Where is the air coming from

[CJDave]

[img]/forums/images/icons/tongue.gif[/img] Wells are a never-ending source of amazement and endless anomalies. I have seen water wells that had very fast CURRENT where the water well casing just protruded into the roof of an underground chamber and the water was rushing by at high speed. We had to construct a special set of pump bowls to handle the current and reduce the entrained air from turbulence. [img]/forums/images/icons/crazy.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] I have seen water wells where the casing head gas was trapped and then used to run the engine that powered the water pump......not a bad way to go when fuel costs are what they are now. [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[AncientHouse]

Wow. [img]/forums/images/icons/crazy.gif[/img] Definitely a lot to investigate. I'm embarrassed to say that we have never opened up the well since we've been here. [img]/forums/images/icons/blush.gif[/img] I guess because it seemed to be working and when it was tested about a year ago, the water was fine and we were busy renovating. The former owners put a large amount of rocks on top of the lid where the well is. The well is also right near the bottom of a large maple tree. We're still doing our investigating but the forum has been great and we'll let you know how it goes.

Thanks everyone. [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[Pat]

Ancient, A lot of folks never test their wells but a good idea is to test your well annually. Things change, water quality included. Testing is cheap and simple and the peace of mind is a good thing.

If there is a degradation of your well water that can't be seen or tasted, how would you know? There are lots of things you don't want in your water that can't be detected with your eyes or nose. Periodic testing is cheap insurance.

Some common contaminates can take years to cause health problems at lower concentrations and without water quality testing you will never know there is a risk or a need to treat the water.

[img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] Pat [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[CJDave]

[img]/forums/images/icons/tongue.gif[/img] Pat, how's this for a phrase: "The solution to pollution is dilution." and conversely: "A trace over time becomes a concentration." [img]/forums/images/icons/crazy.gif[/img] You can drink some pretty crappy water....if you don't drink it day after day after day, after..........well, ........you get the idea. [img]/forums/images/icons/crazy.gif[/img]

[Pat]

CJDave, Yes I do! Got it clear, crystal in fact.

Unfortunately too many folks, for whom ignorance is bliss, are way way too happy with their water supply.

Too many think if others are drinking it and not falling over, you can't see any problems, you can't taste or smell a problem, then there isn't any problem. If they or their children have a shorter lifespan by 5, 10, or 20 years it will not likely be traced to the water supply and if it were it would be 5, 10, or 20 years to late to do anything about it for them.

Not testing your water at least annually is a lot like playing Russian roulette or walking across the street without looking for traffic. You might get away with it but that doesn't make it a safe practice.

[img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] Pat [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[CJDave]

[img]/forums/images/icons/laugh.gif[/img] I used to get quite a chuckle from this little scenario: Farmer digs well......the driller shoves heavy wall metal casing down and gravel envelopes the casing.....casing has laid out in some pipe yard and gravel has been in a pile in a pit or quarry.........we set up and run a big turbine pump in the well......the column pipe has been in our yard with dirt blowing in one side and out the other.....we use pipe thread dope made from grease and lead-based paint.....the shaft enclosing tube is black iron pipe from the steel supply...... we use lots of solvent to clean up the threads before applying pipe dope.......finally we thread on the pump head and it is full of spider webs and mouse crap.....we get the gear head set and fire that engine and the owner just CAN'T WAIT to drink the water. [img]/forums/images/icons/crazy.gif[/img] There is a dichotomy here that just amazes me. A guy who wouldn't THINK of drinking out a dirty glass in a restaurant will guzzle well water out of a bunch of dirty filthy machinery and think it is just wonderful. [img]/forums/images/icons/laugh.gif[/img]

[Pat]

CJDAVE, Maybe these are some of the same folks who would never even think of eating (especially at a resturant) without first washing their hands... unless, of course, it was free samples of finger food in the isles of the supermarket or Wally World while and after pushing a cart handled by *&$$*&% in the world.

[img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] Pat [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[AncientHouse]

So with all the treatment and the UV unit for the bacteria..I guess I'd have to test it from the pressure tank? So then I get the sample prior to the mega machinery it goes through. We definitely put a lot of money towards cleaning the water system including zapping any bacteria because we care about what goes into our bodies.

[CJDave]

[img]/forums/images/icons/tongue.gif[/img] Yas..... that's about it. The next time you stroll by a municipal water well, take note of a strange fitting on the pump discharge pipe manifold..... it will be what appears to be an old time laundry faucet, except that the hose thread is sawed off. That is the "test cock" for that well; where the "county guy" takes his sample. They have no hose thread so nobody can hook a hose there and then leave the hose laying in a pool of dirty water and then have that water sucked into the manifold when the turbine shuts off and backspins. [img]/forums/images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

[Pat]

Ancient, At some point you will well exceed the point of diminishing returns with water treatment. Consider a parallel, an analogy if you will, based on R-values and walls.

You have a house wall with a large picture window. You successively increase the R-value of the wall and observe the the effect on heating and cooling. You notice that you get a curve that is asymptotically approaching a constant value. You can only insulate the wall so well and the ultimate controlling factor is the U-value (inverse of R-value) of the window. If you could achieve INFINITE R-value in the wall you'd still have only have a so so effective R-value because of the window.

IF you drank only tripple distilled water, supplemented with the BEST possible minerals, the "bugs" you breathe and eat and touch all the time in this world would not be reduced. Wanna live in a bubble?

I personaly like RO water systems and think UV post treatment is fine but don't forget ALL THE OTHER paths into your body by microorganisms and polutants. I am a fan of a sound engineering approach where there is a level, less than perfection, that is good enough. For me this is a higher qualilty level than "typical city water" but not laboratory reagent quality.

[img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] Pat [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]