Okay, so, I’ve had this well for, like, forever, and the water started looking… rusty. Not cool. I did some digging (pun intended!), and figured I’d share my journey of getting rid of that nasty rust.
Figuring Out the Problem
First, I needed to know what I was dealing with. My water looked orange-ish, and it tasted kinda metallic. I’m not drinking that. I guessed it was iron, but I wasn’t 100% sure.
Getting My Water Tested
So, I grabbed a water testing kit. You can find these online or at some hardware stores. I followed the directions (super important!), and yup, confirmed, high iron levels. There are other things that can cause rust in your water, though. The test kit will show you what’s up.
Choosing My Weapon (of Rust Destruction)
After I looked at the results. I researched some methods, and the followings are what I have done:
- Shock Chlorination: This is like giving your well a deep clean. It uses chlorine to kill bacteria and can sometimes help with iron. I went with this first because it seemed easiest.
- How: I poured a specific amount of bleach (the instructions on the bottle are KEY) down the well, let it sit for a while (like overnight), and then ran all my faucets until the chlorine smell was gone.
- Iron Filter:If the shock chlorination didn’t get everything. I would try * are actual filters you install that specifically target iron.
- How:I looked around for filters, and found one on the website. It really works.
- Water Softener (with Iron Removal Capabilities): Some water softeners can also tackle iron. Mine just does the softening thing, so this wasn’t an option for me, but it might work for you!
My Results
I tried the shock chlorination first. Poured the bleach, waited, flushed the system…and it helped a little, but the water was still kinda rusty. So, onto plan B!
I ended up getting an iron filter that was made for well water. I had to hire someone to install it, because, I’m handy, but not that handy. But after it was in? Crystal clear water. Seriously. I did a happy dance.
Keeping It Clean
Now, I know I gotta maintain that filter. I marked the date on my calendar to change the filter cartridges regularly, it said 6 monthes, so I put a reminder note.
So, that’s my rusty water saga. It took some trial and error, but it was totally worth it to have clean, good-tasting water again. I hope this helps anyone who’s battling the rust monster in their well!
