Coliform Bacteria in Well Water Treatment: Cost & How to Treat

Have you noticed the water from your well smells a bit off and has a slight discoloration? This might be a sign of coliform bacteria contamination.

Even if you’re not sure this is the case, you should never drink well water that smells bad and isn’t crystal clear. If you become infected with coliform bacteria, you’ll likely develop fever, stomach cramping, vomiting, and/or diarrhea.

We know this sounds alarming, but knowing how to tackle the issue can make all the difference. We’re here to break down what these bacteria are, how they sneak into your water supply, and most importantly, how you can kick them out for good.

What Is Coliform Bacteria?

Coliform bacteria are a group of rod-shaped bacteria that live almost everywhere – soil, organic matter, and even on your skin.

When it comes to your drinking water, there are three main types of coliform bacteria to be aware of:

• Total Coliform Bacteria: These are pretty common in the environment. You can find them in the soil and on plants. They’re usually harmless, but if they’re in your drinking water, it might mean there’s a pathway for other harmful pathogens to get in, too.
• Fecal Coliform Bacteria: These bacteria live in the intestines of people and animals. They can cause illnesses like typhoid fever and dysentery. If they’re in your water, it means there’s fecal contamination, which could also imply the presence of other dangerous pathogens, like viruses.
• E. coli Bacteria: E. coli is a type of fecal coliform bacteria. While most E. coli strains are harmless, a specific strain known as E. coli O157:H7 can cause severe outbreaks. If you find E. coli in your well water, you need to take immediate action to address the contamination.

How Does Coliform Bacteria Get into Wells?

When a well is first built, it’s disinfected and sealed off to keep bacteria out. But over time, bacteria can still find their way in through different routes:

• Unscreened vents or entry points: Every well has vents and entry points that should be screened to keep bugs and small animals out. If these screens break down over time, small creatures can get in and bring bacteria with them.
• Groundwater contamination: Your well gets its water from the ground. If there’s a leaking septic tank or a sewage spill nearby, it can contaminate the groundwater, leading to bacterial issues.
• Surface water seeping in: After heavy rain or a flood, surface water carrying bacteria can seep into your well if the seal is broken. This surface water can also mix with the groundwater, bringing contaminants along.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends you test your well water for contaminants twice a year. You should also inspect all vents and entry points regularly.

It’s also a good idea to check the well casing, which houses the pump and protects the water. The casing should stick out at least eighteen inches above the ground to keep surface water from entering the well, and the wellhead should be properly sealed to avoid contamination.g that houses the well pump and protects water. The casing should extend at least eighteen inches above ground level to prevent surface water from entering the well, and the wellhead must be sealed to prevent contamination.

Signs of Coliform Bacteria Contamination in Water

Here are some signs that your water might be contaminated with coliform bacteria:

• Cloudy Water: If your water looks cloudy or has sediment, it could mean there’s turbidity in your well. This often suggests coliform bacteria are present.
• Discolored Water: Water turning yellow or brown can be a sign of bacterial contamination.
• Weird Smells: Bacteria can make your water smell bad, like sulfur or another unusual odor.
• Illness: The most serious sign is if you or your family get sick. Drinking water with bacteria can cause stomach problems like vomiting and diarrhea.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), there should be no coliform bacteria present in drinking water. If you ever experience any symptoms or notice any of these signs, test your water right away. You can use a home water testing kit or send a sample to an EPA-certified lab.purchasing a home water kit manufactured explicitly for this purpose or sending a water sample to an EPA-certified lab.

How to Treat Coliform Bacteria in Water

1. Shock Chlorination

This is the most common way to clean private wells of bacterial contamination. It’s also used to disinfect new wells before they start being used.

The process involves pouring chlorine bleach into the well, circulating the treated water through the entire piping system, and then flushing it out after 12-24 hours. The amount of bleach you need depends on the size of your well. For detailed instructions, the University of Georgia offers a comprehensive guide on shock chlorination.

Keep in mind that this method only disinfects the well and the piping system. If your groundwater is contaminated by septic runoff, it won’t be effective, and you’ll need to consider other treatment options.

Also, since shock treatment uses chemicals, it can be risky. It’s best to hire a professional to do it for you.

2. Boiling

Boiling your water is an effective way to kill coliform bacteria because heat destroys the vital structures of these bacteria.

To effectively kill all the bacteria, boil your water in a full-rolling mode for at least one minute. After boiling, let it cool in the fridge before using it.

3. Distillation

Distillation involves boiling water until it turns into steam, which is then condensed back into liquid form. This process is as effective as boiling at removing bacterial pathogens.

Distillation also removes contaminants like arsenic and fluoride since they can’t vaporize. The purified steam is collected and returned to the original container as pure water.

This method is used by bottled water manufacturers to purify their products. There are also affordable countertop distillers available. While their purifying capacity of 1.5 liters per hour might not be enough for large households, they can provide clean water for small families.

4. Filtration

Water filters can be installed at the point-of-entry (POE) for your whole house or point-of-use (POU) for specific faucets. These filters remove contaminants using porous membranes or adsorption media.

However, not all filters are equally effective against bacteria.

• Activated carbon filters: These filters can adsorb some chemical pollutants and heavy metals, but they mostly have a 0.1-micron pore size. While this is enough to eliminate E. coli according to the CDC, it’s not enough for many other bacterial and viral pathogens.
• Ultrafiltration: These filters usually have a pore size of 0.01-micron or less, making them effective at removing coliform bacteria.
• Nanofiltration: These filters have pore sizes ranging from 0.008 to 0.01-micron, which can handle any bacterial pathogen. However, finding a household nano-filtration unit can be challenging.
• Reverse osmosis (RO): RO systems push water through a semipermeable membrane with a pore size of 0.0001-micron. This tiny pore size makes RO units ideal for removing all kinds of contaminants, including bacteria.

5. Ultraviolet Sterilization

Using ultraviolet light (UV) can effectively kill all microorganisms in water. However, the water must be clear in the first place for the UV process to work.

UV rays need to reach every part of the water to disinfect it. If there are minerals, iron, or turbidity, UV sterilization won’t be as effective.

Therefore, it’s recommended to pre-filter the water before using a UV sterilizer. Given that all of the above-mentioned filtration methods are highly effective against coliform bacteria, a UV sterilizer might not be necessary.

How Much Does It Cost to Treat Coliform in Your Well Water?

• Shock chlorination: This method costs between $80 and $200, depending on your location. You can save money by doing it yourself, but it’s often safer to hire a professional.
• Boiling: Boiling water is inexpensive; you just need a bit of gas or electricity, depending on how you heat your water.
• Distillation: You can get a countertop distiller for under $200. It’s a one-time purchase that can provide clean water for a small household.
• Filtration: Filtration systems vary in price. A whole-house filtration system for a single-family home costs around $2,000. Under-the-sink filters are cheaper, typically under $500, but they need to be replaced annually, which adds to the cost.
• UV sterilizer: A UV filter costs between $100 and $500. However, it works best when used with a good filtration system.

Frequently Asked Questions

Final Thoughts

Not all coliform bacteria are harmful, but finding any in your well water can indicate a bigger problem, like fecal contamination or the presence of E. coli. It’s important to treat it right away to avoid serious health risks.

Shock chlorination is a common and effective method, but it’s not a long-term fix. Boiling and distilling water are two methods that are affordable and good for small families, but they might not work well for large households.

UV sterilization is great at killing all microorganisms, but it works best when the water is already filtered. That leaves us with filtration systems, which we recommend as the ideal solution—they’re both effective and convenient.