- Purchase Chlorine Pool Test Kit (liquid drops, not strips). Pour three jugs (approximately 3 gallons) of unscented bleach into a drilled well. (1 gallon if dug well).
- Connect garden hose at outside faucet. Turn on faucet and allow water to circulate into well until strong chlorine is present. Use test kit to verify.
Make sure you have a strong chlorine concentration. Then rinse the well casing (or walls if dug well) thoroughly with water from hose. - Turn off hose after completion of Step (3). Turn on ALL cold water faucets including clothes washer, showers, toilets, sinks, tubs, pressure tank faucet and additional outside faucets until you detect a strong concentration of chlorine at each point using the test kit. Turn off after you detect chlorine at each point. It is important that any piping stub be removed or isolated by a valve as it may harbor bacteria and re-contaminate the system. Call if you have any questions.
- Turn on one hot water faucet for 15 seconds only.
- CAUTION
THE WATER HAS A HIGH CONCENTRATION OF CHLORINE.
DO NOT DRINK OR WASH WITH THIS WATER.
YOU MAY USE THE TOILETS DURING THE DISINFECTION PROCESS. - Let set for 12 hours minimum.
- Purge well by letting water run for several hours or days until ALL chlorine is out of the water — use outside hose and let water run on the ground away from the well. Be aware that chlorine will kill or discolor grass, so try to direct water into a ditch or stone driveway. Do not drain large quantities of chlorinated water into the septic system.
- Call Watkins Environmental Sciences, P.E. , P.C. at (315) 446-4763 when all chlorine is out of the well. If chlorine is still present in the water when our representative arrives, we will not sample the water and a minimum service fee will be charged.
HELPFUL SPECIFICATIONS:
- Use a chlorine pool test kit to determine presence and absence of chlorine. Kits may be purchased from a pool supply store for approximately $7.00.
- Flush water continuously and without interruption to purge chlorine from well. Be careful well is not pumped dry.
- Do not leave pump running unattended at any time. If water pressure drops to 5 psi, shut pump off and allow well to recharge several hours. Continue purging after well has recovered, running the water at a slower rate.
- If the will is dug, spread a plastic covering over the well and surrounding area to prevent rainwater from leaching into the well.
DISCLAIMER:
This procedure does not guarantee satisfactory results of a subsequent water test. The purpose of this test is to disinfect the well casing and plumbing. Any persons using this procedure will accept all responsibility and any consequences as a result of the performance of this test, and agrees to hold Watkins Environmental Sciences, P.E., P.C. or their subcontractors harmless as a result of any errors and/or omissions.