Blue Well Water (Agricultural 12' Open Well)

[FireyD]

We had to leave about 3 years ago, and thus was not cleaned in that time. When we left, the water was clear, with no hint of colour in any size. (Could see bottom of well w/ 10' + of water)

We came back in January and found this, sky blue hue. (We left due to a major military battle.) The area soil can be described as sandy with some red clay. We are in the "dry zone" of Sri Lanka, about 30 km from the ocean. Rain is seasonal. Other wells in the area are eithor brown or green water. Well is 30' deep.

We just recently visited (February 22nd) and the blue hue is not noticable when there is no sun light, but is noticable at high noon when the sun reaches down into the well. Further, it is not as deep as in January. The water has been used between January & now for bathing and washing, but not for drinking. We still can't see the bottom yet.

1. What could be causing this hue? If an ammunition shell landed in the well, could sulphur from the explosives be dissolving in the water?

2. This is a very rural and remote area, is there any easily portable tests available for copper, sulphur, nitrogen, etc? (Available in Sri Lanka)

3. Is it temporary, or has it always been there, but because of use, was never noticed?

4. Is it bacterial related?

 

[bimr]

Dug wells are no not common since it is so difficult to maintain sanitary conditions in the well.

http://des.nh.gov/organization/commissioner/pip/factsheets/dwgb/documents/dwgb-1-4.pdf

http://www.epa.gov/privatewells/basic_dug.html

http://www.purdue.edu/envirosoft/well/src/types2.htm

We generally see driven or bored wells.

The well that you have appears to be contaminated with waste. It looks similar to wastewater. High levels of calcium sulfate will also give an aquamarine color.

If you want to keep the well, you will have to drain it and sanitize the well with a disinfectant.

A better solution would be to abandon the well and have a bored or driven well installed.

For the sake of public health, you should have a complete water analyses preformed before the well water is used.

 

[bbrown72116]

We have diagnosed a problem similar to this before on a large Municipal system and the conclusion was that is was bacterial related and was successfully treated with additional chlorine.