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ddjmsmith

Well water - Iron 15.4 mg/L, Manganese 0.346 mg/L, Na 28 mg/L, pH 6.2

9 years ago

I just had my well tested by VA Tech cooperative extension. I am in rural VA. The results were fine except the following: Iron 15.4 mg/L, Manganese 0.346 mg/L, Na 28 mg/L, pH 6.2. I'm gather quotes from dealers of Kinetico, EcoWater, Culligan, Pelican, Xylem and any others I can find. What should I expect for them to recommend for this HIGH iron level and what should I expect for costs? Thank you!

Comment (1)

  • 9 years ago

    At the very least, they should recommend an acid neutralizer. As to the iron, treatment depends on whether it is ferric (particulate), or ferrous (dissolved). You'll need a dedicated iron/manganese removal unit. If any vendor recommends a softener for your iron removal, show them the door. A little light reading about various iron removal options:

    Oxidation/Filtration:
    An oxidizer such as ozone, air, or chlorine may be used to react with
    the iron and force it to become particulate iron that can then be
    removed via filtration. This will also remove most sulfur
    compounds. A typical setup would involve the oxidizing unit, a
    holding tank, then a media filter. This type of system works quite
    well, but takes some expertise in sizing - you would want a water
    treatment pro that you trust to help you with this option.

    Oxidizing
    filtration media: This type of treatment consists of a sealed tank
    filled with one of several media. Water passes through and is
    oxidized and filtered by the media. Most will remove sulfur compounds
    as well as iron. These are relatively easy to operate and what I
    would recommend for the average homeowner. There are several
    different media that can be used:

    Manganese
    greensand: water runs through for treatment. The media must be
    regenerated with potassium permanganate. Care must be taken with
    dealing with potassium permanganate as it readily dies organic
    material, such as your skin, a purple-brown color. Some people are
    quite comfortable dealing with the chemical; others are not.

    Synthetic
    greensand: This is essentially the same as option (a) but consists of
    a coating of greensand on a silica sand core so does not require as
    much backwash flow. Service flow rate is 2 - 5 gpm/sqft. Backwash
    flow rate is 12 gpm/sqft.

    Birm:
    This media acts as a catalyst to force oxidation of iron. While it
    does not need to be regenerated, it does need fairly high dissolved
    oxygen in the water. If your water does not have adequate dissolved
    oxygen (and it probably doesn't since it is well water), air
    injection would be necessary prior to the birm. Additionally, birm
    requires a minimum pH of 6.8. Service flow rate is 3.5 - 5.0 gpm per
    sqft. Backwash flow rate is 11 - 20 gpm, depending upon water
    temperatures and desired bed expansion.

    Pyrolox:
    an ore that oxidizes then filters the iron out. It does not need
    regeneration, but needs to be backwashed (to rinse out the iron) at a
    high rate. pH range is 6.5 - 9.0. This type of filter works very
    well, but backwash is critical. Service flow rate is 5 gpm/sqft.
    Backwash is 25-30 gpm/sqft. Backwash daily.

    Terminox:
    Similar to Pyrolox, but a proprietary formula . It does not require
    as much backwash flow rate and is more resistance to a low pH. The
    particulars are only available from the company that sells it - this
    means you have to rely entirely on the vendor for proper sizing.
    Backwash daily.

    Filox:
    Also similar to Pyrolox. pH range 5.0 - 9.0. Backwash flow 12-15
    gpm/sqft. Service flow 6 gpm/sqft. It must be backwashed daily.

    Pro-OX:
    Essentially the same as the previous three. Requires 12-15 gpm/sqft
    backwash. As with Terminox, specs are lacking information so you'll
    have no way of knowing if the unit you get is sized appropriately.

    Katalox-light:
    Similar in action to the previous four, but is comprised of zeolite,
    manganese dioxide and hydrated lime. It should be designed for 6 -
    12 gpm/sqft service flow atnd 8 - 10 gpm/sqft backwash. For well
    water, it's a good option as it requires lower backwash.

    In
    all cases, media ought to be replace somewhere between 5 - 10 years.
    If any vendor tells you their media lasts forever, walk away - they
    aren't trustworthy.



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