Iron Removal Plant

Typically three types of iron found in well water

Three different types of iron can creep around in your well water ferric iron, ferrous iron and bacterial iron. In order to remove it, you must have a solid understanding of what form the iron is in. Performing a water test will reveal exactly what water conditions you are working with, and provide you with a more general idea of the parts-per-million of iron present in your well.

1. Ferric iron

Ferric iron is insoluble iron, meaning the iron minerals have not been completely dissolved within the water. If your water is a bright orange or red coloration, this is a great indication that you have a great deal of ferric iron present in your well. Since bacterial iron is in a precipitate form, it is the simplest form of iron to remove.

A sub-micron rated sediment filter is capable of removing the iron precipitate that has emerged from the water. This solution is ideal for those with low levels of iron, all of which is in ferric form. A sediment filter alone will not solve your problem if the well has ferrous iron in addition to the ferric iron.

2. Ferrous iron

Ferrous iron is soluble iron, meaning the iron has been entirely dissolved within the water. A glass of water with ferrous iron will appear crystal clear but when it's exposed to atmospheric conditions for a period of time & oxidizes, it will become ferric and start to emerge as a precipitate. Though it's not immediately visible, it has staining properties and will affect the taste and smell of your water. Ferrous iron is often found in deep wells, where the water has had less exposure to sunlight and the iron has therefore not oxidized. 

Water softeners are mainly used to remove water hardness minerals from water through ion exchange, a process where sodium ions are exchanged for positively-charged mineral ions. Since iron is a positively-charged cation, it will be attracted to the spherical anion resin beads and exchanged for a sodium ion, just like the calcium and magnesium ions. If there is any ferric iron present in the water, a sediment pre-filter will be necessary to prevent your water softener from becoming clogged with iron slugs. Water softeners are most efficient at removing iron from hard water. In case of soft water, an oxidizing filter will be more effective at reducing the iron content.

3. Bacterial iron

Bacterial iron is the trickiest and nastiest configuration iron can take in your well. Bacterial iron occurs when there are bacteria in the well that have bonded with the iron. It's a bright red sludge, resembling tomato soup & most commonly emerges in wells because of poor maintenance or improper well servicing. Bacterial iron will stick to the inside of pipes, clog your well pump, congest your plumbing fixtures.  Though bacterial iron itself is not harmful, it can create conditions where harmful pathogenic bacteria can grow. 

Shock chlorination introduces an intense concentration of chlorine (around 200ppm) to a well to thoroughly disinfect both the water and the physical well itself. In order to achieve satisfactory results, the entire depth of the well needs to be exposed to the shock chlorination. This includes the entire depth of the well, the walls, the well pump, and the pressure and distribution systems. Shocking the well eradicates the bacteria binding the iron, allowing you to catch the remaining iron with a softener, oxidizer, or sediment filter. If shocking your well does not adequately eliminate it, then a constant chlorination system may need to be installed after your retention tank.