Well Water F.A.Q. (Frequently Asked Questions)
1. Q. Why do so many people have trouble getting a filter that works well for any length of time?
2. Q. Why does Sureway always test for manganese?
3. Q. What does it cost to get a professional assessment?
4. Q. How often do you have to re-bed a greensand filter?
5. Q. Do you ever install iron/softeners or air injection iron filters?
6. Q. Do you install chlorine injection/filter systems?
7. Q. How long do your membranes last?
1. A. A major pitfall in well water treatment is misapplication of equipment.
• trying to use a water softener which is very limited for iron reduction.
• failing to test the well pump under load
• failing to identify all of the staining issues by a comprehensive analysis through an independent lab
• trying to use “one shoe fits all” instead of matching the unit to the well pump and chemical content
2. A.. A. Manganese is a “first cousin” of iron on the periodic table. It starts staining at much lower levels (0.05 mg/l) than iron (0.3 mg/l). Field tests are not adequate. It can be black or brown in appearance and is often disguised by iron. In our experience, manganese is often the culprit when a softener or iron-softener should work and doesn’t. ONLY AN IRON FILTER will effectively remove manganese, significant iron or any H2S gas.
3. A. We start with a professional assessment. We charge as follows:
(1.) a consultation fee of $350.00 depending on travel. This fee is up to 100% rebateable with equipment purchase. In addition we insist on:
(2.) independent laboratory testing which usually includes:
• chemical analysis: iron, manganese and over 20 other chemicals
• microbiological: fecal, coliform, HPC (heterotrophic plate count)
• tannins and lignins (which can affect the life of treatment equipment)
• in extreme cases, H2S, sulfide.
We pass along only our costs for lab testing (up to $200.00 to $250.00 complete)
Consultation includes a pump test. Using an industrial flow meter with attachments that we have specially designed, we simulate the working load of an iron filter to determine which size of unit will work. We then match the pump capacity to the well analysis for our calculations.
It takes about two weeks for lab results and then we put together a 3 or 4 page written proposal so you know EXACTLY what you’re getting.
4. A. Many companies recommend every 5 years minimum. We’ve found that by using a commercial control valve and doing proper pump testing in most cases our units are still performing well after ten years. Part of our success is that most clients also use our Scheduled Maintenance Program for their reverse osmosis system, so we are able to do a lot of preventative things for iron filters.
5. A. The applications are very limited. For example: we’ve found iron/softeners to be very vulnerable to manganese and of course, they do not remove H2S (hydrogen sulfide) gas, which sometimes shows up after the original assessment. Air injection has many limitations depending on the chemistry of the well. E.g. pH above 8.3
6. A. No. We refer those to a reputable company in the area.
7. A. The same as in the city. If the pre-treatment equipment is properly maintained we are getting up to 10 years service. This is a substantial saving compared to those companies that routinely change them every three years.