waterline problems

[plumber_greg]

My turn to ask for help. Went to a feedlot the last 3 days on water volume problems. The way we have the system set up we pump with 2- 3/4 hp pumps into a 2" waterline. The reason is that the feedlot just kept expanding and one well was the original system. Have another system with a 3 hp 33 gpm pump, plus the rural watermeter. The feedlot has gotten added onto again and again, no one water source will supply enough water to everything.
Back to the wells. The 2" line is nearly plugged up with bacterial iron. We replaced it across the creek, and there is only about enough room in the pipe to stick your finger. It's about 2,000 ft, so not a long ways. I don't want to replace the whole line, because of the destruction of roads, lots, moving cattle, etc. Does anyone have a practical solution to getting the iron out of the line? We ran LP backwards through it and got some of it out, at least enough to plug waterers and hydrants and waterlines.
I can turn all the other water on the line and backflush, but it does no good. My next step is to clorinate the wells really strong and see if it will loosen some of it. I've always been able to clean it out before, but not this time. I really don't want to replace the line, really, really not. Any suggestions? gs

 

[Anonymous]

What about opening one end close to the well,dropping some pea gravel in a little at a time and forcing that thru to the end runs? Just take all the end fittings off so they don't clog and the gravel can exit. The gravel should break that stuff up good

 

[plumber_greg]

Guess I wouldn't lose anything if it did plug it up. Might make my decisions easier!! Thanks gs

 

[Anonymous]

How long are the runs? They make an attachment for pressure washers that is a rotating jetter too. If they're 250 ft or less( I doubt) that may be an option also

 

[agmantoo]

You need to do a chlorine shock treatment to the well and the water lines. I am suggesting a thorough treatment. Calculate the total amount of water stored in ALL the lines and the well casing included. The well casing will need to be treated inside starting at the surface. Done right the shock treatment should fix your problem. With the amount of buildup you have you may have to repeat the treatment a few time. Put a chlorinator on the system and keep the bacteria suppressed in the future.

 

[High Cotton]

What about boring a new line? Also what kind of line is it? PVC? Galvanized? I have ran it to problems repairing galvanized service lines before. You fix one leak and make 3 more.

 

[plumber_greg]

Agman, all they gotta' so is put about a pint of clohrine in the wells once a month. I have proven to them how well this will work. They will do it for a few times then stop. I am not in a position to make them. The owner and son have four hired hands and it still don't get done. We use mutriac acid once a year on the pumps and change them the next year.
A chlorinator sounds fine, and I have mentioned it, but someone has gotta put the pellets in!!!! I'm hoping the shock treatment works, so much stuff I don't know if I can keep it in the line, a 2,000' plastic class 200, long enough to do any good. Everytime something gets loose, the lines are plugged up. Afterwards for weeks the valves on the waterers will leak and plug.
You're thinkin' along the same lines as me, I just don't really have the time that it's gonna' take to do a proper job.
I'm gonna' try next week, at least because of the heat no calves are coming to the salebarns, so they can't buy any and their numbers are currently down and the one pump is keeping up. Thanks all gs

 

[cowboy43]

I don't know if it will work on a line that long but it may be worth a try, if you can fully open the line at each end by removing the facets, then hook a high volume air compressor to one end and blow it out the other, it starts the rust particles movings and acts as a sand blaster, just don't let anyone stand in front of the outlet because it is like shotgun pellets comming out. I have done this in my house and it worked.

 

[plumber_greg]

Thanks, cowboy. That won't work, that's why we use LP gas on a line that long and big, it usually does it. gs

 

[john250]

The more crud you clean out the more the line is likely to teak, don't you think?
I haven't dealt with galvanized pipe in a long time and never faced this problem.
The richest man in the county built a subdivision in his early days with 1/2" galvanized pipe serving probably 40 houses. That was down to 1/4" when the utility finally had to replace the whole thing.
How much water can you get from the meter?
I'm not sure I understant all the effort to blow this line out. Looks like this would take up a lot of the replacement cost. :???:

 

[agmantoo]

plumber_greg

Have you considered segmenting the 2000 ft run into say 3 segments by digging down to the 2 inch pipe every 666 and 2/3rds feet and cut the line and then cleaning out the segments one at a time? This would IMO minimize the build up and possibly clogging. If the setup would permit you could possible back flush the segments. Even if you get a clog from hell you may be lucky and only have to replace a single section. Good luck.

 

[backhoeboogie]

37 percent hydrogen peroxide gets the iron out of mine. Can't buy 50% anymore thanks to 9-11. 50 gallons costs me about $800 and that'll last me 3 years at the house - and we use a lot of water. I'd flush about a pint a time through there. Wear gloves and follow the MSDS. Get that on your skin and you'll know it in seconds. It will light you up.

 

[bear]

PG
Seems like by not replacing the line, you may be avoiding the inevitable. Directional boring and pulling HDPE back with fused joints may avoid the invasive nature of open trenching. A chemical injection system to treat the iron bacteria may also be an option. Sounds like they are not maintenance oriented. Using a large solution tank could cut down their time tending to the injection system.
Bear