, and even then not for everyone.

Therefore, it is very important to correct the problem in a timely manner and return the well to its normal state. To do this, you first need to figure out why the water comes with sand

In conclusion

Now you know the main reasons why there are problems with, as well as ways to solve these problems. We wish you always clean water in the right quantities and take care of your sources!

In the presented video in this article you will find additional information on this topic.

Very often, people worry that instead of clean and transparent water, water comes from a well with turbidity, suspensions, fine sand particles, and, worst of all, clay water. Water with clay is the most unpleasant moment, so it is much more difficult to eliminate it than sand. To understand how to deal with this problem, you need to understand the reasons that can cause this phenomenon, in other words, find out why water with clay comes out of the well.

This problem can be divided into two - water with clay from a well of recent drilling, and clay water from a long and well-functioning well.

Methods for cleaning the well from sand

1. With deep vibrating pump

To solve the problem with sand, experts recommend using the Malysh-3 vibration pump with water intake at the bottom (with a capacity of 432 l / h, its price is about 1,500 rubles). The essence of its use is quite simple: we fix a piece of durite hose on the water intake with a clamp, immerse the pump in the well, and pump out the sand.

The advantages of this method include high productivity.The disadvantage is that after cleaning work, the rubber piston will need to be replaced.

2. With two pumps

The method involves the use of two pumps and a tank of clean water. With the help of one of the pumps, for example, Kama, clean water is supplied to the well, the purpose of which is agitation and loosening of sand deposits at the bottom of the well. The role of the second pump (with a lower water intake) is to pump out turbidity. The procedure is performed until clean water without sand begins to flow from the well.

When using this method, it is important to ensure that the hoses, power cable and cable do not get tangled. It would be most advisable to connect them together at several points.

3. Using a pump and a metal trident on a cable

The technology has some similarities with the method No. 2 described above. However, instead of a pump that supplies clean water, a metal trident is used here, mounted on a cable. Like the Kama pump, its function is to agitate and loosen sand deposits.

As a pump for pumping out contaminated water, it is possible to recommend the use of the Rain electric pump. Such equipment is quite versatile and can be used for most wells. Rain pumps are characterized by high pressure, high performance, a two-channel water intake system and an affordable price.

4. Filter cleaning

During operation, the filter becomes overgrown with sand and other impurities. For its cleaning, 2 methods are used: mechanical and chemical.

4.1. Mechanical

Cleaning by this method is carried out using special devices:

1. column scraper SK-168 ... 187 - the price fluctuates in a wide range (from 25,000 to 45,000 rubles and more);
2. ruff - a metal blank, can be combined with tips through which water is supplied;
3. swab - steel disc.

4.2. Chemical

Cleaning occurs with the help of special reagents that dissolve any deposits and include:

1. a potent substance based on hydrochloric acid (poured into canisters weighing no more than 7 kg);
2. bulk reagent for neutralization of the first substance (packing of 2 kg);
3. loose reagent for removing the remains of the first two preparations (packing of 2 kg).

The cost of such a kit ranges from 7000 rubles. Its volume is sufficient for flushing about 4 wells with a depth of no more than 40 m - the dosage is determined by a specialist. It will require pumping water and continuous water intake for 12 hours. After completion of the procedure for several days, it is not recommended to use such water for cooking.

In addition to sand, there are excess iron impurities in the water. Learn how to build a water purification system from a well from iron.

Folk methods of maintaining the purity of the reservoir

To create a natural ecosystem and constantly maintain a garden pond in good condition, experienced summer residents plant the bottom and coastal zone of the pond with plants such as nymphea, elodea, fontinalis, arrowhead, calamus, hornwort, marsh iris, cattail, reeds. In most cases, these are not purchased seedlings at all, but specimens dug up near the nearest river or swamp.

Plants taken from natural reservoirs perfectly fulfill their role in the newly organized biocenosis, without getting sick and without suffering from changes in habitat conditions.

Planting material (rhizomes) is often planted in ceramic pots, which are placed on the bottom. With the approach of winter, the pots are moved deeper so that the plants do not die even if the reservoir freezes completely.

