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Author Topic: Very acidic well water  (Read 5215 times)

Shinding

  • Joined Jul 2016
  • West Wales
Very acidic well water
« on: October 17, 2016, 12:58:46 pm »

Our extremely acidic water (which comes directly from our well) is causing problems by, we think, corroding our copper piping and possibly our water tank. Obviously it's pretty difficult to see exactly what is corroded but my hair, shower curtain and plastic bath amongst other things are turning green! We know it is the water eating at the copper in our system as we recently had problems with the pump at our well and it turned out the copper piping in the well was so corroded it was full of holes and thin as paper.

Has anyone else experienced this problem and found any ways to combat it besides switching to the mains? We'll probably go for some sort of PH correction unit but wondered if we do need to replace our hot water cylinder is there anything specific we should go for/do in addition to a correction unit?
Shinding

farmershort

  • Joined Nov 2010
Re: Very acidic well water
« Reply #1 on: October 17, 2016, 01:24:29 pm »
Yes, we have the same thing... Although the mention of green residue confused me. Our residue is blue, as is the hot water from the taps if you add soap as a catalyst.

Blue will come from coper dissolved in the water, green (if it's proper green) would possibly be more likely to be fe2+... An ion of iron which is green. Fe3+ is orange rust, but is a different ion.

We've had our well water tested, and the pH was between 5 and 6. We've been advised that a changeable neutraliser could be added to harden the water, and that these neutralising agent would need to be changed every so often... A bit like salt blocks in hard water areas.

We've not had ours fitted yet, but this is the right plan:

Central heating system to remain in copper piping, as its a closed system, and will neutralise itself after it eats the first bit of copper.

New water pipe from well in 32mm blue plastic.

All internal water pipe (except heating) to be swapped out for plastic.

Neutraliser unit to be fitted.


HTH

devonlady

  • Joined Aug 2014
Re: Very acidic well water
« Reply #2 on: October 17, 2016, 03:15:49 pm »
Throw a bucketful of lime down the well?

Backinwellies

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Re: Very acidic well water
« Reply #3 on: October 17, 2016, 07:19:13 pm »
I quite like my blue baths!
Linda

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farmershort

  • Joined Nov 2010
Re: Very acidic well water
« Reply #4 on: October 17, 2016, 07:46:42 pm »
I quite like my blue baths!

Yes the blue baths will save loads of money on radix bath salts.... But..

The copper is also present in the cold water tap. It doesn't show up because of the lack of heat and catalyst. If you poach an egg in your cold water, I bet you'll end up with a blue tinted egg. Not good.

henchard

  • Joined Dec 2010
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Re: Very acidic well water
« Reply #5 on: October 17, 2016, 09:09:20 pm »
Our spring water is acidic and we have a pH correction unit. Needs recharging about once a year. Much cheaper than new plumbing through the house.

waterbuffalofarmer

  • Joined Apr 2014
  • Mid Wales
  • Owner of 61 Mediterranean water buffaloes
Re: Very acidic well water
« Reply #6 on: October 18, 2016, 11:06:31 am »
I would really get a proffessional in to see how the problem to be rectified and to explore maybe other issues and what has been causing it? Green/blue water sounds really bad! :o
the most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, loving concern.

Backinwellies

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Re: Very acidic well water
« Reply #7 on: October 18, 2016, 01:42:48 pm »
WBF .... what causes it?  Well as my water comes direct from the hill and soil here is very acid .. think I know where it comes from .... and I know what goes in it (which as least is organic ... not some added chemicals!)
Linda

Don't wrestle with pigs, they will love it and you will just get all muddy.

