I am planning to install a well pump in a water well in a rural area which has no other water source.
Should I perform shock chlorination in order to avoid Coliform bacteria contamination or should I test the water for Coliform bacteria after installing the pump and react only if the test is positive?
How do I best approach the installation and maintain water quality?
In my experience it is standard to shock chlorinate following the pump installation. In some places, depending on permitting, it is also required that the well water pass 2 consecutive bacteria tests. In any event, one follow up bacteria test after the chlorine is run off should be performed.
Standard procedure in the US well codes is to follow all well pump installations with shock chlorination. This is considered a preemptive measure in case the water was contaminated during the installation process. Once the chlorine has been flushed out, sample for coliform to ensure potability.
If for human uses, It is Ok to do shock chlorination, what is more important to be sure that the storage and distribution facilities to be disinfected too.
Be sure no one will use water unless free Cl2 in the acceptable level for human uses.
If you control the well then now is a good time to NOT ever add chlorine. For the filter system a simple Muslin or cheese cloth will take care of micro particles. If any pathogens have been identified in the water then creating a self made 2 layer of muslin or cheese cloth with Archaea microbial species in a bentonite clay. We have been using for 40 years and ZERO pathogens on any lab tests. (in case some are unaware. chlorine kills bacteria. this means you and your stomach "normal gut flora". People become sick, diabetes, cancer, asthma, and many more. Healthy water, healthy soil, healthy produce, = healthy people. ). The country of Columbia is using this type of materials for the jungle people. Manufacturer is from the country of Taiwan. Your future is in your hands. Make a wise choice!
Cloth filters are better than nothing, but not much. If the pathogens are bound to particulates there will be some removal. Unfortunately, bacteria, viruses and most protozoa are much too small and will pass thru the cloth. Would you trust your life to a cloth filter on a contaminated water source? So, use the cloth filter to reduce turbidity somewhat, then chlorinate with bleach. You probably do not need much after the initial shock treatment, probably less than 1 ppm, unless the water has organic carbon that will react with the chlorine. You would want to leave enough residual chlorine in the water so that it will continue to be safe during pipe transport and storage.
I appreciate you following protocol Joseph. Sometimes a point of clarification is in order. Are you aware cheese cloth is and has been used in the scientific community for decades. (filtering of cows milk and others). As you correctly pointed out that some microbes are too small (even for micro fine cheese cloth). This is why the second choice is to devise a 2 cheese cloth and Archaea membrane. As most microbiologists know nothing survives in an Archaea matrix. At .5 to .005 microns it can out compete for the food source and other microbes will die off. Then they become food for the Archaea.
Sorry Joseph: Working with the leading scientists of the world I find it easier to work with discoveries from nature than inventions of man. I do understand it is extremely difficult to break through the chlorination cartel. Chlorine does one basic biological function. It kills everything in its path. High or low concentration only a matter of time. I did not glean this information myself. It was the worlds leading microbiologist Dr Carl H. Oppenheimer. He discovered natures biggest secret. More important than the discovery of fire. RNA microbial group. He named Archaea back in the 1940,s. I share this information freely. This was a promise I made to Dr O. per his request. He was a firm believer that all knowledge should be shared. His most famous quote was "information is free, product you have to buy". I never joke. I think you would agree the condition of the world is not a joking matter. I have no malice towards anyone. Happy and willing to share. If you wish to learn please use my office email biozomesales@biozome.com If you skype: guy_mcgowen. Another Oppenheimer had it right. "Learn or die" My translation of this is "learn to thrive not just survive". Joseph, you would do well to follow and learn from Trudi. She is a very bright very young lady that will be here long after I am gone.
If the water is for potable use, then the cheapest option is to install an ozone injection system on the delivery side of the pump. Normally this is done after the settling tank and before the buffer tank. This is a lot cheaper than chlorination and has no associated health risks. We never use UV or Chlorination in rural areas, as the found lack of maintenance makes such systems fail.
Dear Bojan. Chlorination is used for disinfecting pipe networks but it can be used to deal with Coliform bacteria. In a case of well contamination, you can do well disinfection and monitor future state of bacteria and then occasionally repeat the process. If you have constantly bacteria in your well, then you should provide continually disinfection. Did you consider UV system as Chlorination systems can be costly and require regular maintenance.