Water Treatment

Chlorinating your water well is an essential step for disinfecting and maintaining the quality of your well water. This process is especially important if you suspect contamination, after installation, or when performing routine maintenance. By introducing chlorine into the well, you can kill harmful bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens that might be present in the water system. Below are the steps to properly chlorinate your water well and ensure your water system remains safe and clean.

1. Turn off the power to the submersible pump (located in the fuse panel).
2. Bypass the water softener to prevent it from being affected by the chlorine.
3. Remove the bolts from the well cap.
4. Pour in 2 gallons of liquid bleach directly into the well.
5. Add 5 gallons of clean water to help mix the bleach.
6. Reinstall the well cap bolts, ensuring you don’t pinch any wires.
7. Turn the power back on to the submersible pump.
8. Run water starting from the lowest faucet (e.g., laundry tub or bathroom) until you can smell chlorine. Then, turn off the faucet and move through the house, running each faucet one at a time, ensuring chlorine is present at every outlet.
9. Let the chlorinated water sit in the plumbing system for at least 24 hours to disinfect.
10. The following day, run an outside garden hose for 4 to 6 hours (or longer if needed) to flush the excess chlorine from the well.
11. Once you’re satisfied there’s no more chlorine, shut off the garden hose. Starting from the lowest faucet, remove the aerator and run each faucet until no chlorine remains. Work your way through the house, flushing each faucet one at a time and removing the aerator.
12. Return the water softener to service.
13. Resume normal water use once the system has been properly flushed.

By following these steps, you ensure that your well water is properly disinfected and safe for consumption, while also keeping your plumbing system and equipment in good working condition.