Let go of who you are and become who you are meant to be.

http://nantygroes.blogspot.co.uk/
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farmershort

  • Joined Nov 2010
Re: Very acidic well water
« Reply #8 on: October 18, 2016, 02:13:19 pm »
WBF .... what causes it?  Well as my water comes direct from the hill and soil here is very acid .. think I know where it comes from .... and I know what goes in it (which as least is organic ... not some added chemicals!)

it's normally just copper being stripped from the inside of your pipes by the acidic water. The copper in the water then reacts with soap and turns the water blue.


regen

  • Joined Jan 2013
Re: Very acidic well water
« Reply #9 on: October 18, 2016, 08:26:21 pm »

What is in the water depends upon what it has come into contact with. If the pH is around neutral then there may not be any problems but if it is acid then it could contain high concentrations of copper or lead from pipework or  aluminium, iron and other potentially nasty "chemicals" leached from the soil . who knows there may even be a little gold or silver mixed in with the E.coli.

That said there are many people living to a ripe old age whilst drinking untreated acidic water.

So apart from corroding all your pipes -expensive and difficult to replace when they spring a leak acid water could be very bad for your health.

At the very least get a micro and chemical analysis done and if its acid then use a neutraliser to bring the ph upto 7 to stop the heavy metals going into solution. This can be a custom built unit but I find 150 kg of limestone chippings contained in polyprop nets in a 50 gallon plastic barrel whose outlet is directly attached to the feed pipe from the well works for me keeping the pH at around 7 - check annually with an aquarium test kit. also check for nitrate and nitrite in case a local farmer has been over generous with the fertiliser!

Possibly more important is the potential for microbiological contamination which could come and go depending upon conditions in the catchment area -think change in stocking level or slurry spreading on fields. A UV unit,checked every 6 months,on all drinking water is vital.

If acidic water has been going thro copper pipes (other than enclosed system) then they will leak sooner or later so replacement with polyprop makes very good sense.

Regen




Backinwellies

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Re: Very acidic well water
« Reply #10 on: November 20, 2016, 07:56:59 am »
Regan  could this be done by putting the chippings into the water collection tank ?   Our system is a spring fed tank system.
Linda

Don't wrestle with pigs, they will love it and you will just get all muddy.

Let go of who you are and become who you are meant to be.

http://nantygroes.blogspot.co.uk/
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doganjo

  • Joined Aug 2012
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Re: Very acidic well water
« Reply #11 on: November 20, 2016, 02:20:55 pm »
Regan  could this be done by putting the chippings into the water collection tank ?   Our system is a spring fed tank system.
I'm totally ignorant of chemicals, water treatment etc, but very logical.

If you put the bag of lime chippings in your collection tank and your house and animal water all comes from there then yes that will work.  However, the pipes between the collection tank and the well are not protected so if they are susceptible to acid they will deteriorate
Always have been, always will be, a WYSIWYG - black is black, white is white - no grey in my life! But I'm mellowing in my old age

Backinwellies

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Re: Very acidic well water
« Reply #12 on: November 20, 2016, 04:34:42 pm »
Thanks .... all external pipes are plastic so no problems there.
Linda

Don't wrestle with pigs, they will love it and you will just get all muddy.

Let go of who you are and become who you are meant to be.

http://nantygroes.blogspot.co.uk/
www.nantygroes.co.uk
Nantygroes  facebook page

regen

  • Joined Jan 2013
Re: Very acidic well water
« Reply #13 on: November 20, 2016, 05:02:29 pm »
Our supply is a concrete tank built into the hillside where water always comes out of the rock layer giving a continuous minimum of five litres per min regardless of rainfall. Water enters the tank thro holes knocked in the side. Because of the high flow rate thro the tank I keep about 200kg of limestone chippings in a barrel attached to the outlet for our use which ensures all water used has come into contact with the limestone.

Just putting the limestone chipping in the tank will work provided that water for use comes into contact and does not bypass the chippings but make sure they are in a polyprop net so that the outlet is not blocked - much more difficult to remove than frogs!

Regen

Backinwellies

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Re: Very acidic well water
« Reply #14 on: November 20, 2016, 06:20:36 pm »
Plenty of experience with the frogs!  :roflanim:
Linda

Don't wrestle with pigs, they will love it and you will just get all muddy.

Let go of who you are and become who you are meant to be.

http://nantygroes.blogspot.co.uk/
www.nantygroes.co.uk
Nantygroes  facebook page

 

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