Some summer residents also advise to maintain the natural ecosystem of garden ponds:

• populate water bodies with small river fish (for example, crucian carp), snails or freshwater crustaceans (daphnia);
• keep mesh containers filled with sphagnum moss or peat tablets in water;
• periodically lower a bunch of fresh willow twigs, peeled of leaves, into the pond.

Proper selection of pond flora and fauna will allow less frequent complete water changes.

A well-organized garden pond does without frequent labor-intensive cleaning, does not require the use of expensive devices and consumables.

Cleaning by settling

Settling is not suitable for water purification for the needs of a large country house or cottage

If the water from a well or a well in a country house is supersaturated with calcium salts with a particle size of 1 micron or more, then the settling method can be used for purification. The essence of the technique is that under the action of gravity, calcium salts precipitate.

If you choose which method is suitable for doing it yourself at home or in the country, then the settling method is exactly what you are looking for. Its main advantage:

• simplicity and availability of implementation;
• no special instruments and reagents are required for implementation.

The disadvantages include the following:

• low efficiency;
• the need to pour water into containers and drain from it;
• you also need to regularly clean the sediment;
• for domestic and drinking needs of a country house or cottage, containers of considerable size will be needed to collect and settle water;
• you will also need special pumps for pumping fluid.

Cheap septic tanks made of concrete rings

A simple, effective and environmentally friendly solution for owners of sites with deep groundwater and sand is the installation of several concrete wells isolated from precipitation.

How it works? Two or three concrete wells are vertically buried in the ground and connected to each other by overflows. The first well (the bottom of which is hermetically sealed) receives runoff from the house, including solid waste. Liquid effluents are poured either into the second well (at the bottom of which small fractions settle), or immediately into the well for waste disposal. Its bottom is covered with gravel, expanded clay, crushed stone - water seeps through them and goes into the soil.

In such a "concrete septic tank" anaerobic bacteria live and multiply, which do not need oxygen for life. In this case, concrete wells can be of any size (often KS 10-9 is used) with an inner diameter of 1 m, an outer diameter of 1.6 m and a height of 0.9 m. One buried one can be “assembled” from several concrete wells.

Sectional diagram of concrete septic tanks

Among the disadvantages of the "septic" method are the following:

• water cannot be reused;
• it is not yet possible to achieve complete tightness of the system from several wells;
• the filtering bottom of the wells quickly becomes clogged and stops bringing water into the soil;
• to install such a system, you will need serious construction equipment. You will have to do a large amount of work, but this will not save you from calling a sewer, as in the case of a storage installation.

How to clean and disinfect blooming water

"Water bloom" is caused by blue-green algae. This water is the hardest to clean. Some of these algae are capable of producing toxins that are dangerous to human health.

The method of water purification from toxins is the same as for other “chemical” contaminants: activated carbon filters, followed by disinfection from bacteria and other microorganisms.

Boiling

In this case, boiling water is simply necessary! At a temperature of 70C, most microorganisms die within 30 minutes, at temperatures above 85C - within a few minutes.

Boiling is a very reliable method, but in extreme conditions it may not be very convenient.

Potassium permanganate (potassium permanganate, KMnO4)

To purify water with potassium permanganate, you need to add a couple of crystals of the substance to 3-4 liters of water. Water should acquire a light pink hue (a bright color is unacceptable, such a solution can be harmful to health).

The advantages of this method of water disinfection are: high efficiency, low cost, compactness and low weight.KMnO4 is a strong oxidizing agent, therefore, it not only destroys bacteria, but also neutralizes a number of toxins (waste products) secreted by these same bacteria. However, today, potassium permanganate is extremely difficult to find in pharmacies.

Iodine

The method is emergency, but in a critical situation it can help, since iodine can be found in almost any first aid kit.

The method of disinfection is simple: 10-20 drops of a 10% alcohol solution of iodine are added to 1 liter of water (less is possible, but this dosage may not be effective enough). The amount of iodine must be determined visually, based on the degree of water pollution.

