By Winston Muleba JR
It is evident that water is life; it is the fuel of most mankind activities. Without it, man and his activities would die a natural death. It is a valuable commodity to say the least.
Due to high demand, water is gradually becoming scarce. At domestic level, individuals use it for drinking, cooking, washing and watering gardens.
And at commercial level, water is used differently across sectors such as manufacturing, mining, construction, agriculture and tourism, among others.
Because of the fast rise in demand, in the recent past most individuals and institutions have embarked on putting up boreholes and wells at their houses and farms/companies for domestic and commercials use respectively.
However, a borehole at times delivers undesired quality of water - brownish. The factors that may cause this are many.
And the following are 7 reasons why your borehole delivers brownish water:-
1. Iron content in the soil around the borehole is high hence making the water brown.
2. Borehole was not flashed when it was put up.
2. Borehole was not flashed when it was put up.
3. Steel casing were used instead of PVC.
4. Water is contaminated; may contain some pathogens.
5. Borehole bottom is collapsing due to inadequate casing hence pumping mud.
6. Surface infiltration of water. This is usually due to impaired pump and casing system.
7. Earth movements could also cause a change in water quality, either by loosening fine grains of silt and soil or lowering the water level.
If the above reasons are the causes for brown water coming from a borehole, the following could be the solutions:-
1. If its high iron content and the water is for domestic use, it maybe unpalatable due to bad taste and colour. Therefore, the consume must buy a filter from hardware and install it.
2. If the borehole has collapsed, have it flashed. Note that a properly functioning borehole with a sanitary well cap should not be impacted by rain. The pump system consists of the borehole cap, and grouting. Surface flooding or excessive rain could flow down the casing area if the grouting is damaged or the borehole cap not sealed
properly. This of course would also allow bacteria from the surface to enter the borehole.
3. If water is contaminated by unknown means, take the water samples to the lab e.g UNZA, CBU, Alfred Knight.. for analysis and use the results to buy the correct chemicals to clear the water. Testing the borehole for bacteria would determine if the water were safe to drink and would indicate if there was surface infiltration.
4. If the borehole was not adequately or completely flashed, have it flashed.
5. If steel casing were used, replace them with PVC or use the borehole so often such that pipes don't get rust.
Generally, its very important to have the water tested for quality immediately the consume notice color change - before you employ any of the proposed solutions.
It is cheaper to test your water than call a technician. A complete water test would help determine the source and extent of the problem and possible treatments or solutions. The tests may focus on manganese concentration, iron concentration, iron bacteria, pH, hardness, dissolved solids as well as the tests for total coliform, fecal coliform and e-coli bacteria.
Research shows that as rain falls or snow melts on the land surface, and water
seeps through iron-bearing soil and rock, iron can be dissolved into the water. In some cases, iron can also result from corrosion of iron or steel well casing or water pipes. Iron can occur in water in a
number of different forms. Iron is harmless, but can affect taste and use of water.
An appropriate response to the presence of iron is to install the right treatment system/filter. The type of iron present is important to know when considering water treatment. Water that comes out of the faucet clear, but turns red or brown after standing is “ferrous” iron, commonly referred to as
“clear-water” iron.
Water which is rust colored, red or yellow when first drawn is “ferric” iron, often referred to as “red- water” iron. Iron can form compounds with naturally occurring acids, and exist as
“organic” iron. Organic iron is usually yellow or brown, but may be colorless. A combination of acid and iron, or organic iron, can be found in shallow wells and surface water. Although this kind of iron
can be colorless, it is usually yellow or brown.
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About the Author:
Winston Muleba Junior is a Scientist, Researcher, Citizen Journalist, Blogger, Writer and Disaster Management Practitioner who uses media and ICT to promote science, technology and innovation. He gravitates towards environment: water, aquaculture,
land, climate change and agriculture as he is skilled at juxtaposing the latest research and expert opinion with the everyday lives and struggles of people on the ground. Email: mwenyamuleba@gmail.com
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