5 Most Common Mistakes Selecting Well Water Treatment Systems

Well Water Treatment Systems

Over the last 30 years, we have worked on thousands of well water treatment installations or Well Water Treatment Systems.

Unfortunately, by the time many of our customers work with us, they are installing their 2nd or 3rd well water treatment system after having problems with the water filtration system that they had before.

We realized after some time that there are five common mistakes a lot of homeowners make when choosing well water treatment.

You can easily avoid these problems with a little help and very little time and effort.

The Top 5 Mistakes Include:

1. Failing to analyze the well water chemistry correctly

2. Not having a fundamental understanding of how the well water system works

3. Not knowing the well pump and well flow rate in gallons or liters per minute

4. Not checking the water pressure or having a broken pressure gauge

5. Choosing the wrong water treatment system for the water problem

Water Taken For Granted

Many of us grew up in an urban area with safe-treated city water and later relocated to the countryside. We may never have considered the origin or quality of water. Water was taken for granted to be abundant and safe.

After purchasing a home in the country on a private well, many of our customers have encountered unpalatable or dangerous water for the first time. The well water might be rusty, full of sediment, possess a bad odor, bad smell, or perhaps include harmful bacteria that induce sickness.

Fortunately, there are many different water treatment systems in the marketplace to fix these issues. Unfortunately, quite a few water treatment vendors, retail outlets, or big box stores often have only a few systems supposed to match all situations, yielding poor results and frequent repairs and maintenance.

One size fits all, and “set it and forget it” is all too common in sales claims.  Finding the best well water filtration system depends on a good understanding of your well water.

1. Water Chemistry is Vital in Choosing the Best Well Water Treatment System for The Job

Almost all water treatment systems have certain ranges or conditions in which they perform. One example is well waters that are naturally acidic, and at the same time, have iron present. A lot of iron filtration systems cannot take away iron if the water is acidic, and so to begin, the water has to be treated to counteract the acidity in the water.

Knowing which parameters to analyze is important. When the well is located near gasoline stations, industrial sites, or close to an agricultural area where many chemical substances are being used, the water should be analyzed annually for various chemical contaminants to make sure the water remains safe secure.

Suppose septic tanks or livestock in the region, such as cattle or horses, a bacteria test is recommended. For many aesthetic water quality problems, including bad tastes, odors, or perhaps staining, general mineral testing is usually recommended.

This may include iron, manganese, total dissolved solids, pH, calcium hardness, alkalinity, and turbidity. Extra analysis can consist of arsenic, nitrate, sulfate, chloride, sodium, and metals such as lead.

A good water analysis before choosing a system is vital.  Without first knowing exactly what is present in the water choosing a tailored approach is not advised.

2. Understanding How Well Water Pumping Systems Work

Most wells pump water from the earth automatically by using a submersible pump.  If the well is shallow, they may use a jet pump located on top of the ground level and draws water from the well to create water pressure for the household.

Some well water treatment systems have a large holding tank to hold the actual water before being pumped again to the household. Many other well water filtration systems are gravity fed and employ gravity to produce water pressure for the dwelling.

Understanding the basics of how the well water system performs is essential when selecting a water treatment system. The treatment method's style could adversely affect the water pressure and the flow rate within the home.

For example, when the well uses a pressure tank, a treatment system must be set up after the pressure tank, not before, to avoid causing damage to the well pump.

3. How Well Pump Flow Rate Affects Water Treatment Systems

Water wells and well pumps come in different sizes and pump water at different rates.  It's easy to test a well pump to determine the actual flow rate delivered from the pump.

Knowing the flow rate will allow the appropriate size water treatment system to be paired with its preferred flow rate. Nearly all well water filtration systems are self-cleaning and need to have a specific minimum flow rate.

The common problem is to use a water treatment system that will require ten gals. Per minute, but the existing well pump can only produce 7 gallons a minute. After several weeks, the water treatment system fails to backwash properly and becomes fouled.

The water filter media can seize and solidify, rendering the entire water system impossible to use.  Sizing a plan so that the flow rates are met is infinitely important to ensure enough force to move the well water through the media bed to lift the media and allow full cleaning.

Oversized water systems will cause loss of pressure, while an undersized system can see media be pushed into plumbing downstream of the filter.

(Click here to learn more about Choosing Home Water Filters & Other Water Treatment Systems.)

4. Water Pressure a Major Factor in Choosing Best Well Water Treatment System

Water pressure also has a crucial role in selecting a water treatment system. Virtually all water treatment systems will decrease the water pressure as the water flows through the equipment.

It is important to know the water pressure from the well pump and pressure system before selecting a well water filtration system to end up with decent water pressure inside the bathroom, and other fixtures home appliances.

Many good pump systems are generally fine-tuned to operate better if the pressure is not high enough, to begin with.

5. Deciding on the Best Well Water Treatment System for the Job

While some well water treatment systems get rid of several pollutants, no one treatment system can work for every application or water contaminant.

When choosing the best water filtration system for well water, it is important to know the capability of the water treatment methods that are being considered, what impurities they extract, precisely what several flow rates they will process, and what water pressures they will operate within.