# Bacteria in all well water?



## jneely44 (Jun 14, 2012)

We moved to Baxter, Tn from Jackson, Tn. We are trying to buy a home on well water. It tested a 3 for Total coliform and <1 for E-coli. Rural housing will not pass the loan due to this. The home has been empty for 2 years and has been used only a couple times in those years when family came in from out of state. I know this is good because the Total coliform was under 5. The sink we drew the sample from had the screen taken off it the day before. Could this cause the coliforms or even where the well has set? I believe there are many ways it could be from even from just the sitting? We don't won't city water but not sure what to do. I believe the water should be shocked and another test run but hubby is wandering just to get the loan through if we shouldn't just go with city water. I Love well water and would hate to give up and it only be from something simple.. Does most well water contain some bacteria? :dunno:


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## Well_Driller (Jun 3, 2012)

If the well has not been used for 2 years, then yes you should give it a shock treatment and then have it tested again. Total Coliform almost always shows up on at least the first test. Total coliform itself is harmless and it is present on just about everything in the environment including you, so it can be very easy to contaminate a sample. What ever tap you get the sample from, you should disinfect that tap with rubbing alcohol before you get the sample.


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## jneely44 (Jun 14, 2012)

We just sent another sample and bleached the faucet because of possible contamination there on the first test and also got a sample bottle from the testing facility. Who on the previous test told us to use a store bought water bottle and empty it out and used it.Will get results back tomorrow. I am wandering can bacteria grow in the pipes or would it have to be from the well since it set for 2 years?


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## Waterboy (Sep 20, 2011)

jneely44 said:


> We just sent another sample and bleached the faucet because of possible contamination there on the first test and also got a sample bottle from the testing facility. Who on the previous test told us to use a store bought water bottle and empty it out and used it.Will get results back tomorrow. I am wandering can bacteria grow in the pipes or would it have to be from the well since it set for 2 years?


Yes, pipes also. When they shock a well, they open the outside faucet to clear the well. If you clear the well from your indoor faucet is will also sterilize your pipes. If I am correct, the water sample should be taken from your faucet next to the well.

Hope this helps.


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## Well_Driller (Jun 3, 2012)

Waterboy is right, bacteria can grow in pipes. When you do the shock treatment on the well it is very important to make sure the chlorine solution makes it through all the plumbing in the house by running the water on all the taps until you can smell it. You should also take a hose and flush down into the well casing to disinfect it also. Anytime you do a water sample you should always get the sample bottle from a certified lab. They have already disinfected the bottles for this reason. If you take a sample in anything else, then you have to make sure it is positively disinfected first, but best to get them from the lab. The lab I use always provides the sterile bottles. When you take the sample, make sure you wash your hands, and don't touch the inside of the cap or the top of the bottle, and don't touch it against anything either. If you have to wipe the water off afterwards, do it after the cap is tight on the bottle. Where i'm at they require that we take the sample from a tap that is right at the pressure tank, but you do have to first disinfect the tap.


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## TopTop (Nov 11, 2011)

A friend bought a new home that had sat for a while. It was the model home & was a couple years old but never lived in & had municipal water which is already chlorinated. Within a few days of moving in the water stank so bad they couldn't even take a shower. They cracked the line at the street & pumped bleach through everything including the water heater, let it set a while then flushed them out. That solved the problem.


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## jneely44 (Jun 14, 2012)

Test came back at 16 total coliforms mind blown now. Hooking up to city water for now and putting well to out outside faucet for now. Will sanitize and recheck couple times and hopefully put it back to the house. The flavor of well water is so much better..


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## Country Living (Dec 15, 2009)

We installed a Trojan UV light in the water line in the well house and that took care of the bacteria (we flushed the lines with bleach water immediately after installation). We have our water tested twice a year (using containers from the river authority). We take two samples: one right off the tank (before the UV light) and one from inside the house. Every other year we do the full-blown know-everything-that's-in-the-water tests (out of the tank before the UV light) that are a bit pricey; but, at least you know everything including minerals.


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## goatlady (Nov 7, 2011)

It is possible you have a septic problem which is contaminating that well. OR run-off from fields/manure getting into the well water source.


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## Well_Driller (Jun 3, 2012)

goatlady said:


> It is possible you have a septic problem which is contaminating that well. OR run-off from fields/manure getting into the well water source.


E. Coli bacteria can indicate that, but if it's just total coliform, probably not. If you have a test run for fecal coliform, that one could possibly be an indicator of septic also. Usually when only total coliform show up I have a test run to check for fecal coliform and that's usually negative.


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## jneely44 (Jun 14, 2012)

No animals around and it may be when they put new pump in and some new pipes in the house. Since the loan company will not loan on this well we are putting city water in for now , but will sanitize and retest later and hopefully hook back up to it later. We will keep it hooked to outside faucet to keep it going. There are no fecal coliform. There are so many points reading on here that we are going this route for now just to get in the house.


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## goshengirl (Dec 18, 2010)

Sounds like a good plan. Do what you need to do to get into the house, then take your time to make it the way you want it to be. Best wishes on your move!


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