Well water gray and silty

painterswife · #1 07/07/07, 03:31 PM

All of a sudden our well water has turned gray and very silty.

It is a 250 foot well. It is like this right at the well head.

Suggestions? I have all the water off and will let it sit for a couple of hours before running it at the well head.

agmantoo · #2 07/07/07, 03:34 PM

At what depth is the casing and at what depth is the well pump placed? Initially, it sounds as if you had a wall to collapse below the casing. It should clear over time. PS....Is the casing on the outside cement sealed to the earth and have you had a lot of rain recently?

bumpus · #3 07/07/07, 04:01 PM

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If you have a septic system make sure that sewers leach lines are not seeping into your water well.

bumpus
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painterswife · #4 07/07/07, 04:02 PM

Well depth 220
Static depth 145

No idea on the casing. The paperwork is packed away.

I am hoping that is what it is. I still got lots of water at the well head.
We have had a really dry year and not enough rain or snow.

agmantoo · #5 07/07/07, 04:38 PM

Possibly a vein that feeds the well opened and let the trash in. The silt mentioned had me to question the sealing of the casing to the soil. I thought that possibly there was surface water washing down the outside of the casing and underneath where the casing should be seated to the rock. Since it has been dry I have ruled that out. I conclude that the well will settle down and all should be OK.

painterswife · #6 07/07/07, 04:45 PM

"I conclude that the well will settle down and all should be OK"

Now if I could be as optimistic as you!

It is no where near the septic, and in our clay soil and with a house inbetween I don't think it could be that.

jersey girl · #7 07/07/07, 06:40 PM

Ours did that when there was a mild earthquake in our area. We did not even feel the quake (not many big ones in Ohio) but it messed up our well for a few days. We thought our well was bad, called the well guy and he told us to wait and see if it cleared up. It did.
Good luck
Joanie

HilltopDaisy · #8 07/07/07, 09:09 PM

Sometimes when we have a lot of rain, day after day after day, my water gets like that. It always clears up.

copperkid3 · #9 07/07/07, 09:49 PM

My first thought on the subject was the same as jersey girl........and since you're located in Wyoming, there is a better than average chance that you have or are having seismic activity which would cause what you have described. It should clear up.......or it could get worse. Now......dontcha feel better with that information?

Hope it clears up shortly for you.

Micahn · #10 07/08/07, 12:44 AM

Sounds like you have had a cave in. I would suggest that it pumped out. It can be done a couple of ways. If your pump is up to it open every out side outlet wide open and let it run for a few hours.
The better way is have a well driller or the like come and put a high output pump on there and let it really pumping things out.
What you want to happen is cavity to form around your well. So of like a pocket of open water. It will hold the sand in place on the walls and will give you good clear water. If it has caved in like it sounds the who thing is sort of like quick sand right now and that is what your pumping. That is bad for your pump and every thing else.

After it is fixed you need to clean out your home of the sand as well. It will build up in your water heater as well as clog everything up like your toilet and sinks and such. Your water heater should have a drain on the bottom just put a water hose on there and flush it out (good thing to do anyway ever couple of years) Take off all the sink screens and flush that out as well.

Wolf mom · #11 07/08/07, 09:13 AM

When my well ran silty water, after a long rain, I was told to run a hose 24/7 until it cleared. It cleared in about 2 1/2 days.

painterswife · #12 07/09/07, 08:53 AM

"Thanks for the replies that eased my mind.

Luckily we deal with the well guy almost weekly here at work and I got this response this morning.

This kind of event is due to changes in the way the water is getting to your well. In situations where there is a big change in supply either drought or extreme high snow year, the height that the water fills your well changes. This means that a vien or pocket will open up and debris will enter the well until this cleans out.

The well guy suggests running the well at the head until it runs clear."

I guess that pasture by the well will be watered well for the next few days.

Thanks everyone!