Generally non-scented chlorine bleach is used to shock a well. Follow shocking procedures and after all scent of chlorine is gone you can have a water sample tested. Do it soon after shocking (as most are) and you're almost guaranteed that it will pass. If you want a more real result have it tested a few months later.

If you suspect that the well is 305' deep. I'd get a 250' roll of black poly pipe and set the pump at that depth. You'll have to buy the 250' length anyhow so why cut off 50'? It won't get you down the last bit but it will give you more reserve capacity at no additional cost.

 

Zoes i have not had a water sample done and i never said i have. I know the specs on the well because i finally spent the 150 bucks and had pump guy come out and check total depth and static level ect and i have the paperwork he provided me. Where do you buy the chlorniate to treat the well

 

Pilot Dane knows more about this but I think you can actually use household bleach. That seems to be acceptable by legitimate authorities - like these I had saved in my files, and I’ve seen many more like these:

Well Disinfection - EH: Minnesota Department of Health


http://spock.fcs.uga.edu/ext/pubs/hace/HACE-858-04.pdf

I think you can also use pellets you drop down the well. But I don’t know much about those or where you get them or whether they have limited use.

Here's another - I saved a bunch LOL

http://in.gov/idem/cleanwater/files/...ction_inst.pdf

 

Disinfecting the well, casing, and water distribution system is still only a temporary measure. Once the bleach (or other disinfectant) has dissipated, you're still left with the quality of the water in the local aquifer.

I once sold a place where the water was free of e.coli and all other bacteria for about 36 hours after being "shocked"; but then it would come back as failing our Public Health Standards for Potable Water, regardless of what you did to the well itself.

Turned out that fields and pastures an less than a ¼ or ½ mile away were frequently being spread with manure from local dairy farms, so there was no way to expect the water to be free of coliform for years beyond the point that they ceased disposing of manure in that manner . . . . and that's not anything on the near term agenda.

We got the place sold only because the Owner was willing to install a "whole house chlorination system".

Regarding Seller Disclosures, I only know about efforts here in Vermont to try to force all Sellers to provide such a document to Buyers. Our Legislature tried to pass something that would require a Disclosure anytime a REALTOR® was involved, but it exempted private Sales and, Foreclosures, and Inherited property, which took the teeth out of it, and with resistance from the Real Estate Community, it was defeated.

Many Sellers don't know much about what they have, and compelling people to answer questions when they're only guessing, is worse than having them just say "I don't know" !

Those words, "I don't know" are the three most important words in Real Estate . . . . they should be used more often; but egos get in the way and cause people to say something when they'd be better served by keeping their mouths shut.

I don't know if there's a State in the Union where MANDATORY Seller Disclosure Forms are currently required on all Real Estate Transactions.

 

This is a little off topic but may be of interest to people reading this thread, maybe their state has something similar. I thought the Disclosure Statement was a Federal Requirement but I see that in Pennsylvania it is just a state requirement. It starts off -

As you say “known” is the key word. But my understanding is that they use this statement to sue people if they obviously lied or misled the buyer.

Here is one section:

 

Are there any exceptions to the requirement that Pennsylvania's Disclosure be provided by ALL Sellers ?

Given that the OP's Property is in Missouri, and he stated that:

It would seem to me the knowledge level of these Heirs would be quite limited, and not something I would rely on. If the Disclosure were to be made mandatory in Missouri, I'd imagine it would be an "As Is, Where Is" type of Sale and the property would be sold without any representations and at the Buyer's Risk.

Some of the nicest and most cooperative people simply just "do not know".

Only when they're concealing something that is of a material nature AND which can be proven that they did know, will those heirs be ripe for a lawsuit.

Vermont's "voluntary" Disclosure has a tricky little question at the end which asks simply whether the Seller knows of anything else that could affect the value or enjoyment of the subject property. People think long and hard; but they usually say "No" !

When in doubt or when you can't do your own due diligence . . . . walk !

 

Yes. That’s what I meant in post #38, because the property was unused for 4 years there would seem to be no way that jmol could have gotten much assurance out of a Disclosure Statement – not realizing when I said that, that they aren’t even required in some states.

So I guess you just buy and keep your fingers crossed that you have a good well. I know if I liked the property I would buy anyway (as I did with mine, LOL). jmol got a well guy to check out the levels and they are good. So that’s encouraging! Probably everything is good. Property just sat for a while (my house was unoccupied for 2 years).

I don’t know if there are any exceptions to the Disclosure Statement in Pa. I know the five sales and purchases I was involved in (all family) they all had them.