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jeff_in_co

Well water treatment with high Iron

jeff_in_co
11 years ago

Well water is a whole new arena for me but someone suggested getting my water tested by the health department rather than relying on any onsite tests.

I'm glad I did! The lab came back with significantly more iron than what the two well treatment guys did.

Keep in mind, this is a brand new well that was just drilled.

Results:
Iron 27 mg/L
Hardness 320 mg/L
PH 7.8
TDS 480 mg/L

I have 2 systems proposed.

First System:
Two 2510 Iron Ox units
Dual tank 5600 Metered Water Softener
whole house prefilter

Second System:
Kinetic 2060 unit
Kinetic Poweline PF 1242 Macrolite filter
Two Prefilters 4 x 10 size (ea)

So, my main concern is performance with this much iron and also flow rate.

5 people in house but it's a large one (4500 SF).
I assume I also need to water outside lawn with this water.

Any suggestions/guidance for me? Price for both systems are within a few $100's from each other.

Thanks!

Comments (9)

  • AliceHasLeftTheBuilding
    11 years ago

    That is a lot of iron. A couple of questions:

    1) Sometimes it takes a while for the ground disturbance to settle down. How much had the well been used when you took your sample?

    2) Do you have particulates in your water?

    3) Does your water have color immediately out of the faucet? Does your water come out of the faucet clear and develop color if you let it sit?

    4) What did you do when you sampled your water? Where did you take the sample? Did your sampling method differ from the water treatment folks? What were their iron results?

  • jeff_in_co
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Thanks for helping!

    1) the well is brand new and has not been used on any regular basis yet and has yet to be tied into the rest of the house plumbing. We have run the well a handful of times for several hours at a time. However, that's been a few months ago now. When I pulled the sample for the Health Dept, I ran it for 5 minutes and then pulled the sample.

    2) I believe there are particulates...this is just particles in the water to make it not clear.....correct?

    3) the water comes out clear, then changes to an orange tint, then clear, then a dark orange tint, then clear. Fluctuates a lot but tends to settle down after a bit.

    4) We all sampled at the same location (basement sample spigot just after entering the house). This is where the well guys finished their work. It's an "on demand" pressure system (no pressure tank).

    The treatment folks both were surprised and came out to verify themselves. They both confirmed similar numbers.

    I think later today, the Kinetic guy is going out there to run the water through a portable unit (Softener?!?) And then test the filtered water to be sure his system will work. He wanted to try and get a better idea on the quantity of Ferrous and Ferric Iron.

    Thanks again! This stuff gets complicated.....

  • jeff_in_co
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    I just spoke with the Kinetic guy and after his test, he did say it was all Ferric Iron.....

  • AliceHasLeftTheBuilding
    11 years ago

    Ferric iron is INSOLUBLE. The water would be colored immediately out of the tap. Ferrous iron is soluble - the water would be clear initially, then change color as oxygen becomes dissolved in the water and the iron changes from ferrous to ferric.

    When you said previously that the water changed color, did you mean that as you continued to run the tap, the water from the tap changed color as it ran, or did you mean that if you ran water into a glass it was clear and then changed color in the glass?

    If your iron is truly all ferric, that makes treatment easier. Basically, all you would need is the appropriate filter. At worst, you may need to add some coagulant if the iron particles are colloidal.

  • jeff_in_co
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Yea, ferric. When I run the hose at full volume, the water color will change back and forth while flowing. After testing, he wants to run it through the Macrolite filter, then the two 4 x 10 prefilters and then into the 2060 softener.

  • AliceHasLeftTheBuilding
    11 years ago

    That's great - Sounds like you've got it covered.

  • jeff_in_co
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Good to hear. I do think that after it gets "broken in" it will probably go down in iron but I just want to be sure we are covered if we do get some spikes.

    Should I be concerned about flow within the house with this equipment? I don't want to be thin in supply or pressure.

    Also, are the 4 x 10 filters adequate or would the 4.5" x 20" be better?

    Finally, should I consider the 2100 over the 2060 for any reason?

    I do plan on using the K5 RO system for the kitchen and fridge.

    Thanks again!

  • AliceHasLeftTheBuilding
    11 years ago

    Without a spec sheet for the specific filters you are using, there is no way to know if they will work for you flow rates. You want to know the service flow rate of the filters and pressure drop across them to determine if they will be adequate.

    Based purely on the specs, I don't see any real advantage in the 2100. However, Kinetico does not readily share much information so there may be advantages of which I am unaware.

  • h20wellman
    11 years ago

    I'd put a 2.5cu foot cat ion softener in probably Marlo or DWC Digital headed w/auto water usage backwash control.

    I'd also have a 4.5'x20' American Plumber Filter housing before(30micron sediment), and after the softener unit(5 Micron Activated Carbon).

    That said just Softner & filters+ parts=$2,800.00
    Now Average Cost to installed said equipment= $400.00-550.00

    A Large Well tank like a Well xtrol WX350 is a prime tank to have to get the best cycles from a well. Average cost to install $1,800.00

    Better than having a Large Tank is to have a Variable speed Pump. That way you only need a small buffer tank, and your pump slows down and speeds up using frequencies Hz. To change speeds that way you get great energy efficiency and top performance.