There’s nothing better than fresh, pure water from your own private well! However, wells often need a helping hand to provide that continuous stream of healthy water to a household. After all, well water comes from groundwater flowing through sand, soil, gravel and rock. It can pick up all sorts of particles and dissolved minerals as it moves. Passage through these earthy materials can add sediment or cause the hazy, cloudy quality called turbidity. That’s when it’s important to take steps to eliminate these problems and restore the clean water your family craves.
While sediment can be caused by minute particles of rock or soil, well water can be contaminated by insects or small animals. Surface water intrusion can carry pesticides, fertilizers or even human or animal waste into the water. For all these reasons, it is vital to be vigilant in maintaining the quality of your well water.
An Introduction to Sediment and Turbidity in Drinking Water
Water with sediment has tiny particles of sand, silt or minerals suspended in it. These particles will tend to gradually accumulate at the bottom of the container, a process called, appropriately enough, sedimentation. When you’re looking at this sediment, you’re looking at minute particles of minerals, rock or soil.
While turbidity seems very similar to sediment, it actually has distinctly different characteristics. The particles that constitute sediment are larger, may be visible and may settle to the bottom of the container of water. The particles that constitute turbidity are much smaller and do not settle out.
The substances causing sediment and turbidity are different, as well.
- Sand
- Gravel
- Rust flakes
- Plant debris
- Silt
- Clay
- Organic matter
- Microorganisms such as algae or bacteria
- Very fine mineral particles such as iron or manganese
Different methods of purifying water are required for each.
What Are the Signs of Sediment or Turbidity in Your Well Water?
Unlike many other kinds of water tests, it is often easy to detect sediment or turbidity in your well water.
- Look at a sample of your water in a clear glass container and see if it has a cloudy, murky or colored appearance.
- Let it sit for a few hours and see if there is a fine sediment at the bottom.
- Your water may also taste “off.” Sediment and turbidity can give water an earthy or metallic flavor that most people find unpleasant.
- There may be a bitter aftertaste, especially if the water contains iron or manganese.
- The water may smell musty or slightly like sulfur.
If you think your water seems a bit off but you aren’t sure that you see these signs, ask a professional water testing company to test your water. It’s possible that you are perceiving the presence of a low level of sediment or turbidity. A water testing company can detect even very low levels of sediment or turbidity that are not easy to detect by looking.
Where Do Sediment and Turbidity Come From?
As mentioned, sediment and turbidity come from the movement of water through rock, gravel and soil. Different parts of the United States are more likely to add sediment or turbidity to well water.
- Coastal regions in the Eastern United States often have sandy soils. When there are heavy rains, fine particles of sand may flow with groundwater and wind up in private wells.
- Wells located near fractured bedrock or mining sites in the Western United States often accumulate high levels of minerals.
- Much of the U.S. landscape is underlain with limestone, making wells in those areas likely to become turbid as water dissolves the soft rock.
- Soils that are heavy in clay can contribute silt to well water, especially when those soils are plowed or disturbed by heavy rain or flooding. This is true across wide stretches of agricultural land in the Midwest.
Even if water is normally free from sediment or turbidity, local events can temporarily add these contaminants to well water. Heavy rainfall or flooding can send silt, soil, minerals and organic debris into the area of the well. Construction, drilling or mining can also change the character of the water by releasing silt, dirt or minerals. Earthquakes or shifting ground can add unwanted sediment or minerals to well water.
Well Problems Can Also Contribute to Sediment and Turbidity
Properly built wells in good condition are much less likely to suffer from sediment and turbidity. A cracked well casing or one that is too short can let sediment seep into the water. If there are damaged seals or if the well cap is in poor condition, surface water can enter the well and bring sediment and turbidity along with it.
If the well pump is too close to the bottom of the well, it can draw silt, sand or grit into the water supplied to your household. As the pump wears out, it may also start drawing in sediment.
Wells may also accumulate debris, soil, plant material and minerals at the bottom which can then reach the pump. It is necessary to have the well cleaned out regularly by a well servicing company.
Ruling out or resolving all these causes are likely to require a professional inspection or repair of your well.
Reasons You Need to Eliminate Sediment or Turbidity
The most obvious reason is to improve the taste, odor and appearance of the water. Everyone prefers clean, crisp and clear water to drink!
But there are more reasons than just improving drinking water quality.
- Sediment can bring unhealthful microorganisms or chemicals along with it. This is one way bacteria, algae, fertilizers, pesticides or industrial or mining chemicals can make their way into your well water. These chemicals and microorganisms can cause allergies, infections, or adverse health reactions. Many industrial and agricultural chemicals accumulate in the human body which can lead to even more serious effects over time. The effects can be as serious as parasitic infestations, developmental delays in children, and hormonal disruption.
