Disinfecting Wells

By Jim Tiffin
Cibola County Bureau

SANTA FE — Water in wells privately and domestically owned may be contaminated from flooding which has occurred this past week and a half, state health officials said.

The New Mexico Environment Department has released information on how to disinfect water wells and septic systems for homeowners.

Chlorine (bleach with 5.25 percent chlorine) is the best way to disinfect, the department states and if a slight chlorine smell is noticed for seven to 10 days following disinfection, it should be useable for drinking purposes. Testing your water following the disinfection process should be done to assure the water is completely disinfected.

The state's tips on disinfecting wells are:

• Avoid direct skin contact with bleach. Wear rubber gloves and goggles. If skin or eye contact occurs, flush immediately with clean water.
  
  
• Mix two quarters of bleach in 10 gallons of water, pour into well.
  
  
• Connect a garden hose to a nearby faucet and wash down the inside of the well.
  
  
• Open each faucet and let water run until a strong chlorine odor is detected, then turn it off. Do this for each indoor and outdoor faucet and hydrant. Drain the water heater and let it refill with chlorinated water. If a strong odor is not detected at all outlets, add more chlorine to the well. Also, flush all toilets.
  
  
• Mix an additional two quarters of bleach in 10 gallons of water, pour it into the well without pumping.
  
  
• Allow chlorinated water to stand in the well and pipes for at least eight hours, preferably 12-24 hours.
  
  
• Run water from faucets to waste (away from desirable vegetation), until the chlorine odor is slight or not detected at each faucet. Then run indoor faucets until there is no chlorine odor. Minimize the amount of chlorine water flowing into your septic tank.
  
  
• One gallon of bleach may be used to treat up to an eight-inch diameter well containing 100 feet of water, according to the department.

For more information on well disinfection or bacteriological testing, call Dennis McQuillan, state envioronmental health manager, at (505) 476-8607.

To contact reporter Jim Tiffin call (505) 287-2197 or e-mail: tiffin.independent@yahoo.com