Borewell water turning brown after storage - Vaikom, Kottayam District
Submitted by suthara on July 17, 2010 - 14:43
We use the water for household purposes. We have attached a ultra-violet filter for drinking water purpose.
Currently, the water is clear when it come from the borewell while it turns brown after storage in the tank.
Please suggest what is the suitable filter to cater to this situation.
- Loaction - Vaikom, Kottayam district, Kerala (approx. 1.5 KM away from Vembanad lake)
- Diameter of the bore well - 2.5 inch
- Depth of bore well - 4-5 meter
- Year of Construction - 2007 August
- Casing pipe - PVC
Water Quality Report
- Conductivity - 310 mocroS
- PH - 6.19
- Tubidity - 20.1 NTU
- Total alkalinity as CaCO3 - 88mg/l
- Phenolphthalien alkalanity as CaCO3 - Not Detected
- Bicabonate alkalinity as CaCO3 - 88mg/l
- Carbonate alkalanity as CaCO3 - Not Detected
- Hydroxide alkalanity as CaCO3 - Not Detected
- Solphate as CaCO3 - 10.62mg/l
- Chloride as CaCO3 - 30mg/l
- Silica as CaCO3 - 16.91mg/l
- Nitrate as CaCO3 - 0.56mg/l
- Total Hardness as CaCO3 - 112mg/l
- Calcium as CaCO3 - 80mg/l
- Magnesium as CaCO3 - 32mg/l
- Sodium as CaCO3 - 30mg/l
- Total Iron as Fe - 5.01mg/l
- Total dissolved solid - 166mg/l
- Total suspended solid - 4mg/l
- BOD at 27 deg C for 3 days-3mg/l
- COD - 39.63mg/l
- Coliforms - 350MPN in 100 ml
- E Coli - Absent
In our area we use manual method to make the well. As the sand is soft and the required depth is less, a manual method of drilling the hole using iron pipes and rope is being used.They use a heavy iron pipe with sharp edge to penetrate the earth and remove the sand intermittandly.Once the groundwater is found with appropriate sand bed, they insert the casing pipe and well pipe.
Comments
1. BOREWELL WATER TURNING BROWN AFTER STORAGE.
Dear Suthara,
The test report provided by you is indicating that your water is failing in the parameters of pH6.19, Turbidity 20.1 NTU,Total Iron 5.01 mg/l and Coliforms 350 MPN in 100ml.This water is not fit for human consumption as per IS:10500.
The reason behind the water turning brownish after storage is the presence of Excess of Ferrous Iron in the form of its bicarbonate..When water comes in contact of Air the ferrous Iron is oxidized to insoluble Ferric Iron Hydroxide and is seen in the form of brownish yellow precipitate.
You should use Iron removing filters for treatment of this water.
regards,
AMIT KR. SINGH,
GOVT. OF HARYANA,
PUBLIC HEALTH ENGG. DEPARTMENT,
WATER TESTING LAB,KARNAL-132001(HARYANA)
09416204204,09729248248,
ak_ranaji3@yahoo.co.in
2. Borewell water turning brown after storage
Dear Sir,
From what you have described regarding the water quality changing and the quality report attached, the only thing that comes to my mind it that the iron in the water is probably reacting or getting oxidised or reacting with bleaching powder that you may be adding to the water to disinfect it and it is precipitating resulting in the brown colour.
You could install a iron removal filter to get rid of this problem.
A list of vendors are available here:
http://dir.indiamart.com/cgi/compcatsearch.mp?ss=iron+removal+filters
Hope this solves your probem
3. Borewell water turning brown after storage - Vaikom, Kottayam Di
Dear Suthara,
Are open dug wells in your neighbourhood also reporting the same problem. Is there any specific reason (such as availability of space ) that you have gone for a borewell and not open dug well.
It would be interesting to know whether open wells tapping water at different depths also report such high Iron.
Vaikom area is underlain by thick peat formations which should be avoided while tapping the aquifer through borewells/dug wells. Fine to medium Sand zones only need to be tapped and the the top sealed by cement rings.These sand formations receive fresh recharge from rainfalland do not report Iron contamination, although they report reduced inflows during summer months.
All the very best
K.A.S.Mani
4. Borewell water
Thank you all for the advice.
I have an open well also.But when we start consuming more water ,say approx 1000 litres , the well water turns turbid.
If we are not using the water for three days the water is clear.That means,I think, slow aeration and subsequent settling of the particle happens?
Shall I go for a water fall aerator and then a settling tank fllowed by a filter to solve the problem? Shall I add alum to the settling tank and allow the water to settle for a day,then filter it to a second tank from there I can pump to the overhead tank. Area for installing these tanks are not a problem for me.
One of the water treatment company suggested for a combination of sand filter, chlorine dosing, PH boosting, and an iron filter costing more than 1.3 lakh, which I feel costly.
If any better idea, please suggest.
Thanking you,
Suthara
Suresh
5. Borewell water turning brown after storage
Dear Sir,
The test report indicates there is excess IRON and Coliform bacteria in your water. So after collecting your water from normal UV filter ( AQUA GUARD) you can use a normal Candel filter which is capable of removing the Iron to some extent .
Sibasis Panda
sibasis panda
6. Borewell water turning brown on storage
Dear Suthara,
The method suggested by the other company is perfect, but costs high. I can offer u a complete user friendly system with all the above methods for a price of Less than 50,000/-.
Neeradhan
Geologist
M/s. Indus Geotech, Trivandrum
Ph. 94461 75251 / 9447087293
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