BOREHOLE CLEAN: SHOULD I CLEAN MY BOREHOLE?

Is a borehole clean necessary? It’s an important question.

The benefits of a borehole are numerous. Additionally, it’s also a tremendous investment. As a result, borehole maintenance is an important issue. Consequently, this is a pertinent question.

So do you need to clean your borehole?

The answer is yes! Boreholes can be contaminated. A variety of sources cause this. Firstly, sediment build-up contaminates boreholes; secondly, surface infiltration can contaminate; and lastly, deposits of iron, bacteria, manganese iron oxide, and calcium carbonate can pollute your water.

Contaminated borehole water cause a number of issues:

It can affect the quality of your water
It can cause damage to your pump and borehole equipment
Bacteria can destroy the U.V. light filter. As a result, you will need to replace the U.V. light filter cartridges frequently.

Therefore, a borehole should be cleaned and maintained on a regular basis.

HOW DO I KNOW IF MY BOREHOLE NEEDS TO BE CLEANED?

You need to do regular water analysis tests. As a result, you will be able to monitor the quality of your water.

You need to clean your borehole every 4 years. However, your water analysis test results will guide you in how frequently you need to clean your borehole. Consequently, you may need to do it more frequently.

Your borehole needs to be cleaned if:

Your borehole is older than 4 years
The water tastes bad
It is brownish in colour
There is a decrease in your water flow rate
The water tanks are filling up slower than usual
Your irrigation system loses pressure
Brown stains appear on your walls (indicating high iron levels)
Your pump continually burns out or needs to be replaced

A regular borehole clean means:

You will have fresh, good quality water
Your water will flow at a consistent rate
You will have a well-maintained borehole that produces optimally
You will have a well-maintained pump and borehole. As a result, you won’t need to replace them frequently.

WHAT CAUSES A BOREHOLE TO BECOME DIRTY

A borehole can become dirty in a number of ways. Some of these are as follows:

1. SEDIMENT BUILD-UP

Sediment builds up over time. As a result, it can pollute your borehole.

Sediment is organic material that is found in nature. It breaks down over time through erosion and weathering.

As a result, sediment is made up of minerals, rocks, sand, and various types of organic materials. Consequently, sediment build-up in your borehole turns your water a brownish colour. Sediment can come into your borehole from a number of places:

It can accumulate from the drilling process
Sediment can build up over time in older boreholes
Damaged casing screens and seals can be entrance points for sediment
It can come from a build-up of dissolved minerals like calcium, and iron

2. IRON IN THE WATER

Iron makes water brownish in colour. Additionally, it can also have an odour or bad taste. Consequently, it can cause health issues and staining on laundry or concrete.

Additionally, it can also block your water filtering equipment and damage your plumbing if left untreated. As a result, this needs to be treated.

3. HIGH LEVELS OF CALCIUM AND MANGANESE

High levels of calcium and manganese can harden your water. Hard water means that there is a high level of minerals like calcium in the water.

Hard water can become problematic. This is because it can cause a mineral buildup in water pipes. As a result, this can cause damage to the pipes and blockages. Consequently, this needs to be addressed.

4. BACTERIA

Often bacteria can form. This is caused by high iron levels. Signs of a bacteria problem are

The water has a reddish colour
It has a slimy appearance
Borehole water yield decreases
Borehole pump covered in a red layer

Iron bacteria combine dissolved iron or manganese with oxygen. As a result, an iron compound forms. Consequently, this causes deposits and bad smells. Additionally, it can also block the casing of the borehole.

HOW DO YOU CLEAN A BOREHOLE?

Borehole cleaning needs to be done professionally by a borehole company offering this service.

1. SEDIMENT BUILD-UP

A high-pressure compressor is used to clean and blow out sediment build-up in your borehole.

This process is referred to as jetting. The high-pressure water stream from the compressor dislodges the sediment. As a result, the water is continually pumped with the high-pressure compressor until it is clear.

Your borehole pump will also need to be cleared if it’s silted up. This is usually done with a pump bath that expels debris from the pump. Additionally, it needs to be noted that with this treatment the pump needs to soak for 7 days in the cleaner.

2. IRON IN THE WATER

There are a few different ways to deal with high levels of iron in your borehole water. These are as follows:

Ph adjustment
Aeration
Chemical oxidation
Sedimentation
Filtration

3. HIGH LEVELS OF CALCIUM AND MANGANESE

Calcium and manganese can cause water hardening. As a result, you want to keep an eye on their levels. Consequently, you need to install AFM filters if their levels are too high. An AFM filter is a sand filter. As such, it attracts calcium and manganese to its media. Consequently, these very fine particles are filtered out.

4. BACTERIA

Iron bacteria can be treated in 2 ways

Physical removal

It can be cleaned out of the pump equipment and well casing with brushes

Chemical treatment

Bacteria can be removed chemically. A disinfectant like bleach which contains chlorine is used. However, it may need to be flushed a few times to see an effect.

Drilling a borehole is an investment! As a result, it needs to be protected. Consequently, regular maintenance is the way to go. As a result, you will keep it functioning optimally.

Test your water regularly and have your borehole cleaned. It’s so worth it. As a result, it will just yield the best results for you as the owner!

WE ARE CURRENTLY RUNNING A SPECIAL. WE ARE OFFERING A BOREHOLE CLEANOUT FOR R5999.00

Contact us today for a free borehole drilling quote, Cape Town!