- When water is going to be disinfected by UV light, it must be as clear as possible or the disinfecting quality of the light may be impaired.
- The particles making up sediment or turbidity can accumulate in appliances such as water heaters, dishwashers, refrigerators that serve chilled water, and washing machines, causing damage that must be repaired.
- Sediment can build up in plumbing fixtures like shower heads, faucet aerators and pipes, reducing water pressure.
- Turbid water can also leave deposits on glassware that is run through a dishwasher.
Taking Sediment and Turbidity Out of Your Household’s Water
Today’s homeowners have so many choices for improving well water quality! For practically any water quality problem that exists, there is a solution, even for sediment and turbidity.
The solutions are different depending on whether your water has sediment or turbidity so the first step is to determine which problem you have. After that, once you know the exact type of contamination present in your well, you can then pick the right water treatment or filtration solution.
Here are some of your solutions:
- Spin-down filters for sediment: These filters drive water into a chamber that then spins rapidly. Sediment is forced to the outside and clean water is pumped out. The sediment drops to the bottom where there is a valve that permits sediment to be washed out.
- Cartridge filters for finer sediment: These devices catch dirt and other sediment as the water passes through the filter.
- Whole-house systems: These systems may run your water through a number of steps, including sediment removal, UV disinfection and carbon filtration. The advantage of a larger system like this is that it can process as much as 100,000 gallons of water before filter cartridges need to be replaced.
- Activated carbon filters: These filters can effectively remove many types of chemical contaminants as well as ones that affect the taste, odor or clarity of your water. They can remove metals like lead, mercury and copper; industrial chemicals like PFAS; and benzene, chlorine, phosphates and ozone.
- Ultrafiltration systems: An ultrafiltration system runs water under pressure through membranes that trap very small particles such as some bacteria and organic material. The result is water with very high purity and very low sediment. It will not remove salts or fluoride.
- Backwashing filters: When the sediment load is high, either temporarily or permanently, a backwashing filter can be the best solution. This type of filter automatically cleans itself by periodically reversing the flow of water through the filter, thereby cleaning out accumulated silt and sediment.
- Settling tanks: If a homeowner knows that the well will always have a high level of sediment, a settling tank may be the best investment. These tanks let the heavier particles of sediment sink to the bottom of the tank. More filtration may be needed before the water reaches the home.
- Water softeners: There are more water softeners than any other type of water filtration of treatment. These systems draw heavy minerals like calcium and magnesium into a resin within the system and exchange them for salt.
To Work Properly, All Filtering Systems Need Proper Maintenance
Since each system removes silt, sand, dirt and some toxins from water, these contaminants must have someplace to go. For the homeowner, this means that maintenance must be done on a regular schedule to clean out these filters. If maintenance is neglected, water quality will decline and the health of those drinking the water may be affected.
- Spin-down filters must be flushed out on a regular basis. For most filters, the proper schedule is every few weeks, unless there is a heavier load of sediment than usual.
- Backwashing filters clean themselves by reversing the flow of water from time to time. Still, they may need attention from the homeowner once a month.
- Cartridge filters normally need replacement every few months.
- Ultrafiltration system membranes need to be replaced on a regular schedule so they do not become clogged with sediment, thereby preventing water from flowing through.
- Settling tanks will need to be closed off to keep water from running from the tank. Then the sediment and sludge can be drained out of the bottom.
- Water softeners must be recharged with salt and the unit must be cleaned out once or twice a year.
The Importance of Properly Maintaining Filtration Systems
If filters are not kept clean, the material sitting in the filter can become a breeding ground for bacteria, algae and other microorganisms. The system will also become less effective, meaning that it will either block the flow of water or stop filtering effectively. Sediment can once again make it to the home and turbidity can return.
A filtering system that is not properly maintained may also sustain damage to its components that will require costly repairs. Generally, following a manufacturer’s instructions on maintenance will prevent both water quality problems and system damage.
Your Filtration Decisions Should Start with Professional Water Testing
No matter what appears to be in your water, a comprehensive water test should be your first step in designing a filtration system. You may think that sediment or turbidity is your only problem, but a comprehensive test could reveal arsenic, high levels of copper, iron or lead, or pesticides and industrial chemicals. For best results, your filter should be tailored to remove whatever you don’t want and leave just what you do want.
If everything is removed from the water except for the water molecules themselves, the taste of the water may be flat and unappealing. Your filters should remove everything harmful to you or your appliances but leave just the right level of minerals like calcium, potassium and magnesium.
ETR Laboratories has helped tens of thousands of private well owners detect problems with their well water. Because they do all their own testing (and testing for many other water testing companies), they can provide the fastest test results. Their scientists have been performing tests not only for homeowners but also for industries that rely on pure water and municipalities across the country. Choose your water test now and know what is in your water in just a few days!