How to Shock Your Drilled Well

Plain household bleach can disinfect a drilled water well

They can also cause the water to have an odor and a strange color.

1. Put on a pair of waterproof boots. Turn off the electricity to the drilled water well at the breaker box. Use a wet/dry vacuum to clean any dirt and debris from the well pit, spring house or storage tank, if applicable.

2. Put on the safety goggles and the rubber gloves. Mix up a solution of 1/2 gallon chlorine bleach to 5 gallons water in a bucket. Scrub the well cap and the casing with a brush.

3. Fill a clean bucket with 3 gallons water to shock a drilled well. Carefully pour 1/2 gallon of household bleach into the water. This will disinfect a well that measures 4 inches in diameter and is 100 feet deep or less. If the well is deeper, increase the amount of bleach according to the proportions of the solution.

4. Remove the lid off the drilled well pipe. It may be bolted on or it may be threaded. Move the wires aside. Pour the household bleach and water solution carefully into the pipe.

5. Attach a garden hose to the nearest outdoor water faucet. Put the end of the hose down into the well pipe. Turn the faucet on all the way. Turn the power to the water well back on. Allow the water to run until you can smell bleach coming from the hose. Continue to circulate the bleach with the hose.

6. Turn on each water faucet inside the house (one at a time) until you can smell chlorine bleach. Shut each faucet off at that time. Flush the toilets once. Then, allow the bleach to remain in the lines for 8 to 24 hours to finish shocking the drilled well.

7. Turn on all outside water faucets until you can no longer smell the bleach. Turn on the inside water faucets until the bleach smell is gone as well.

Warning

Always use extreme caution when working with electricity and water.

During the shocking process, do not drink water from the well. Provide bottled water or another source of fresh drinking water. Do not use water from the well except for the process.

Keep bleach out of the reach of children and pets. Use caution when using bleach. Even diluted bleach will kill any grass and vegetation it comes in contact with. Do not allow bleach to run into ponds, streams and into other water sources.