If you are thinking of shocking a well for coliform but are intimidated then i hope this article has shown you that it isn t as scary a thought as it seems.
Treating a well for total coliform.
Because the origins of fecal coliforms are more specific than the origins of the more general total coliform group of bacteria fecal coliforms are considered a more accurate indication of animal or human waste than the total coliforms.
Recently back in dec of 2014 parkland county leduc and sturgeon county residents using well water were advised by alberta health services to avoid drinking their water due to other sources of contamination.
If total coliform bacteria are found to be present then additional testing for fecal coliform bacteria or e.
Testing for coliform bacteria is generally less expensive than testing for other pathogens such as viruses.
Research shows that total coliform including e coli is present in 16 1 of private water wells in alberta.
They can only be detected through a laboratory test.
Coli may be warranted.
Of course you do need to be careful and take precautions as it can be dangerous when you are handling chemicals like chlorine.
Water containing any form of total coliform should not be used for drinking or cooking unless boiled for 5 minutes.
Many state health departments provide well water sampling kits for the homeowner to test the source of drinking water.
University extension offices as well as commercial businesses also provide testing kits for a small fee.
Once you have determined that your well contains the coliform microbes you will need to chemically treat the water.
Fecal coliforms are the group of the total coliforms that are considered to be present specifically in the gut and feces of warm blooded animals.
Hopefully treating the coliform in the well piping to the pressure tank and the tank itself will take care of the problem.
How to treat drinking water for bacteria.
Treatment solutions before taking any treatment action the original source of contamination should be determined so changes can be made to prevent the contamination in the future.
If your water tests positive for total coliforms and positive for e coli there s a fecal contamination source which could be a leaking septic system or agricultural runoff containing animal waste.
Is yours one of them.
Generally speaking if your water tests positive for total coliforms but negative for e coli surface water has infiltrated the well.
Next a hose was connected in a loop from the newly installed valve back to an adapter that squeezed water back into the well down the vent opening on the right of the photo where the bleach went in.
Poor well construction or poor maintenance can increase the risk of groundwater contamination.
In water coliform bacteria have no taste smell or colour.
