Water Filtration for Boreholes and Wells
While water sourced from boreholes and wells can be good quality it is untreated so needs to be approached with care.
Water from boreholes can contain a range of problems eg contaminants from animal waste, legacy chemical / industrial pollution, agricultural runoff - and other issues.
In the past 250 years, the industrial, then petro-chemical revolution probably came to a site near you. Meanwhile there is the age old problem of bacteria, viruses and other pathogens.
Have you Tested Your Water?
If you haven’t already done so you need to laboratory-test your water to find any particular local issues. For example some areas will have more Iron and Manganese issues than others. See How to test your water
Note on Flow Rates vs Pressure
Most customers approach us with a pressure measurement eg “We have a borehole that supplies the house at 45psi pressure.”
This pressure reading is usually re the water pump
Please note that when considering water filtration the biggest factor is flow rate, not pump pressure. Read more here about water filter flow rates
Below is a list of the main issues you might find with water from Boreholes, and the recommended solutions.
But first if you want to fast track this is what we usually recommend:
The Most Common Solutions
Money no object
Ultra violet water filter plus a Whole House Reverse Osmosis - with an optional iron and manganese filter (high levels of iron and manganese can cause the RO membrane to clog up / fail early so it’s best to have a pre-filter before the water reaches the RO system).
If you have limescale issue you could also get a whole house salt free softener
If you’re on a budget
A whole house Prefilter (to remove sediment/dirt). Then a UV filter for the whole property. Then an undersink Reverse Osmosis for point of use ie drinking and cooking water.
If you have limescale issue you could also get a whole house salt free softener. But the undersink Reverse Osmosis will remove scale (from your drinking and cooking water only)
You can mix and match the above budget solutions.
Main Issues with Borehole Water & Solutions
Micro-organisms / Pathogens like Cryptosporidium and E. coli and other bacteria / micro-organisms can cause serious health issues.
Regardless of what your water test comes back with you definitely want to protect against harmful micro-organisms - they can flare up / appear out of nowhere. More info on How to Remove Bacteria, Viruses and other Microorganisms from Your Water
Sediment / Dirt - Bascially mud and sand! See filters to remove sediment dirt
Iron and Manganese (if your water tests show this) These can negatively impact disinfection processes and water quality. They can appear as particulates or dissolved substances, leading to taste and color issues. This filter will treat your whole property.
Nitrates (if your water tests show this) More info here
