Failed water test. NOW WHAT.

[cjf12]

Got my water sample in for getting registered with the state. I had one coliform bacteria in 100ml water. ONE. From what I understand I can't have any. E coli. Is 0. I'm sure lots of you have ran into similar results. How did you get thru it. Uv light? Chlorine system? Chlorine "shocking" of my spring?

[phil-t]

Not necessarily related to my maple production, but our well tested positive for coliform when we bought the house. A no go for the loan until the problem was addressed. We installed a UV light system and all testing has been negative for the last 6 years. Chlorine was an option but was not desirable to us. Shocking the well is typically a sort term solution, from what I have learned.

[PerryFamily]

If its a spring ( surface water ) shocking it will kelp but probably not totally solve the problem

If its a drilled well, shock it
recirculate it back into the well with a garden hose from your house to make sure its good a mixed in. Now get that chlorinated water to every point in the house and let it sit...
Then flush it out. It will take some time to flush it depending on your well yield

[cjf12]

We also ran into that when we built. To our suprise the loan officer told us to boil it before we sent the sample in. It's been a family spring since mid 1800s with not one case of any problems. They understood and that was their way of solving it.

[cjf12]

What brand of light do you have or would reccomend. Never even looked at one. How long do lights last? I have my sugar shack plumbing set up that I can shut off mainline in a frost free box then blow my lines and on demand heater out with air. Think I could throw a uv light in the system and have it hold up to air psi while clearing everything else?

[phil-t]

I got mine off EBAY. Bluetronics (maybe). It's just a stainless cylinder, about 3 in. in diameter with a 1" pipe-treaded inlet and outlet and a tube style UV bulb inserted with seals from the end. They are rated in gph capacity. I think if they stand up to the 40-60 water psi they should be good with air to clean them out.
I am on my second bulb in 6 years of operation. My waterlines are white plactic and the light comes through next to the unit so I can tell at a glance that it is operational.

[collinsmapleman2012]

i put my system in when we were buying a house, all said and done it was a little over $300 for the light, extra bulbs, and the extra plumbing (i made sure to add whole house filters before the light to make sure nothing would settle in the light housing.)

[unc23win]

Who took the sample? You should use a flame on the spigot and shock the system with tablets. I put my tablets in my string filter after my pump. I had trouble one year now I have my sample drawn by the lab and it always passes. I do have a UV light as well. For me it’s easier if the lab comes out because she never has a sample fail and she checks the UV light.

[buckeye gold]

UV lights are not effective if you have many suspended solids. Every particle will block light and can carry bacteria on the solid. You need full light exposure.

[sapman]

Any UV unit I've ever installed, bulbs are supposed to be replaced annually. That's not to say they're ineffective past a year, but my understanding is they start losing intensity from day 1. I always install canister filter before UV, then fill with bleach to shock entire plumbing system. Set minimum 6 hours, flush, and take sample.

[mainebackswoodssyrup]

Shock it, flush it and send in a sample right after the flush.

[cjf12]

Thanks all. Cheap UV light and some ball valves and tees and were good to go. less than $150 and another $35 for a passed sample. cheap uv light though. 1 bulb got water in it, another didn't work, the 3rd did the trick. just need to get a few extra bulbs I guess.

[phil-t]

Nice - thanks for the update.