Why Does My Well Water Suddenly Have Sediment?

Well water is amazing what would you do if it suddenly has sediment and can’t figure out why? So, if you want to why does it happen, how to fix it, and whether you need a well pump service or not, read this guide.

Causes Of Sediment In Well Water

The Well Casing Is Deteriorating

You have to see the well and figure out where the sediments, gravel, and sand are coming from. A lot of the time, it can be deteriorating well casing that causes sediment-laden water from around the well to mix with the well water.

A degrading well casing is not good for your well because if not replaced, things will get to a point where your well will start to choke up because of all the sand and sediment. It’s important that you replace the well casing if it’s damaged to avoid sediment problems. However, have an expert inspect your well to make sure this is the cause of sediment in your well water.

The Pump Is Placed Wrong

Sediment, most of the time, is heavier than water and it settles down at the bottom. When you’re placing a well pump, you want to do so in a way that it touches the top of the water and not the bottom where all of the sediment lies. If the well pump is installed too low, it will lead to the water mixing up with the sediment and cause the water to turn turbid and dirty.

So, if you want to ensure that sediment isn’t a problem, then place the well properly and don’t wedge it all the way down to the root of the well. That will only be disastrous in the long run. This also shows how important proper well pump installation is.

Now, well pumps are only installed by professionals because the process requires a professional. However, make sure you’re hiring an experienced one.

Low Well Water Pressure

Sometimes, low well pressure or even pump pressure can lead to sediment making its way into the water. This is a really common problem and there are a lot of reasons why it can happen.

You can either have a deteriorating pump that isn’t pushing a lot of water out of the well. There can also be problems with the declining water level in the well or there might even be air in the pump that can lead to air disturbing the well and in turn it will cause sediment to get mixed in with the water and you’ll see grainy, murky and turbid water coming through your taps and faucets.

So, if that is something recurring, then you need to get to the bottom of the problem and fix it once and for all. You might need to troubleshoot some things first but it’s easy to figure out the issue and once you have that down, you can fix the problem and go about your activities.

An Issue With The Well Screen

A well screen is mainly a filter but for the well. It is a mesh screen that is placed at the bottom of the well where the water will be pushed through and out of the pump. This screen keeps the majority of the sediment away but there can also be problems in the screen that can cause the intrusion of sediments and grains in the water.

It can be because of a tear in the mesh screen, ignoring cleaning and maintenance of the well screen, or it can also be due to dislocation of the mesh screen and this can give sediment access to the water. So, this is something that you need to figure out.

If you see a lot of sediment and dirt in the water suddenly, then you might want to check your well screen and most of the time, the problem will be with the screen. So, try cleaning your well screen.

You Have An Oversized Well Pump

You might think that getting a big-sized pump for your well is great, since the other way around doesn’t work. But that might not do you any good either. When it comes to choosing a well pump for your well, it’s important that you keep the size in mind. This is something that a lot of people can easily forget and they think that bigger always means better.

Well, in the case of a well, this doesn’t apply. The bigger and oversized well pump will suck everything out of the well, even the sediment and you’ll see a lot of it in the water when you open your faucet.

So, it’s not a good idea to go for an oversized pump because it might just end up doing more bad than good. You can also damage the pump assembly by choking the moving parts with well sand that is quite similar to wet cement. So, consult a well pump replacement MD professional who can replace the pump with a correct-sized one.

No Regular Well Inspection

This is also another reason why your well might be filled with more sediments and grains than water. Ignoring well inspections causes problems in the future. Well inspection and testing is crucial for the well because you want to know how the water level is, what is lacking in the well, whether it needs to be cleaned or not, and all that.

This is something that a lot of people just don’t pay attention to and this can lead to some detrimental effects in the end, like sand and sediment everywhere.

The Foundation Is Sandy

Wells are mostly dug in places where there is an abundance of sedimentary rocks. Sedimentary rocks are very porous and they tend to store a lot of liquids within themselves. This is why you tend to find a lot of water reservoirs and even hydrocarbons in sedimentary rocks.

But with sedimentary rocks, you will also encounter a problem and that has to do with the foundation of the rocks being very fragile and sandy. They can collapse very easily and the sediments can get loose and get mixed in with water. So, this is why wells are cased to begin with so that sediments aren’t a problem.

There’s A Lot Of Rain

Rain can also play a very important role in loosening the sediments in a well. If you live in an area where it rains constantly, then you don’t need water from the well to loosen the sediments because rain pelting down from the sky will do all of the work and it will disturb the terrain a lot.

This will cause the sediments to loosen and then get mixed with the water. So, this is something you need to keep in mind and prepare for.

Conclusion

Sediment in well water is just as common as low water pressure. But, it’s not to say that it is not inconvenient. And it doesn’t go away on its own so you should call in a well pump repair Berkeley County expert who can inspect the water well and other components and come up with the right solution. Two common fixes are raising the well pump and replacing the casing. However, other methods can also be involved in fixing this problem.