New well and cloudy water question

[Rngr275]

First, thanks for the advice on choosing a submersible pump and installing a CSV in the system. Everything works perfectly! Now the issue: Not exactly a new well but the well was drilled in early December just before everything got really cold and the snow started piling up (I live in upstate NY). This past week the temperature sored (50-60's) and everything melted in a hurry. A day ago I noticed that the water from the well is cloudy, similar to what it looked like after drilling. It has been crystal clear and very good all winter. I'm thinking that the cloudiness has been caused by the melting snow/run off and the casing not having had time to really settle in since winter set in so soon after drilling. Is this possible or is there another problem I should be addressing? All the snow is gone so I going to flush everything like it's a new well and see if it clears up. Thoughts and suggestions are appreciated!
McD

 

[LLigetfa]

There has to be a proper seal between the casing and the surface water table. If that seal has failed, you have big problems so you should hope your theory is wrong.

That said, the water table in the underground aquifer you are drawing from could rise from the fast melt and that portion may need to be developed.

All of this is conjecture since you say nothing about the well formation.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Reach4]

First, thanks for the advice on choosing a submersible pump and installing a CSV in the system. Everything works perfectly! Now the issue: Not exactly a new well but the well was drilled in early December just before everything got really cold and the snow started piling up (I live in upstate NY). This past week the temperature sored (50-60's) and everything melted in a hurry. A day ago I noticed that the water from the well is cloudy, similar to what it looked like after drilling. It has been crystal clear and very good all winter. I'm thinking that the cloudiness has been caused by the melting snow/run off and the casing not having had time to really settle in since winter set in so soon after drilling. Is this possible or is there another problem I should be addressing?

How deep is the well? If not so deep, the aquifer could be fairly shallow, and surface water from not too far away could travel in an underground stream.

You might watch after a rainstorm to see how much delay there is. Maybe a TDS meter could show the introduction of fresh rain water. You would hope that it takes a number of days for the TDS to fall after a big rain.

 

[Rngr275]

The well is 153 ft deep, Pump is set at ~110-120 feet. The top of the water column in the well was at ~ 30 ft from the surface (as measured a few days after drilling. The driller said it was putting out 20-30 gal/minute (not sure how he measured. Not sure how long the casing is. He say the bottom of the well was in sandstone and that there was some collapsing while drilling and that is why he went and extra 30-40 ft deep... if that matters. Like I said water was perfect until the 2 feet of snow melted in a couple days.

 

[Rngr275]

How deep is the well? If not so deep, the aquifer could be fairly shallow, and surface water from not too far away could travel in an underground stream.

You might watch after a rainstorm to see how much delay there is. Maybe a TDS meter could show the introduction of fresh rain water. You would hope that it takes a number of days for the TDS to fall after a big rain.

I don't know what TDS is or to measure it.

 

[Reach4]

I don't know what TDS is or to measure it.

You measure with a cheap TDS meter, which is a specialized ohmmeter.

Total Dissolved Solids, but that cheap meter is approximating that with a resistance reading.

I have not read of looking at TDS drop timing to get an indication of leakage of the well grouting. Rain water should not be able to get into the well quickly. I say rain, because snow melt is a gradual process.

 

[Rngr275]

It appears to be clearing quickly... I've flushed twice for 10 minutes each (10GPM pump) and it made a huge improvement. How is a well grouted?

 

[Reach4]

How is a well grouted?

Search this forum for grout using the search box, above.

For some advanced stuff, add tremie to the search.

 

[Valveman]

Pump it for several hours instead of just 10 minutes. Still a new well.

 

[LLigetfa]

Pump it for several hours instead of just 10 minutes. Still a new well.

IMHO sometimes surge developing may work better than drawing it long and hard. The lower section may already be developed and maybe now only the top needs to be developed.

 

[Valveman]

IMHO sometimes surge developing may work better than drawing it long and hard. The lower section may already be developed and maybe now only the top needs to be developed.

Low producing wells I agree. This one makes 20-30 GPM, not sure you can even pump it hard enough with a 10 GPM pump.

 

[LLigetfa]

This one makes 20-30 GPM, not sure you can even pump it hard enough with a 10 GPM pump.

Without a thorough well drillers report, we are just guessing. Some reports I've read, the level was drawn down considerably to get a sustained 20 - 30 GPM. While pulling 20 - 30 GPM I doubt the static was staying at 30 feet.

Anyway, as you say, the 10 GPM pump probably cannot even pump it hard enough to do any serious developing, especially when it is tied in to the house plumbing with the usual 40/60 head. That said, if it stays cloudy while pumping, then yes, pump it long and hard. If it clears while pumping and gets cloudy later, then surge it as often as needed to get it to stay clear.