subject: Water Treatment For Iron Water [print this page] Have you ever gone to someone's house and they have orange water? Those people may have a well with higher than average amounts of iron. Iron is generally not a harmful substance, unless your laundry, pipes, or a sink that doesn't want to be dyed a yellow orange color. This can also cause problems for dishwashers, showerheads and sprinklers, getting clogged. Costly repairs can be the result of iron water. The type of iron your dealing with needs to be considered when you want to start talking about water treatment.
Bacterial iron would be iron water with bacteria present. Clear water iron is when the water comes out of the tap clear, but gets a red or brown tone after sitting. Red water iron is iron that is red or brown as it comes from the tap. Organic iron is often colorless and it is the result of iron forming compounds with acids that naturally occur. Testing the water offers the opportunity to test PH, alkalinity, hardness and iron bacteria. Now you know there is iron if the water is colored, knowing the other levels can help you determine what direction to go next.
When your results come back you have the option of looking for a new water source. This is one option. Drilling a new well is a gamble. You never know if the water will be clean or not when you start again. Another option is a softener. This is an option only if your iron levels are low enough. Even at lower levels your softener would need to be back washed often and watched for clogs that can form. If your levels are higher you will need to use a green sand filter. A green sand filter is known as an iron filter. This option adds air and chlorine to the water coupled with filtering.
Another option if you find you have bacterial iron is to shock the well. The iron bacteria thrive from iron, so if the iron is killed they can't survive. This would not be a single treatment and would need to be done in conjunction with water treatment for iron.
If you are building a new home it might be easier to dig a new well. If you are moving into an already existing home you may not find that a reasonable option. A good option may be to contact a specialist in your area to test your water. Get an idea of what you are dealing with and discuss water treatment. Safe drinking water is essential, but doing your laundry at home is priceless.
by: Aaliyah Arthur
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