Well Water Assistance/Info

[Yingpin]

Checking with the MDS Brain trust here to see if anyone has experience to advise. I live in Kingsville and have been in this house for 7 years. No water treatment system in place currently. Last week I noticed that all 3 toilets were staining within about 3 days of them being cleaned. It is a yellowish rust color staining that cleans off easily but comes back after a few days. I also noticed that our shower (lower spout) has discolored water only after sitting over night and it is only immediately after it is turned on. Don't notice this in the kids bathroom. All water looks clear and does not taste any different. We typically use a Brita pitcher and the fridge has filtered water.

There has been nothing that has changed in our habits, no projects, no construction to cause this to happen. I first thought the water heater having sediment but the toilets dont have hot water connections (Obviously).

Any idea what would cause this change? Failing well or well pump? Failing pipes (Copper)? Low well pulling sediment.....however the water is clear.

 

[crabjoe]

I've been on a well close to 20 years and the years, I've been getting the rust stains. Originally I chalked it up to high iron in the well water. Over the years it was staining fixtures quicker. I found out why earlier this year.

The T on my well pressure tank sprung a pin hole (This happened about 5 years ago too). But instead of just replacing the T, I opted to replace the complete tank with the T. The culprit was the tank. The inside of the well tank had been rusting. Since replacement of the tank, the stains happen less frequently.

Oh, the closer to the fixture was to the pressure tank the more it stained. If your issue is the same as mine, many your kids bathroom are just further away causing it to stain less?

 

[welder516]

Is there a MDS Brian ?

 

[Boondock Saint]

Is there a MDS Brian ?

More Brians than brains, probably.

 

[Squaregrouper]

I could be a ton of things. Get the water tested for ferrous iron and ferric iron then report back.

 

[Yingpin]

More Brians than brains, probably.

You guys are tough ! Sorry for the typo!

@crabjoe, what you are saying makes sense and the main level toilet is closest and more heavily stained, followed by our bathroom and the kids room which matches the distance from the pressure tank. I will take a look to see if I can spot anything down there.

SquareGrouper, when taking a sample does it matter where the sample is taken from as long is there is not a filter in line? Do you have a recommendation for a testing location close to me? The only ones I can find, also sell everything under the sun that will eliminate my problems for a small fee of $10,000 I am sure.

 

[K31]

Isn't the pressure tank supposed to have a bladder in it?

OP, any of your neighbors have a pool?

 

[Bountied]

You guys are tough ! Sorry for the typo!

@crabjoe, what you are saying makes sense and the main level toilet is closest and more heavily stained, followed by our bathroom and the kids room which matches the distance from the pressure tank. I will take a look to see if I can spot anything down there.

SquareGrouper, when taking a sample does it matter where the sample is taken from as long is there is not a filter in line? Do you have a recommendation for a testing location close to me? The only ones I can find, also sell everything under the sun that will eliminate my problems for a small fee of $10,000 I am sure.

If there is rust which is what it sounds like it'll be positive for ferrous iron. I'd save the water testing and check the usual suspects for any damage. There should be a valve on your pressure tank that you can pull from directly. Have you had any issues with the pressure? When the bladder in our pressure tank went we would lose pressure for about 10 seconds then it would come back on. Does your well supply have a bypass? Check the water coming directly from the well to rule that out, then work your way through the system. Copper stains from acidic water will stain blueish green.

 

[Boxcab]

Older tanks did not have a bladder. You just floated a bubble of air in the top half of the tank. Tje air would get absorbed over time, and would need air added.

If the tank is that old, it should be replaced.


.

Sent from my SM-G781U using Tapatalk

 

[JB01]

I can not help much.

Perhaps you could go to a swimming pool supply company with a water sample for testing. Often they test for iron for a small fee.
We had the same problem plus sulfur dioxide smell. We now have a water treatment system from National Water. We now have been "cured." National Water tests the water once a year as part of our annual service.

Yes newer pressure tanks have a bladder. Old tanks do not. The first house I lived in, had an old unlined iron pressure tank.

JB

 

[Squaregrouper]

You guys are tough ! Sorry for the typo!



SquareGrouper, when taking a sample does it matter where the sample is taken from as long is there is not a filter in line?

If there is no filtration you can pull the sample from anywhere.
Water treatment companies will test for free, but do not let them send someone to your house. That person is a salesman much more than a water expert.

 

[Bountied]

If there is no filtration you can pull the sample from anywhere.
Water treatment companies will test for free, but do not let them send someone to your house. That person is a salesman much more than a water expert.

I did the water test kit from HD one time. Total sales pitch. Your water is very hard. Ok but we already have a water softener and it's not hard. The house I grew up in had hard water, so much calcium you had to scrape it off the shower nozzle every other year. I never broke a bone though so there is that.

If you are trying to locate the source of contamination/dirt, I'd run through your pipes before sending water out to get tested. It won't tell you where it's coming from.

 

[Yingpin]

Thanks for all of the feedback! So one of my neighbors has a pool and they are really, really suspect in that they are often in violation of many things.......I think I saw them draining the pool (Above Ground) a couple of weeks ago.

I just went downstairs and the tank was replaced by Charlies Plumbing (I have his pager number written on the tank in 2009. It looks like there was an old line that was cut and perhaps the well was replaced entirely at that time. There is a valve at the lowest point of the pressure tank but I have not messed with anything on it, worried it wont undo what I did.

I have not noticed any pressure issues thus far. This is the powder bathroom and the newest toilet. This was cleaned on Friday and this is not the kids toilet (always flushed)

 

[Bountied]

Looks like sediment in your well.

 

[MeatGrinder]

I'm thinking iron bacteria. If you put 2 large water glasses, filled, on the counter. Then add a bit of bleach to only one. See if they are the same come morning.

 

[adit]

Iron. The area is notorious for it.

Where in Kingsville do you live?

I grew up off of Fork Rd and went to Kingsville Elem.

 

[Bountied]

When I lived in OC we had a ton of iron. The softner would get it but if the system failed all your clothes would turn orangey yellow. If your clothes aren’t getting stained I’m thinking it’s sediment. If you clothes are turning yellowish I’d lean towards iron. Never heard of iron bacteria.

Little google fu found this.
Tastes and odors produced by iron bacteria are described as swampy, musty, or like oil, petroleum, cucumbers, sewage, or rotten vegetation. Iron bacteria can also cause reddish, yellow, brown, or gray deposits or orange or opaque slimy strands inside toilet tanks or orange-colored water.

 

[Melnic]

Is there a MDS Brian ?

More of a Collective. You will assimilate

 

[Yingpin]

Trying to find a place to take a sample to today, Iron bacteria could be a culprit but there is zero smell to the water currently. Sediment make sense....maybe but I would think it would be more consistent and again show as discolored water. Will need to get someone out here eventually.

Thanks for the assist!

@adit live off of Mt. Vista near Hubers. My oldest went through Kingsville Elementary and my youngest is still there!

 

[adit]

Trying to find a place to take a sample to today, Iron bacteria could be a culprit but there is zero smell to the water currently. Sediment make sense....maybe but I would think it would be more consistent and again show as discolored water. Will need to get someone out here eventually.

Thanks for the assist!

@adit live off of Mt. Vista near Hubers. My oldest went through Kingsville Elementary and my youngest is still there!

Our well was 430' deep. We had mineral tanks that backflushed to keep the iron down. Deep wells are known for iron and manganese in the water.

If this is a new occurrence it may be possible that someone drilled a new well nearby and clouded up the seam.