How to Remove Sediment From Well & Spring Water

Well or spring water can be full of naturally occurring particles and grit.  Sediment in water can clog valves, fixtures, and irrigation systems. Sediment in well water can ruin water heaters and appliances.

How to remove sediment depends on the type and amount of sediment.

Although water-sediment cartridge filters are widely available at hardware stores, they are often poorly sized or use the wrong type of filter for the type of sediment in the water. The result is often a pressure drop, reduced flow rate, and frequent maintenance.

With the correct well water sediment filter for the sediment present, there is a little pressure drop, and maintenance is kept to a minimum.  To find the best sediment filter for your well water, consider the following types:

There are five main types of sediment filters that are most useful for well and spring water:

• Spin-down filter strainers
• Cartridge filter systems
• Ultra-Filtration (UF) membrane systems

Introduction to Sediment Removal

Sediment removal is a critical process for anyone relying on well or spring water, as it directly impacts the cleanliness and efficiency of your water system. Over time, sediment can build up in water heaters, pipes, and plumbing fixtures, leading to reduced water pressure, clogged valves, and even higher energy bills as your system works harder to deliver water.

Common types of sediment include iron, manganese, and other minerals that can settle out of the water and accumulate in your plumbing. Keeping your water system clean and free of sediment not only protects your water heaters and pipes but also ensures that your water remains safe and pleasant to use.

By understanding and addressing sediment buildup, you can maintain optimal water pressure, extend the life of your plumbing, and avoid costly repairs.

Understanding Sediment

Sediment is a naturally occurring material that can find its way into your water system from a variety of sources. In well water, sediment often comes from the ground itself, carrying particles like sand, silt, and clay into your pipes.

Additionally, minerals such as iron and manganese can dissolve in water and later precipitate out, forming sediment as they react with air or heat. Corrosion of pipes and fixtures can also introduce rust and scale into your system, further contributing to sediment buildup.

To effectively remove sediment, it’s important to identify its source and type. Sediment filters, especially those with mesh sizes like 60 (250 microns) or 100 (150 microns), are specifically designed to capture these particles and keep your water clean.

Choosing the right filters for your well water system ensures that iron, manganese, and other debris are efficiently removed before they can cause problems in your pipes and appliances.

Questions to Ask When Choosing a Well Sediment Filter

• What type of sediment do I have in my water system?
• What is the flow rate in gallons per minute that I want to filter?
• What is my line pressure in PSI?
• Which type or combination of types of filtration should I use?
• Do I have sub-micron sediment or turbidity that cannot be filtered out by standard filters and requires ultra-filtration or flocculation combined with filtration?

How to Remove Sediment: Test Your Water

 

It might look like sediment by the time you see it in the toilet bowl or laundry, but often what we think of as sediment is actually dissolved metals such as iron or manganese that turn into a solid particle only after they have entered the household plumbing. A basic water analysis is always a good idea when determining which type of well sediment filter is best for your needs.

A general mineral analysis will provide a list of the common minerals. Important items to test for include:

• pH
• Hardness (calcium carbonate)
• Iron
• Manganese
• Total dissolved solids

Stains and Odors

If water is discolored or has a strong odor, you may also want to test for:

• Iron Bacteria
• Tannin
• Hydrogen sulfide

Professional Analysis or Home Test Kit?

If you are trying to remove sediment in well water or eliminate iron, manganese, or odors, home test kits you can do yourself on-site can work very well. The EPA recommends testing your water annually for coliform bacteria and nitrate.

To find a local lab, consult your county health department for recommendations.

The water sample should be drawn as close to the source as possible, before any filtration systems.

Perform a “Toilet Tank Inspection”

Unless your toilet tank is new or has recently been cleaned, your toilet flush tank can be a wealth of useful water quality information! Simply lift the cover and look in.

It is recommended that you drain your water heater at least once per year. This is not only quick and easy to do, but it will also flush out the sediment that may accumulate at the bottom and give you an idea of the sediment type and color, if any, that are present.

Connect a garden hose to the bottom drain on your water heater and open the valve and run the water into a white 5-gallon bucket.

Check for Pipe Corrosion and Scale Build-up

Your pipes and/or water heater can introduce sediment into your water if they are corroding. Unless your home is new, it is important to check for pipe corrosion scale build-up in the piping. Fortunately, this is not difficult to do by using one of the following methods:

• Check for signs of blue stains in fixtures, blue stains in toilet tanks, which can indicate copper corrosion, and/or test the water for copper.
• If you have galvanized iron pipe, look for signs of rust and rust-colored scale in the toilet flush tank.
• If possible, inspect the exterior of pipes and valves, to see if you see any signs of pinhole leaks or corrosion by-products which can be crusty, bluish, white or salty looking or rusty. If you are having any plumbing work done on your house, inspect any sections of the pipes that have been cut to see if there is any scale build-up or signs of corrosion.

Sediment Filter System Types:

• Mesh screen “spin-down” filter strainers: 100 to 500-micron range, remove sand and larger sediment
• Micron cartridge filters: 0.5 to 100 microns range, remove fine sediment
• Sediment backwash filters: filter down to 5 to 10-micron range and are self-cleaning. Often used in conjunction with 1 to 5-micron cartridge filters.
• Ultrafiltration membranes (UF): filter down to less than 0.15 microns. Remove bacteria; very fine colloidal sediment.

Spin Down Filter Strainers

Spin-down filters use screens of varying sizes to remove large sediment and grit from the water. A typical practical size for home water wells is either 60 (250 microns) or 100 (150 microns) mesh.

Mesh Size to Micron Chart

How to Remove Sediment in Water with a Three-Stage Approach