Yikes! Sludge in Well Water

Did the earth move under your feet? Might be some fault slippage going on. Maybe the bottom of the well is now at or above the foot valve?

I think Just an Engineer is right!

My only experience with Texas water is in the Permian Basin and it stinks.

Good luck.

Sounds like some sort of clay. Just an engineer is right: get it tested first. Once you have fully established what it is, we can help you to deal with it.

Quickly - you can go to Lowe's or Home Despot & buy a test kit, which will tell you if it is bacterial in nature (but not what it is) .......or mineral

Dayum, hope all goes well...

I've contacted our County Extension Agent about the problem, and a local company specializing in this sort of thing. Still awaiting replies.

Meanwhile I've done a few rudimentary tests that seem to indicate that the suspension is probably mineral in nature. Bleach does not affect the color - about the same color as fresh, wet concrete - nor does boiling the water. We do have a benign bacteria in our well water that produces hydrogen sulfide, but the bacteria are readily dispatched by chlorination. I'll be getting a water test kit later today to see what it turns up.

Thanks for the responses!

Europium -- Check the well head and the area around it. Sounds like surface water may have gotten into the casing from the heavy rainfall. An opening in the casing near the ground level may have opened up from some cause (depending on the casing material, age and ground stability) and excess rainwater saturating the ground locally could have carrried the clay into the casing where it then ran down the casing to the water surface in the well bottom. Problem with surface water intrusion is that it will force you into chlorination or ozone treatment until you get it fixed. Also you may need to fence off and cover the area around the well head to keep critters from leaving their bacteria laden droppings there.

Ed Weldon

Something no one has yet commented on- why did the pressure drop significantly? A little more information about the system might be helpful. How old is the well? What sort of pump are you using? How deep is the well? What do you know about the well casing? Are you pumping directly into your water system, or into a holding tank, with another pressure pump supplying the house water?

The fact that this happened "suddenly" may or may not be significant- it is possible that sediment has been accumulating in the bottom of the well for years, finally building up to where the pump suction can pick it up. At any rate, the fine sediment coming through your pump is not a good sign- not good for seals...I suspect the pump is going to require attention as well.

I agree with CWarner 7 11. You are likely the victim of a rising tide of materials. You did not mention your local weather- has it been "dry" for a while? You may have a reduced volume in your well that adds to the sludge mixing effect because of reduced water volume that results in higher than normal swirl or other turbulence.

Assuming that your problem is mineral, plus some particulate, I would recommend a dedicated pre-filter (media wrapped around a carbon core) for your cold water (pump discharge) line (a duplex is best because in allows on the fly change-out) that will clean up your drinking water as well as protect your water heater and assure truly-cleansing showers and clean laundry. Replacement cartridges are not very expensive, and you can stop using them if the water cleans up by itself. The cartridge holder is clear so you can see the filter build-up for maintenance.

How old is your well? I wonder if your well casing has been compromised (rust hole?) Have you noticed any areation of the water or is your pump cavitating? It could explain both the pressure drop and the presensce of the particulate matter.

We use a well for all our water and use a submersible pump, this is on a plastic flexible pipe. To set this at a suitable height a rope holds the pump at the right height. Should the rope break, the pump will go down to the length of the plastic pipe. If this has happened the pump will have gone lower and into or near to the sludge at the bottom. If this is the system that you use, the result will be as you have found, as this happened quickly I suspect that this may be the cause. You say that the sediment settles, this indicates that it is what would be at the bottom of the well anyway. If the pump is only close to the sediment on the bottom the starting jerk will disturb surrounding water and sediment will be collected.

I posted my query with the county extension agent, as well as with a water-well specialist.

Reply from the extension agent:

"You are in an aquifer that does have water inflows based on rain. The Edwards [aquifer] is known for being in the Karst formations. So it could be some inflows that are causing the problems. Usually you would pump the well until it clears up or wait several days to see if it settles out. It could also be from where your well has collapsed or at least some of the wall has dropped out. This happens sometimes and that can "dirty" the water. If it doesn't clear up I suggest you contact the company that drilled the well."

--

Reply from the well specialist:

"Yours is a difficult problem. The best I can do is share what I have run into
here in NE Ohio. Usually the condition you describe means "colloidal clay". Does your sediment seem to be clayish? If so then you will have to feed a coagulant or flocking agent to the water.

Then give it time for the agent to react via a large holding tank. Then try filtering the matter from your water via a clarifying media such as Birm or FIlter Ag. Even this treatment is not guaranteed 100. It could also mean that your submersible pump is too close to the bottom of the well and sucking up silt. Another cause might be a partial collapse of your well casing or a crack in the casing allowing for invasion of silt or clay. I think the best thing for you to do is to visit www.wqa.org and find a certified water specialist in your area to check things out. Hopefully this specialist is or knows a good welldriller as well."

--

I ran the outside faucets for a time, and for the first five minutes or so the water came out the same color as liquid concrete. Then it clarified. At all times the flow rate was it's normal, brisk self. I shut off the outside faucets.

Next I checked the filter for the house water. It was clogged with gray, clayish matter with a consistency much like plumber's putty. I replaced the filter and then ran all the taps in the house to flush the pipes. As with the outside faucets, the water came out the color of fresh concrete, then it clarified.

I let the inside taps run for a bit, but after about 20 minutes or so the flow suddenly stopped. I went outside to check the pump and immediately smelled burning wiring. Smoke was billowing from the the pump house! I ran inside and cut the power (two 60-amp breakers).

Rather than being hard-wired in, the pressure switch on the tank was plugged into a short length of heavy 3-wire extension cord which was itself hard-wired to the junction box. The plug/receptacle had overheated and was charred but, interestingly, the breaker had not tripped.