Iodized water should be allowed to stand for 20-30 minutes in summer, an hour or more - in the cold season. For guaranteed destruction of especially tenacious and dangerous bacteria, a longer time is required (up to 4 hours).

Such water is not very healthy and tastes unpleasant. To get rid of the taste of iodine, it is recommended to pass water through a carbon filter or add activated carbon to it (the latter is less effective). You can also crumble ascorbic acid into water (iodine easily oxidizes it).

Hydrogen peroxide

Another popular way to disinfect water is to use hydrogen peroxide for this purpose. It is also an "emergency" disinfection method. Hydrogen peroxide is able to disinfect water from protozoa (giardia and cryptosporidium), bacteria, viruses.

Method of application: it is necessary to add one tablespoon (in case of severe pollution - 2 tablespoons) per liter of water, let stand for 1 hour. To purify water from peroxide residues, as well as to accelerate its decay, add a couple of tablets of activated charcoal to the water.

The advantages and disadvantages of this method are the same as for other medicines - you have to dose "by eye". Despite the breakdown of hydrogen peroxide, the water may have a slight "medical" taste.

Salt

It can be used if no other reagents are available. It is enough to dissolve a tablespoon of salt in 2 liters of water. The solution is left to stand for 30 minutes.

Enjoy your trips and bright, positive impressions!

Septic tanks with soil aftertreatment

A cheap, simple and advanced analogue of concrete wells are plastic septic tanks with soil aftertreatment. They usually look like barrel-shaped tanks with lids. When choosing a factory septic tank, the number of tanks, the volume and the number of chambers in them should be taken into account. So, at a flow rate of 1 cubic meter of water per day, a single-chamber tank is enough, at a flow rate of 5 cubic meters per day - a two-chamber tank, and at a flow rate above 8 cubic meters per day - a three-chamber tank. The more compartments, the better the wastewater treatment.

Multi-chamber installations provide wastewater treatment for their subsequent discharge into ditches

How it works? In the three-chamber model, wastewater first enters the first chamber, and the heavy fractions sink to the bottom. After some time, they turn into silt. Light particles, together with water, enter the second chamber, where they are processed by bacteria. The purified composition is pumped into the third chamber. There, a filter and a special antiseptic mesh with colonies of bacteria are waiting for him.

Further, purified by 60-70% water enters the filtration field, which is a trench with crushed stone, in which perforated pipes or an infiltrator are laid. Here, wastewater is additionally treated with aerobic bacteria, after which the liquid is drained into a drainage ditch. An integral part of such a treatment system is ventilation pipes (they are needed to provide air access and maintain the vital activity of aerobic bacteria).

It looks like a septic tank with soil aftertreatment in the form of a multi-chamber installation and a filtration field with perforated pipes

What are good septic tanks? The fact that the water obtained at the end of cleaning can be drained into drainage ditches (but it cannot be used for irrigation and drinking!), For the full operation of the system, energy sources are not needed, and the container needs to be cleaned no more than once every 1-3 years.

For a family of 2-3 people, a single-chamber septic tank with a production volume of several cubic meters is enough.

The disadvantages of septic tanks with soil aftertreatment are:

• inability to use purified water for drinking and irrigation;
• within a radius of 3 m from the filtration field, you cannot grow vegetables and plant fruit trees and shrubs (for a small area, this can play a fatal role).

It should also be remembered that in areas with heavy soil or a high level of groundwater, such a septic tank will not “work”. In order for the system to function, you will have to install an additional container with a drainage pump and build a special dome for additional water treatment on the soil surface. It will be very expensive and ineffective.

Thus, wastewater is still a serious "headache" for owners of private houses. There are not so many purification methods, after which recycled water can be drunk, and they are not cheap. Still, it is easier to dispose of wastewater in small doses using modern environmentally friendly technologies.

Storage septic tanks

The second popular method of wastewater disposal is their accumulation and storage with subsequent removal. This method is used even when working with nuclear waste, and human waste is safer in any case.

