GUIDELINES FOR DISINFECTION OF WELLS

1. Remove well cap to open well

2. For a new well: A half gallon of bleach is more than sufficient to disinfect most wells.

For an existing well with bacteria present: Use 1 gallon of bleach for every 150’ of well depth.

Pour chlorine (household bleach) into a clean 5 gallon bucket and add clean water to make 5 gallons of solution.

3. Run a hose from the house spigot into the top of the well, creating a loop from house to well. Turn on water to the hose completely. Be careful of any wires at the top of the well.

4. With the water running, pour the bleach solution from the bucket down the well head.

5. Let water run in loop to mix chlorine and water. Let the hose run long enough to detect strong chlorine smell from the hose end. This can take 10 minutes to an hour. If after a few hours, you still cannot smell the chlorine, add more bleach and continue to circulate the water until the chlorine smell is detected.

6. When chlorine is detected from the hose end, turn off the water. Beginning with the highest fixture in the house (usually a shower head in the upstairs bathroom), let the water run through the hot water tap until the odor of chlorine is detected, then, let the water run through the cold water tap until chlorine odor is detected. Repeat this procedure with every water fixture in the house, including the dishwasher, washing machine and toilets.

7. Let the water sit for at least 12 hours. If bacteria is present, let the water sit for 24 hours. Try not to use the water during this time.

8. Flush the chlorine out of the water system by letting the water run through a hose to grade, the road or road drain until the odor of chlorine can no longer be detected. Then run all the faucets and other fixtures in the house until chlorine is no longer detected. This will flush out the chlorine in the plumbing lines. This process may take up to several days. Be careful not to run the well dry.