Cheapest Way To Remove Iron From Well Water

How Many Different Kinds of Iron Are There in Well Water?

The following types of iron are commonly found in well water.

Ferrous iron

Ferrous iron is a form of iron that has been dissolved in water and is, therefore, able to be found throughout the water. This indicates that you will not be able to immediately recognize it just from its outward appearance. On the other hand, if you allow a glass of water to sit out in the open air for an extended period of time, atmospheric conditions like oxygen will cause a process that is known as oxidation. After some time has passed, ferrous iron can be identified by the appearance of red or brown flakes at the button of your glass.

Ferric iron

Ferric iron, on the other hand, is a form of iron that has not been fully dissolved in the water that comes from your well. This form of iron can be toxic. Ferric iron can easily be recognized by its orange, red, or brown color since it has been oxidized after coming into contact with oxygen. That is the case if you observe any of the aforementioned discolorations in your well water; this indicates that ferric iron is present in your well.

Bacterial iron

The sort of iron that has formed bonds with the many other types of iron that are present in your well is known as bacterial iron.

You may easily recognize it by making a comparison between the residue in your well water (if there is any) and tomato soup. In the event that you find a material that is similar to sludge, this indicates the existence of bacterial iron in your well. The majority of the time, bacterial iron is produced as a result of improper well maintenance and servicing.

How to remove iron from well water – the cheapest method to use

1. Activated Charcoal

Activated charcoal represents yet another hassle-free and inexpensive strategy for removing iron from one’s water supply. Because of its properties, activated charcoal removes harmful contaminants from your water while preserving the health benefits of minerals and salts. Crushing your charcoal into little pieces and packing it tightly into a container made of dense material is all that is required to make an activated charcoal filter. Then you can enjoy a stream of pure water by allowing the water to drip through the filter.

This type of simple and affordable homemade filter is only capable of purifying a limited quantity of water. For this reason, activated charcoal filters should be utilized for the removal of iron from water in higher quantities. These filters should be inserted into water cleaning systems that offer iron-free water to your family.

Interestingly, the activated charcoal method of removing iron from well water will cost less than $30

2. Chlorination

Disinfecting your well water is an efficient and low-cost method for removing any forms of iron that may be present in the water. The combination of white vinegar and any type of household bleach is the method that is both the most cost effective and the least expensive approach to accomplish this task. Examine the water in your well for any sort of iron, bacteria, or microorganisms before beginning the process of cleaning your well.

After that, turn off your pump and begin rapidly and continuously pouring bleach and vinegar into the container. After that, activate the electricity for your pump, and then completely clean up the interior of your well. Turn on the water in any and all of the faucets inside, and let it run until you can no longer smell the chlorine in the water.

In order to ensure that you have adequate protection, you should let the chlorine residue sit in your well and the pipes for at least eight hours before doing a thorough flush. At this time, you may notice that the water pouring out of your interior faucets has a rusty color; the rusty water is the result of iron particles exiting your plumbing system.

Be sure to replace all of the additional water treatment filters according to the recommendations provided by the manufacturer before the dissection is considered complete.

Even though this method of iron removal from well water needs additional work on your part, it is without a doubt one of the most efficient and cost-effective approaches to removing iron from the water in your well. You can achieve this process of iron in well water removal with about $15.

3. Water Softeners

Although water softeners are not commonly utilized for the sole purpose of iron removal, the fact that they are able to filter ferrous iron out of water is undoubtedly an advantage.

The technique of ion exchange is utilized by water softeners in order to swap out hardness minerals like calcium and magnesium for sodium ions in the water supply. This eliminates limescale while also making the water easier to drink.

Iron, like calcium and magnesium, is a cation, which means that it has a positive charge. This indicates that it will be drawn to the water-softening resin, and it will be extracted from the water in the same way.

The vast majority of water softeners are capable of removing approximately 1 PPM of iron from the water. On the other hand, some units are designed specifically for increased iron removal and are capable of removing up to 6-8 PPM of iron from the water.

Keep in mind that water-softening systems are not the best option for water that has significant concentrations of ferrous iron. In order to remove excess iron from your water, you will need a filter designed specifically for that purpose.

In addition, if the iron in your water is insoluble, you will need to remove it first using a sediment filter, which you will need to have installed. In the event that this is not done, your water softener runs the risk of becoming clogged with iron sludge.

Although water softeners might cost a little more than $200, it is still considered a cheap method of removing iron from underground water.