Accumulation plant - the cheapest and most popular method of collecting wastewater

How it works? The sealed container is buried in the ground and periodically call the vacuum trucks to pump out the excess of the mass that has entered the tank. The storage tank, in fact, is an improved version of the cesspool. Getting into it, the effluents are divided into fractions: heavy substances sink to the bottom, and light ones (such as fat, etc.) rise to the top.

Calling a vacuum cleaner for one yard is expensive and impractical, it is wiser to cooperate with neighbors and order a car for several yards at once.

But even without taking into account this factor, "burying the problem in the ground" has its drawbacks. Firstly, the tank can fill up quite quickly, the level of waste water must be constantly monitored and the tank must not be overfilled. Secondly, trucks of vacuum trucks cannot enter any site, therefore the “accumulation zone” should be located close to the roadway.

If suddenly clay water came from an old well

Many owners of wells that have been drilled for a long time and are constantly in production are faced with an unexpected problem. Clay water begins to flow from a previously normally functioning well. To determine what to do in each case, how to clean the well from clay, it is necessary to identify the cause of this phenomenon.

There are two main, common reasons.

1. Depressurization of the casing, as a result of which clay penetrates from the aquifer into the well space.
2. Damage to the filter (rupture, cracks), and, as a result, all the sediment that had previously settled on it began to flow into the water.

In each of these cases, major repairs are needed. In the first option, it is required to raise the casing string, and determine the area of ​​depressurization, after which it is to be sealed. In the second case, the filter can be repaired, or simply replaced with a new, serviceable device.

It is not accepted to argue that underground is one of the cleanest sources of water supply. However, often the water, located at a depth of several tens of meters, rises to the surface muddy. What to do if the well "sands"?

Filters used in everyday life

The need to purify water from clay often arises among residents of country houses in the absence of a central water supply. In this case, the best solution would be to purchase a separate mechanical filter that is built into the water supply system. Such filters are now produced in various designs and sizes, with different filter media, serviced in different ways (requiring manual washing and "self-cleaning"), with and without replaceable cartridges. Filters for cold and hot water have design differences.

Consider several mechanical filters used to remove sediment and impurities (including clay) from water.

1. main filter of mechanical cleaning from the company "Novaya Voda" A010. Equipped with a replaceable cartridge that requires periodic replacement. It is intended for primary mechanical purification of tap water from impurities, including clay suspension, lime, rust, etc. It is produced separately for cold and hot water. The price from the manufacturer is 520 rubles.
2. Two-stage filter for mechanical water purification from impurities Big Blue of the Russian manufacturer Gelios Star with a replaceable cartridge. Designed for cottages and private houses without centralized water supply. It copes well with severe water pollution with clay, sand, etc. The price from the manufacturer is 5100 rubles.
3. Fine mechanical filter Honeywell F76S - purifies water by filtration and settling. Equipped with a membrane with the smallest pores, filtering suspended particles of clay that have not settled on the bottom of the bowl. Requires periodic rinsing (there is a special knob to switch to the rinsing mode). Removal of contaminants is possible in the sewer or a substituted container. The price of the filter ranges from 8500 - 9300 for cold water and 11000 - 11500 for hot.
4. Multi-purpose mechanical filter Atoll Ecoline MF-56, installed near the point of consumption - "under the sink". It is produced with various types of fillers and, in addition to suspension of clay particles, purifies water from other compounds. Regenerating type filler does not require periodic replacement. The filter is designed for cold water only. Its price is 35,000 - 38,000 rubles.
5. Automatic multi-purpose filter for comprehensive water purification Ecowater EPF 12TE of regenerating type with electronic programmable control. Designed to remove various impurities from water, including clay. Available with different types of fillers. Installed near the end point of water consumption. It costs 48,000 - 52,000 rubles.

When choosing water treatment equipment, it is important to remember that the quality of water treatment does not directly depend on the cost of the filter. The high price may be due to brand awareness, ease of use (automatic control) and a number of additional features that are not always needed by the consumer.

And the degree of water purification from clay can be the same for both an expensive filter model and a cheap one.

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April 28, 2016

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