Advice required for treating well water for domestic use

funnyname

Hi

I hope this is the right forum (more interested in consumption of safe water rather than installation of the system)

We've just bought a house with it's own private well. It has the following set up.

There is a sediment filter in the pump house and then a softer called ZeroCal. It can be purchased from an Italian company called GEL. It seems to be sold as solution for scale prevention on boilers.

Then there is an under sink filter system for drinking, (small narrow tap next to the kitchen sink tap) this has a Doulton brand filter.

Then there is another sediment filter connected below the kitchen sink tap.

We are in a limestone area and also the village sewerage system is knackered and various times there needs to be a release of the overflow and this gets into the water system and so it will make it's way into our well water.

Bacteria in the water didn't bother the previous owners as they reckoned they had built up a resistant to it. However we have very young kids and I don't want to expose them to this risk.

I am led to believe that installing an 8 to 10 gallon per min UV system and a Reverse osmosis system under the sink we'll give us 99.99% safe water.

We are drinking bottled water at the moment but would like to make a decision one way or the other on whether to connect to the mains or install UV and RO system.

I was told that if there was even 1 micron of bacteria in the water then it can cause illness. This is something we obviously want to avoid.

We'd love to use the well not only because of the water charges (although the annual costs of filters and a new bulb would be close to the to this) but also because there would be better pressure for showers from the well and there would be no fluoride or chlorine in the well water compared to the mains.

Anyone got any experience or advice?

Macy0161

funnyname wrote: »

Anyone got any experience or advice?

I don't have direct experience of the same issues as you - our problem is acidic water, so have to treat for that. However, just to confirm what you've already said - they'll be little cost saving, imo, on water charges.

If you have to treat the water, then speaking from experience, that causes additional maintenance charges for equipment between the well and the treatment system, so be aware of that. That's above the general maintenance of the system, and obviously the cost of electricity. And maintenance or emergency repair bills don't come nicely broken down over the year like water bills.

My in-laws have a UV filter after their well got contaminated - it sorted the problem for them.

funnyname

Thanks Macy

I'm going to get the water tested next week and then make a call on what to do.

sandydan

im no expert on water or sewer issues ,
i presume from post that its deep bore well, my opinion is, if town sewer system is causing problem in drinking water supply and if it can be proved the local council is responsible and should make contribution to costs involved,or make drinking water available but they will stand on their heads first, imo,a bit of publicity on the issue is required ,
so in my opinion a local radio station,county councillor ,TD , or mep should be asked to help,usually opposition ones are best, councils in general don't like publicity, ive heard EU office as last resort but which i can't advise, i assume its Dublin based,good luck.

Nonoperational

First thing is to get the water tested as you are doing.

sandydan

Nonoperational wrote: »

First thing is to get the water tested as you are doing.

forgot that , i tested mine cost around €70 i think , in this case a few tests are required while clear and after contamination, that costs .

did previous owner let you know,either in sale advert or verbally or from auctioneer when purchasing house, that well contamination was issue

Animord

I don't know where you are op, but I live in Co Cork and had the same thing- my water was slightly contaminated. I got a UV filter system put in. It cost about €4,000 as far as I remember but I got a grant to do it from the council because the house was more than seven years old. I presume this is nation wide and not just Cork. I think I got 75%.

I don't know much more about the system but it works fine - I get my water tested fairly regularly. It costs me about €300 I think to get the bulb changed and the system overhauled once a year, though I have changed the bulb and the filter myself - it wasn't very hard.


Edit I see you are in Galway op - that wasn't showing when I was typing.

funnyname

We got the water tested and got the results back yesterday

Micro test

tested in UCHG - test cost €36, this needs to be pre-paid

MPN of Coliforms per 100mls - 214

MPN of E.Coli per 100mls - 91

Test report comment

This water is not suitable for human consumption unless appropriately treated.


Chemical test

also tested in UCHG but a different lab - test cost €100, paid on the day at the lab

Main standout is level of Iron as Fe is 10 times the level acceptable to users.

Test report comment

The chemical analysis denotes excessively hard water. The level of iron exceeds the limit for drinking water.

Another development in the last couple of weeks (heavy rain at the beginning of the period) is that the water had turned red, obviously from excess iron in the water so we will be getting hooked up to the mains asap.

We will try and maintain an outside tap that's connected to the well to reduce the water charges but this will only ever be used for gardening and washing cars etc.