After you smell chlorine, direct the water from the hose back down into the top of the well (if you don't smell chlorine after a few minutes, add some more before circulating the water). Attach a hose to a faucet near the well and run the water. Be careful not to splash on clothes or skin. Pour the diluted chlorine bleach solution down the well. Straight chlorine can corrode metal well parts.
Use 2 cups or less per 2 gallon bucket of water. The label should say sodium hypochlorite and the concentration should be about 5-6%. Do not use bleach with additives or special scents. Use plain liquid laundry bleach (Chlorox, Purex, or a generic brand). Make sure you have the right type of chlorine bleach. Well diameter (in)Less than 50'50-100'100-150'150' or greaterĦ2 cups4 cups (1 quart)6 cups (1 1/2 quarts)8 cups (2 quarts)Ĩ4 cups (1 quart)8 cups (2 quarts)8 cups (2 quarts)12 cups (3 quarts)ġ08 cups (2 quarts)12 cups (3 quarts)12 cups (3 quarts)16 cups (4 quarts/1 gallon)ġ28 cups (2 quarts)12 cups (3 quarts)16 cups (4 quarts/1 gallon)16 cups (4 quarts/1 gallon) Your well driller may also have this information.Īmount of Ordinary Chlorine Laundry Bleach Needed to Shock a Well Your local Watermaster can help you get a copy of your well log.
Note: Do not use the total depth of the well the depth of water is the distance from the water level to the bottom of the well. To estimate how much bleach to use for this concentration, use the table below based on the well diameter and depth of water in the well. An initial chlorine concentration of 50 to 100 parts per million (ppm) is recommended.
CHLORINE BLEACH PROFESSIONAL
If you have difficulties with this step, call well or pump professional for assistanceĭetermine the amount of bleach you will need. If you can remove this short piece of pipe that sticks up out of the cap, you can use that hole to pour down the chlorine solution. In addition, the weight of the pump may be resting on the cap, and if you remove the cap, you may lose your pump down the well. If pipes stick up from the well cap, do not remove the bolts! The bolts hold down the bottom plate of the seal and if you remove the bolts, the bottom plate will drop down your well. If a flat or domed cap on top of a well with no pipes sticking upout of it, you can unbolt the cap and remove it Well caps vary this step may be easier for some wells than others. Step-by-Step Instructions for Shock ChlorinationĬreate an opening at the top of the well to pour in the chlorine solution. Wait 6-12 hours for the chlorine to work, then flush the chlorinated water from your well and pipes. Determine how much bleach to use, then pour the bleach down the well and circulate it through the whole water distribution system. Use ordinary liquid laundry bleach to shock chlorinate the water system. Groundwater and Surface Water Interactions.