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Water Well Clarification
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There will be occasional wells containing water too dirty for viewing or photography. This
condition is generally caused by colloidal particles (rust, dirt, minerals) in suspension in the
water column. Often the dirt will settle out if the well is allowed to stand undisturbed for a
period of 12 to 24 hours.
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If settling will not clear the water, replacing the well fluid with clear water is a rapid and
safe way to achieve visibility. Even the flow from a garden hose for 4 to 12 hours will clear
the well. The plan here is to add at least twice the volume of water in the well rapidly
enough to force the dirty water back into the formation. Preferably, the water should be
introduced below standing water level to avoid driving entrapped air into the fluid column
in the well. If this is not possible, the top 40 to 200 feet of the below-water portion of the
well will be full of gas bubbles, interfering with vision or photography. It will take a couple
of hours for this area to clear after the water flow has been stopped.
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Turbid well water can be cleared by flocculation. This is a chemical process that forces an
ionic exchange, causing the particles to migrate and clump until they are heavy enough to fall
out like snowflakes.
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There are many commercial flocculants available that are generally used to clean up boiler
water and municipal water supplies. Throughout the world we have found that certain
soleplates used in conjunction with an increase in the pH of the well water will work under
the greatest variety of conditions. Choose the combination that gives the heaviest flock and
fastest clearing.
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Occasionally viewing through well water is hampered by algae or bacteria in the well.
Particles are dislodged from the sidewalls by the passage of the camera, and the appearance
on the screen or pictures is like being in a heavy snowstorm. Should you notice this
occurrence contact Laval Underground Surveys regarding our line of well rehabilitation
products, Boresaver.
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When the area you wish to see is buried, an air jet pump can quite successfully be used to
remove the overburden. The action of this type of pump is so gradual it clears the adjacent
water very well, often leaving the well in condition for immediate viewing.
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Obviously, a well with an actual flow through it, bringing in silt particles, will only clear during
“off flow” conditions. This may be due to a season of the year, or in the case of a well field
