coliform bacteria present in well.now what??

dustyacres · #1 10/07/05, 01:51 PM

We just received our well water test on the property we are hoping to move to next spring/summer in Iowa. The report came back with the result Total Coliform Bacteria present,Most-probable-number Greater than 16.0 bacterially unsafe.
Nitrate 18mg/L does not exceed infant health advisory.

Here is some history though, this is a century farm 109 years. The well is now currently just being used for livestock and vegetable waterings. Rural water was brought in last year and we had it done as the cost would be cheaper than waiting till we moved in. We bought this property on a land contract, from my husbands uncle (family farm) he is staying at the property to take care of it till we move or until he wants to move. (we pay no interest as long as he lives on property) He did not want the rural water but we told him to go ahead.As I was leary about the well anyway, due to age and probably no maintanence. He then just diverted the well for all the outside watering chores. And has the rural water in the house. He is 78 and is not the greatest at animal care, cleaning etc...
I am wondering now that these results came back what do we do, try and disenfect the well and re-test, have the well inspected, is it fine for animals, and vegetables or is that bad also. I am sure we will not do anything until we move there as we are not affected and he is selling the rest of his cattle of this month and will no longer have livestock.

Snowdancer · #2 10/07/05, 01:57 PM

I found this fact sheet when I ran a search. It talks about the different forms, how it get's in the water supply, how to control it and what the dangers are.

Hope this helps
http://www.healthyvermonters.info/hs...coliform.shtml

dustyacres · #3 10/07/05, 02:03 PM

Thank you KY I will read through it , I just wanted to tell you that I am from SE WI right between Milwaukee and Chicago IL. I couldn't respond to you in the sticky thread as it is now locked. And yes Western Wi, is very beautiful also way up north. I would love to live farther up in Wi but SW Iowa is our calling to have the lifestyle we dream off.

**Cabin Fever** · #4 10/07/05, 03:43 PM

Oftentimes the coliform are in the household plumbing, not necessarily a contaminant of the groundwater. Coliform living in household plumbing doesn't happen in city water because that water is treated with chlorine. Shock the well and retest. If the coliform are gone, the source was in your plumbing. If the coliforn are still there, the source is your ground water.

On the other hand, since you're not drinking this water, I'd forget about it. It isn't going to hurt the livestock. They drink pond water that is full of coliform and it doesn't hurt them. The coliform that may attach to your vegetables dies off in a matter or hours to days.

dustyacres · #5 10/07/05, 04:47 PM

The water sample was taken from the hydrant as it says on the test sheet. Other than that there is just a hose off the well that is used for outside watering. All well water has been disconnected from the house. (that is what we were told and if not we will make sure of it when we move there)

mpillow · #6 10/08/05, 07:52 AM

We have this issue from time to time.....it has a tendency to fluctuate with heavy rains (runoff) for us. We bleach the well and run out the household water lines then retest. The amount of bleach is determined by depth of well..etc usually attached to water test. Nitrates are also a runoff problem.

A reverse osmosis water filtration unit or UV light will fix/treat household water but run from $600 to $2000. RO is slow compared to the UV light.

littlebitfarm · #7 10/08/05, 09:17 AM

If the well is properly constructed (sealed top, solid casings) you should be able to clean it up with bleach. It may take several gallons. Remember bleach works with concentration and time (more bleach takes less time) but let it sit for at least 24 hours. Run the bleached water through the house until you get water at every faucet that smells like bleach. Let it sit again for at least 24 hours. Run the water a lot for a couple days, should not smell like bleach anymore. If you have a pool test kit handy, check and make sure there is no chlorine left. Have it resampled. If it passes you are in pretty good shape. Wouldn't hurt to add a little bleach (shouldn't smell like bleach in the house)once a week for a bit just to be sure.

If it doesn't pass you can add a UV light (mine was under $300) and kill the bacteria that way.

My livestock (horses, cattle, goats, and sheep) tend to drink out of the creek. Downstream from the city's sewer plant. Not one has gotten sick in almost 18 years. Dogs drink from it and go wading too. Hasn't hurt them.

Kathie

homebirtha · #8 10/08/05, 09:40 AM

Even though you're only using it for animals and garden, I would still shock it and retest it. It's easy to do and then you'll know, for sure, if it's safe or not. You can do with it simple household bleach. Easy.

Darren · #9 10/08/05, 10:18 AM

That's not unusual in places with livestock. Shocking the well will work only until the chlorine treated water is pumped out and the water carrying the coliform infiltrates again. If you really want to ensure the safety of the water install a particulate filter with the smallest micron rating available and then add an ultraviolet water treatment device after that. The filter will remove all the suspended solids and the ultraviolet light will kill all the bacteria and virus in the water.

**Cabin Fever** · #10 10/08/05, 10:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dustyacres

The water sample was taken from the hydrant as it says on the test sheet. Other than that there is just a hose off the well that is used for outside watering. All well water has been disconnected from the house. (that is what we were told and if not we will make sure of it when we move there)

Even though your concern wasn't in regards to your household water source, my recommendation remains the same. There could be coliform living in the piping in your well and/or in the piping to the hydrant. The thing to remember is this, the test was for "total coliform," and not specific (read dangerous) species of coliform like e-coli or fecal coliform. In other words, the coliform giving you your positive test results may be just a common, non-harmful specie of coliform.