Sudden clay like sediment in well water

[Driller1]

More than likely the driller didn't develop the well good enough when it was drilled and the gray stuff is 'drilling mud'. Then if there is a problem like this, many of them will tell you to run the water at your expense with your pump, until it clears. Which may take months because your pump is not large enough to do the job correctly.

And here is a driller not telling you anything about that, and to run the water hard. That's without mentioning anything to you about the damage that can cause, like enough time to run your pump dry and possibly ruin it. And then possibly scaring you into thinking there's possibly something wrong with your casing and that you may need a liner...

My guess is that you have a rock bore type well, and from what driller1 has said here or in other forums, she is basically unknowledgeable about them and this type problem. She automattically goes to a small diameter liner for her customers in MI.

And you could get a LAGER pipe down the hole??

[Akpsdvan]

There is another idea...

What if the pit less on the out side of the well casing where it hooks on to the pipe that feeds the house has opened up?

A customer had way to much sand and dirt showing up... the fitting that holds the pipe and the pit less together had come apart.. the ground had pushed down on that fitting and had undone it.

The Well Driller that the customer had used over the years came in and put a V over the fitting to keep the ground from pushing it apart along with a more flex fitting to help out.

[Driller1]

There is another idea...

What if the pit less on the out side of the well casing where it hooks on to the pipe that feeds the house has opened up?

A customer had way to much sand and dirt showing up... the fitting that holds the pipe and the pit less together had come apart.. the ground had pushed down on that fitting and had undone it.

The Well Driller that the customer had used over the years came in and put a V over the fitting to keep the ground from pushing it apart along with a more flex fitting to help out.

Sure. None of us can see it.

I NEVER pull off a hole until the water is crystal clear.

However now, it is what it is.

If the OP can kill the power and lift the pump up to the lower part of the pitless that would answer this question. Just hook the power back up and pump it though the pitless for a while.

The driller should have did the when they were there. Or, did they???

[Driller1]

I just remembered fixing one as described above. The pump ran most of the time and there was a puddles around the well.

If it is inside you should hear it with the cap off.

Something to check.....

[Gary Slusser]

There is another idea...

What if the pit less on the out side of the well casing where it hooks on to the pipe that feeds the house has opened up?

A customer had way to much sand and dirt showing up... the fitting that holds the pipe and the pit less together had come apart.. the ground had pushed down on that fitting and had undone it.

The Well Driller that the customer had used over the years came in and put a V over the fitting to keep the ground from pushing it apart along with a more flex fitting to help out.

But she doesn't have any of those complaints and hasn't mentioned a low flow problem which a leak usually causes. Or that the pump runs periodically with no one using water which would indicate a leak if there was no check valve at the pressure tank inlet.

[Gary Slusser]

I NEVER pull off a hole until the water is crystal clear.

That's becasue you are required by your sstate to produce clear water before leaving terh site. Most states do not require that of the driller and the OP may not be in your state of MI.

[Driller1]

That's becasue you are required by your sstate to produce clear water before leaving terh site. Most states do not require that of the driller and the OP may not be in your state of MI.

Yep, that is why if you can drill in Michigan you can drill anyplace.

Or, more to the point. If we can do it in Michigan there is never a reason for a well to pump dirty.

Fix the well.

[[email protected]]

I have been running clear for two days now. I feel nervous every time I run the water, but so far so good.

[Driller1]

I have been running clear for two days now. I feel nervous every time I run the water, but so far so good.

Great news!!!! Don't be afraid to use it. Pumping a well is good for it.

If it were a hole in the casing it would have remained dirty.

[Gary Slusser]

Great news!!!! Don't be afraid to use it. Pumping a well is good for it.

If it were a hole in the casing it would have remained dirty.

In many cases that is not true if it is a rock bore well. Doing so can actually make a bad situation in a rock bore well worse; or ruin the pump.

[Driller1]

In many cases that is not true if it is a rock bore well. Doing so can actually make a bad situation in a rock bore well worse; or ruin the pump.

Opinions vary......in what states do you hold a license???

[Gary Slusser]

Opinions vary......in what states do you hold a license???

How many hundreds of times do I have to tell you I have never been required to have a license anywhere other than a drivers license but...

You have a drilling license and don't know much about rock bore wells and you don't differentiate between your sand and gravel and rock bore wells. Which are very different.

[Driller1]

How many hundreds of times do I have to tell you I have never been required to have a license anywhere other than a drivers license but...

You have a drilling license and don't know much about rock bore wells and you don't differentiate between your sand and gravel and rock bore wells. Which are very different.

Hummmm....we drilled one of each already this week, how many have YOU drilled???

[Gary Slusser]

Hummmm....we drilled one of each already this week, how many have YOU drilled???

I have worked on many rock bore wells and can tell you that running water like you are telling people to do without knowing of and mentioning to those people the potential problems that can cause is a disservice to them because it is bad advice.

It has nothing to do with drilling a well or how many wells you have drilled.

[Driller1]

I have worked on many rock bore wells and can tell you that running water like you are telling people to do without knowing of and mentioning to those people the potential problems that can cause is a disservice to them because it is bad advice.

It has nothing to do with drilling a well or how many wells you have drilled.

But, it does have to do with you trying to sell them something.