OK, first thing you need to know is that I know very little about wells, well pumps, etc and I am sure this is not the first time you have gotten this question. I live alone in a semi-rural area with very sandy soil. Last Jan I needed a new well. The well was drilled first week of Jan & about a week later the plumbers came out and put in the new pump, etc & pulled the old well. My outside spigot was frozen, but the water in the house had good pressure. I was told to expect cloudy water for "a while." Water was tested and it is safe. It has been 2 months now and I am still getting cloudy water on an intermittent basis; the silt does settle in the toilet bowl. I can run the cold water faucets for 15-30 min and it clears, but 2-3 days later it is cloudy again (I took the little end piece off the faucets so I know it isn't the little screens getting clogged up). Hot water is less cloudy but takes longer to clear.
How long will it take for everything to clear? Will emptying my hot water heater help? My outside spigot is now thawed--should I be running water continuously for a few hours? Should I be running the water in the house more often (and will that be a problem for the pump or septic system)? Do I just have to wait it out? If so, how long is a reasonable time to wait—please don’t tell me “a while.” Friends & family have been consistently saying something like “I don’t know for sure, but I know these things take a while” However, no one can tell me how long “a while” reasonably is.
Thanks for any advice, information, words of experienced wisdom… LeAnne

The info on the Well Construction Report says:
Drillhole dimensions and Construction Method—
diameter: 6 in from surface to 151 feet
Casing, Liner,Screen—6 inch diameter STD BLK, .280 WALL, P.E. from surface
to 133 ft
A53B Borusan Mannesmann
Kind of Sealing material—Granular Bentonite: surface
(invoice says 1 bag Bentonite)
Static water level—17 ft below surface
Well is 24 inches above grate; Developed: yes Disinfected: yes Capped: yes
Pump Test—pumping level: 48 ft below surface, pumping at 40GPM for 1 hr
Geology—Sand 0-36 ft; Clay/gravel/cobbles/boulders/stones 36-61 ft;
Lensed/streaked/Layered, clay, silty 61-117 ft
Caving/Sandstone 117-133 ft Sandstone 133-151 ft

Plumbing Invoice says:
½ hp Red Jacket to +/- 50’ Pipe 1” schedule 80 Torque arrestor
Cable guards Well Mate WM9 Accessory Tee,
Pressure switch Mass Adapter & welding

 

Welcome to the forums.

"A while" is a typical answer as it's different with every well.

Did you check with your well company ?
They should know based on the composition of the ground and their experience in your area.

 

I remember about 10 years ago when my daughter had to have a new well dug in her Ithaca, NY home. The well diggers left the pump running for several days non-stop. Although she did have a whole home filter the water came out clear.

 

Clear the cold water before clearing the hot water.

It would be costly to run hot water for long periods of time waiting for it to clear.

I would suggest draining about 1-1/2 gallons of hot water from the tank valve in the morning before anyone has used hot water, to clear accumulated sediment from the bottom of the tank. This in turn should reduce the cloudiness of the hot water.

Do not drain more than a gallon or two from the hot water tank without first shutting off its heating. Then open an upstairs faucet and wait for hot water to gush out for about a minute before turning the heat back on.

 

I agree with Norm. During well drilling, clay and other particulates migrated into the sandstone. If you have an outdoor faucet, run a hose away from the house and turn on the water and let it run for at least a day (24hrs). This will help clean out the sandstone layer. Once you have completed this follow Alan's advice.

 

Thanks for your suggestions.
I will have to wait a couple weeks before I try them--we are having flood-level waters and the soil is saturated right now (weird for March in southern WI, but....). If they don't work I will contact the plumbers & well drillers. LeAnne

 

LeAnne40 - I agree with others about running the faucet for a while, but the fact it is intermittent, then you remarked your yard is flooded raised some flags for me.
You mention it was tested? The drillers had it tested and you got the report?
For curiosity I would test the cloudy water...a full report will tell you what it is.
You might just need a particulate filter...

 

We drill wells that are in sand and clay. And running the pump to clear the water is a gross waste of time and money.
The well should have been developed properly, and from what I have read, it was not.
When a well is drilled it does get mud in the water sand.
It is the drillers responsibility to get it out. That come from developing the well properly.
I have seen it time and time again where the driller cuts corners trying to save a little time by saying "let the pump do the rest". That just does an injustice to the home owner.

 

waterwelldude - it begs the question, how does one develop a well? I know on my well, the well man flushed the well fairly thoroughly...is that what is required?
My well is in rock though, and I am not sure that process could be done in a sandy well.

 

There are several ways to develop a well. I prefer air, but "surging" also works well.
The course particulates need to align themselves around the well screen to screen out the fine particulates.

Most of the well guys around here, just overpump (exceed the well's production ability), but as you have discovered, that does't always work. It's too violent.