My Water Sucks!

last month

The guy behind me put his drain field within 25 feet of my drinking well and my water has gone gradually downhill ever since. Perhaps just coincidence but I decided to migrate to my irrigation well. In doing so I may have bought into more trouble than I had with the original well.

I got a quick read from a local pool supply with the following results:

PH - 6.7

Calcium Hardness - 134

Iron - 0.4 ppm

Copper - 0.3 ppm

Phosphates - 680

Water system:

1-1/2 in well

63' deep

3/4 HP Pump

Flow Rate - 12.38 GPM

86 Gal pressure tank

House info:

2 baths

3 bedrooms

presently 2 occupants

My problem is that my water smells like iron (my wife says rotten eggs but not to me), it stains my fixtures, it etches our dishes in the dishwasher and makes it impossible to make our clothes smell clean. I have a 50-micron spin down filter, an iSprings WGB31B set of filters, and an Aquasure Harmony 64,000 grain water filter in line.

I have been studying filter systems to rid myself of the iron and anything else that I can, but it is a little confusing. Any help that anyone can offer would be tremendously appreciated.

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Comments (13)

klem1
last month
Either buy a tanker and start hauling water or ask local health authority to come out and assess the situation.
Kate Cowers
last month
Is that drain field within code for your city/town? Seems awfully close to me. I'd for sure check with local officials; your neighbor may need to relocate that drain field?
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BeverlyFLADeziner
last month
There are codes covering the placement of wells and drain fields. Research the topic and call out the municipality.
Glen Williams
Original Author
last month
I already have the health department involved. Minimum distance from any well is supposed to be 75’. I don’t have anywhere that I can drill another well that would be in compliance with that requirement and I’m afraid the damage is already done. Even if they move the drain field, I suspect it would take years to return to it’s prior state.
klem1
last month
Your story smells. Are you asking us to believe the health department refused to intervein and left you to remedy this on your own ?
Glen Williams
Original Author
last month
No, they have requested the site map for the property behind me. They said it would take about 2 weeks to get. I’ve already provided mine. They said that it sounds like somone neglected to do their due diligence,… ya think!
Anna Devane
last month
Most codes require 100’ minimum. where the heck do you live?
Glen Williams
Original Author
last month
last modified: last month
St. Johns County, FL. Northwest corner of the county. I on only have a little over 1/4 acre. 100’ would be difficult on a postage stamp!?!
klem1
last month
last modified: last month
"Requested site map that takes 2 weeks". Answering Anna Devane's question might clear things up if you live in Zambia. The ONLY site map that matters in USA is on file with local tax authority and with a few key strokes, anyone can have a copy within 5 minutes.

How many chapters are in this fairy tale?
Glen Williams
Original Author
last month
Does she need a street address?
Anna Devane
last month
my surprise was that it didn’t seem possible to have septic and well on 1/4 acre. I would look into your local codes, health and building deptartmts for placement and types of septic allowed. It would seem the drain fields would butt up against either your water well or theirs (or anoother neinhbors) This is very confusing.
ramona1976
last month
IMHO, if the owner behind you put his drain field in after your well was already in place, then a) county health screwed up by letting them do that, and b) neighbor owes you a water purification system.
Glen Williams
Original Author
last month
I whole-heartedly agree. I'm just waiting to see what is going to be done about it. The photo is from when I built my detached garage. The drain field in question us located about 3' on the otherside of the property line behind the pool (which is no longer there). In the meantime, I really need to fix my water.