I suspect that running the pump continuously for as long as I had caused the plug/receptacle to overheat. None of the wiring is exposed to the weather, as all of it is inside a snug little shelter with a concrete floor. But dampness and so forth over time can tarnish/corrode the prongs on a plug, raising its electrical resistance and causing it to overheat at high current levels. What I am less certain of is whether the pump had been laboring, drawing extra current and causing the plug to overheat. At the time, though, the pump was pumping clear water, so I can't say for certain whether the pump was laboring or not. Possibly it was damaged from pumping sludge? It's hard to say.

This water-well business is beginning to resemble the luck of the Large Hadron Collider.

You would be well advised to pull your pump out and get it checked, wiring overheating is not a good sign,it could have dirt build ups . Better safe than sorry.

It also sounds like the pump is now sitting on the bottom sucking sediment. Dependent on the depth of the water in the casing, lift the pump up 6'. (of coarse do this after you investigate and repair your wiring problem).

Good luck

Josh

Europium,

Your agony on the unexpected problems with your well water is a matter of concern.

The following causes would have effected this.

1]Possible contamination of sewage, the course of which ,water will smell of sulphide like.

2] If it is an open well, possible sunshine exposure would have caused algae/ green mass formation, which comes along with declining water level extractions. Take out the green mass, add hypochlorite or bleach solution and if you find immediate decolurization, it means it is algae/ green mass. For this you have to clean your well with chlorine and prevent sunlight exposure by upper cover for ever. This problem would have aggrevated since your level has come down and at good levels only superficial extractions would have sufficed.

*The algae / green mass presence can also be confimd by typical algae/ fishy smell, for which the confirmative tests had been highlighted.

*Another odd possibilty is the crawling and falling black/ green CATERPILLAR WORMS, which during rainy/ winter seasons reach open water tanks, wells , fall , die and float.In these case you may sense the dead flesh/ worms smell from waetr.

For me the last mentioned problem [caterpillars] was traced and I happened to drain all water from the tank, cleaned with hypo and restored to normalcy. The same remedy applies to you aslo. CHECK FOR CRAWLING CATTERPILLARS. They can be deadly.

*If not the caterpillar case then, case 2 or 1 is applicable.

Check up and post feed back. I have narrated a recently faced real story at my end.

Regards

Nothing else but dissolve limestone here's why.

I'm in central TX also, probably just south of you and went thru the same drought you went thru. Tho my water is from the Carrizo springs which is primarily a sand aquifer not like the Edwards which is a Limestone aquifer. But well water works the same way no matter were you are located.

When limestone dries out, and water levels drop below ground, then when we have a lot of rain it causes the limestone to seperate when rewetted. Same holds true in Florida and thier sink holes, the limestone dries and then when its rewetted thier limestone falls apart and creates a sink hole.

Why didn't it fizz when you put vinegar is that because its not pure limestone like the limestone holey rocks laying on the ground, and you were using household vinegar diluted at 5% and then the extra moisture in the gray mater further diluted that 5%. Pour it straight on the dried sediment and see what happens, but remember there are other underground minerals that arn't limestone in the mater also that won't react to the vinegar.

We live a considerable distance from any industrial works and so I doubt if it is of industrial origin. Sure you don't have anyone dumping illegal items near you on the ground and seeping into the water table. Yes, its illegal, but so are all crimes illegal, and they happen all the time.

The previous owner of our property told us that the well water comes from an aquifer some depth below the property. So how deep is deep? When was the well drilled? What size casing is installed? When was the last time the pump was serviced? What is the Head level of the water inside the casing when not being pumped? And then what is the Draw down level after 30 minutes of running the pump? How deep is the pump setting from the top of the well casing?

We've had a lot of rain here lately, after a drought lasting about two years. And yes that rain water takes a long time to filter thru all that limestone to reach your pump.

Until now, our water has been very good and our well has never run dry. Maybe its saying to you, unless you get me some service, I'm ready to run dry in the very near future, and I'll do it when you need me the most.

Any idea what is going on and what the cure might be? Yes, Get a water well professional service person to come out and do the service, and also make sure you have enough money to pay for it.

Finally,

The voice of experience. I can see that when you contribute to a post, you do so with expert knowledge.

GA for you!

Thanks lynlynch.

I goofed the web site for wellrific is www.mwater.ca

Hello europium,

long time no speak. Sorry to hear of your problem rearing its head again!

With the lack of rain I would suggest this muddy water could be the top layer off the desert that has somehow found its way, either through cracks in the top 'soil' and or perhaps cracks in the limestone to your well. Unless the rain was so bad as to over-flow the well sides? It could also be the well side walls being washed with the rain which in turn is dirtying your water?

After your first report of a problem with your well did you fit filters? It may be that they need cleaning and or replacing, and this has slowed the water to a trickle? I know you do not get much rain, can you see the top of the water in the well and does it look clear each time you check it?

This may also be the start of detritus and bacteria which go to form the Hydrogen Sulfide you had the first time you posted?

Definitely get a green sand filter and or in addition to a charcoal filter and see what that does?

I know you live some distance from Town, so perhaps an 'Emergency Ration' of cleaning water tablets/bottles such as:

The-Rescue-Bottle-A-Great-Solution-for-Safe-Drinking-Water-112379.shtml

http://www.shopwiki.co.uk/Water+Purification+Tabs

http://www.shopwiki.co.uk/wiki/Water+Filters

Perhaps it may also be a good idea to keep half a dozen 5 gallon water bottles for drinking? And as they are emptied fill with your well water and purify with suitable tabs or filter indoors?

Good luck and happy holidays!