Monday, June 1, 2015

How to Treat Well Water Containing 27 PPM of Iron

My well water contains 27 PPM of iron.  Is there a way to treat water containing such high levels of iron?  I have lived in a mobile home park for a long time.   Sometimes there is also a foul odor in the water, like rotten eggs.   A couple of times the water failed bacteria testing for coliform bacteria, and we had to boil the water.

We have a deep well that pumps into 5000 gal cistern that is treated with chlorine then pumped to the park.  3 year ago they redrilled the well and this resulted in an extreme amount of iron entering the water system.  I would like to treat solely the water coming into my house.  My plan is to treat it and store it in a cistern 1000 gal maybe larger then pump it into the house.

John T.

John,

Thanks for contacting us.

We believe the best way to remove heavy or extreme iron, manganese and iron bacteria is to use a chlorine injection pump, a contact tank to ensure the reaction takes place, followed by a Pro-OX media iron filtration system, then a Sediment Backwash Filter for turbidity and colloidal iron removal, followed by a carbon backwash filter to remove residual chlorine and iron.


The chlorine bleach kills the bacteria and removes the odors, and allows the Pro-OX iron filter media to remove much higher levels of iron and manganese.  A cistern such as you plan on using makes for an excellent contact retention tank and allows for enough contact time for the chlorine to react with iron, as well as any manganese and bacteria, and especially odors.

The Pro-OX iron filter is definitely our best system for oxidizing and filtering out manganese and iron.  It lasts many years before needing to be replaced, and requires no maintenance.   The three stage filtration approach (Pro-OX plus Sediment Backwash Filter, followed by Carbon Backwash Filter) will sanitize the water and removes very high levels of odor, iron, manganese and any residual chlorine found after the cistern retention tank.

Since you are on a community system, one easy way to set up the chlorinator is by using a proportional feed type chlorinator.  This uses a flow sensor, and as water flows through it, precise levels of chlorine are injected based on rate of the water flowing into the cistern.   It is easy to install to and set up.



Precision Pulse Chlorinator

    Precision Pulse Chlorinator
  • CWS Lead-Free 3/4" or 1" pipe size(choose one) heavy-duty nylon engineered plastic flow meter operates accurately down to 0.5 gallons per minute
  • Good for chlorinating well water flow rates from 0.5 up to 25 gallons per minute
  • Metering pump can deliver up from 0.1 to 24 gallons of solution per day and is fully adjustable to get just the right chlorine residual that is needed.
  • Maximum flow rate 22 GPM for 3/4" meter size or 50 GPM for 1" meter
  • Works for line pressures up to 100 PSI
  • Dimensions: 10 gallon model: 14.5" wide x 24.5" height including pump. 25 gallon model: 18" wide x 37" height including pump.
  • Stroke frequency from 0 to 180 strokes per minute
  • Dosage is controlled by the flow sensor
  • De-gassing vent built-in makes the pump great for chlorination use
  • Unlike Stenner-style peristaltic pumps: no pump tube failures, no rollers to go bad, needs less service, and good for continuous duty
  • Uses regular household bleach (5% sodium hypochlorite) or liquid pool chlorine (12% sodium hypochlorite)
  • These heavy-duty metering pumps systems are designed to last for many years with minimal maintenance.
  • Pump easily mounts on the top of the tank or a wall
  • Primes super fast, and won't lose its prime.
  • Complete system includes chlorinator pump, solution tank, injection check valve, tubing, fittings







water treatment system

DIAGRAM: An Overview of How It Works



Pro-Ox Iron Filter 5900 Series, 1 cu. Ft, 115 Volt:                 
Pro-Ox Iron Filter 5900 Series 



Pro-OX Iron Filter 5900 Series includes pipe connectors; by-pass valve; 1.0 cubic feet of Pro-OX Manganese Dioxide NSF Certified filter media; 10 x 44 inch filter tank; 5900 automatic backwash control valve. Uses the Enpress tank with Vortech distributor which allows the Pro-OX media to be backwashed at lower flow rates with less water, saving water and energy.   

Dimensions: 10” diameter x 50” height with valve; Chlorine side tank is 10.5” diameter x 16” high


Excellent Warranty: 5 years on the control valve & 10 years on the mineral tank.

For more details, click here.



Sediment Backwash Filter 5900e 1.5 CF



    Sediment Backwash Filter 5900e
  • Better filtration than sand or anthracite filters
  • NSF Certified backwash control valve featuring time-tested, hydraulically balanced seal and spacers, providing years of trouble-free service. It is constructed from non-corrosive, high-tech materials and includes a simple, user-friendly LCD.
  • Our automatic backwash control valve functions in four modes: meter immediate, meter delayed, meter with day override, and calendar clock. Also includes a totalizer function, tracking the total amount of water treated.
  • More efficient backwashes that use less water and require backwashing less frequently
  • Longer life and higher flow rates
  • Enhanced water quality through filtration down to 5 microns
  • One-piece seamless polyester construction for longer system life
  • Fully adjustable backwash and rinse cycles, saving water and maximizing performance
  • High purity natural zeolite 14 x 40 inch mesh
  • NSF Certified



 Carbon Filter 5700-E 1.0 CF              




Carbon Filter 5700-E
Includes 1.0 cubic feet of carbon filter media; and Digital 5700-E control valve.

All the filter media you need for the system is included. Excellent for use in de-chlorinating water, taking out hydrogen peroxide and removing many tastes and odors.
Much longer life and higher flow rates than carbon filter cartridges. 




Excellent Warranty:  5 Years on Control Valve & 10 years on the media tank.


Click here for additional details.