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We are under contract on a house and we got the well test results back-it failed for low pH (acidity), high iron, and high lead. I have young children, so lead in the water is something I can't mess around with. I've been doing some reading and found that its highly unlikely that the lead is coming from the ground. There are only a few parts of the country where that tends to be an issue and this is not one of them.
The more likely explanation is that the acidity of the water is causing lead to leach from brass components in the plumbing (especially older ones with higher lead content) and lead solder. The original part of the house was built in 1896. Otherwise the house is in great shape and perfect for us, so I just want to find the right fix and ask the seller to take care of it. I'd love to hear from anyone who has dealt with this and what kind of system they used. It looks like there are a few ways to skin this cat from soda ash injection systems to limestone filters, but each have their pros and cons.
We are under contract on a house and we got the well test results back-it failed for low pH (acidity),
high iron, and high lead. ... The original part of the house was built in 1896.
What kind of pipes are in the house?
How old and how deep is the well?
Quote:
I've been doing some reading and found...
The more likely explanation is...
I just want to find the right fix and ask the seller to take care of it.
Have you told them you can't (won't!) buy without the remedy taken care of?
Have you asked a well driller about costs to drill a new and deep well...
and to re-pipe the supply from that new well into the house?
How about a plumber to install all the new water lines needed inside?
And probably some filtering as well?
btw... how's the septic system?
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1) Can you afford to buy the property 'as is' and take on all that work?
2) Does the seller have the ability to afford all that work?
If you can't answer yes to at least one of these two questions...
I'd say it's time to look for a new property.
Last edited by MrRational; 06-12-2017 at 05:47 AM..
What kind of pipes are in the house? How old and how deep is the well? Have you told them you can't (won't!) buy without the remedy taken care of?
Pipes in the house are a mish-mosh (galvanized iron, copper, HDPE, PVC, etc...) of whatever was available over the last 125 years or so. The attorney is preparing a letter stating that we will not go forward unless the lead is remediated, but I'm looking to learn more about the various options available.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MrRational
Have you asked a well driller about costs to drill a new and deep well...and to re-pipe the supply from that new well into the house?
A new well is not likely going to help-the lead is not coming from the ground. The acidity of the water (which is likely consistent as the whole county is known for having acidic water) is causing lead to leach out of the plumbing.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MrRational
How about a plumber to install all the new water lines needed inside? And probably some filtering as well?
Neither would be necessary with proper pH balancing. Again, looking to learn more about the various systems available to do so along with pros and cons of each.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MrRational
btw... how's the septic system?
Quote:
Originally Posted by MrRational
1) Can you afford to buy the property 'as is' and take on all that work?
Yes.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MrRational
2) Does the seller have the ability to afford all that work?
Yes.
Any information on soda ash injection vs. calcium/limestone filtration would be appreciated. Also, I read elsewhere that there may be an old lead service line somewhere between the well head and the house, so just replacing that could solve a large part of the problem as well.
Pipes in the house are a mish-mosh (galvanized iron, copper, HDPE, PVC, etc...) of whatever was available over the last 125 years or so. The attorney is preparing a letter stating that we will not go forward unless the lead is remediated, but I'm looking to learn more about the various options available.
A new well is not likely going to help-the lead is not coming from the ground. The acidity of the water (which is likely consistent as the whole county is known for having acidic water) is causing lead to leach out of the plumbing.
Neither would be necessary with proper pH balancing. Again, looking to learn more about the various systems available to do so along with pros and cons of each.
Yes.
Yes.
Any information on soda ash injection vs. calcium/limestone filtration would be appreciated. Also, I read elsewhere that there may be an old lead service line somewhere between the well head and the house, so just replacing that could solve a large part of the problem as well.
I wasn't going to respond, because I have no experience with wells. But, if you find that the service line is lead, changing the pH after the water enters the house, after it has passed through that line, wouldn't matter very much, as most of the lead in the water would be coming from that service line.
I wasn't going to respond, because I have no experience with wells. But, if you find that the service line is lead, changing the pH after the water enters the house, after it has passed through that line, wouldn't matter very much, as most of the lead in the water would be coming from that service line.
The key word there is "may." Obviously if there is a lead service line it will be replaced regardless, but the pH still has to be addressed because there are plenty of opportunities to introduce lead into the system (solder, fittings, fixtures, etc...) downstream of the service entrance to the house if the water is too acidic. So again, soda ash/sodium hydroxide injection? Limestone/calcium filter, etc...?
Had acid water once, used a limestone neutralizer followed by softener. You don't need the softener but obviously adding limestone is going to harden the water, plus you can get the iron out that way. Before we put in the neutralizer we'd get pinholes in the copper lines nearest the well (great way to get a wet basement), and blue copper staining. Thing about the limestone system is it's pretty simple; as long as there's limestone in it, it works. The injection systems have an injector pump, and you have to mix the chemical solution, more things to maintain and go wrong. The injection systems don't harden the water, but they still add sodium just like a limestone + softener system would.
If there's any non-lead-free metals in the well piping, you (or rather, the seller) is going to have to pull that and the pump and replace it; obviously the lead service line as well. It's going to be expensive, but... still the seller's problem, right?
PBS's Nova had a show on why this was such a huge issue in Flint. Lead pipes, leaded solder and fittings with lead themselves are not necessarily a bad thing. That's not to say they should be avoided or replaced where practical either. A scale naturally forms on the inside providing a barrier between the pure lead and the water. This scale made of lead is less likely to dissolve into the water, crazy as it is you are protected from lead by lead.
Modern water treatments for other things or perhaps acidic water in your case can dissolve this scale or prevent it from forming, water companies are required to add an agent that preserves and even strengthens the scale.
Getting back to Flint they were not adding this, this scale that was built up over perhaps 100 years is now dissolving in the water which is even worse than the bare lead pipe. Full show is here:
One other thing, are sure the test was performed properly? Basing this on the NOVA story the proper way to perform such test would be to sample it after the water wasn't used for perhaps an 8 hour period or something along those lines. This makes sense because it's real world scenario. Sampling it from pipes that have water sitting them for days or weeks in not a real world scenario. Vice versa you wouldn't run the water and then sample it which is one of the things officials were doing to hide the problem.
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