Bore hole, water stinking, help please.

Spot_the_Risk

Spot_the_Risk

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www.animalcrackersdevon.co.uk
Our bore hole has been in place for about six years. It's only used for drinking water for the horses but as we also collect rain water it hasn't seen a lot of use over the winter. Last summer the water was smelly, almost silage smell and we put it down to a local farmer storing his round haylage bales about 20 metres away (he probably doesn't know we have a bore hole, he hasn't owned the land for long). Stupidly we haven't had a word with him before he's cut this year and the bales are in the same place... and the horses won't drink. I am going to pop in and see him when he's home later this afternoon but wondered if anyone knew if there was any legislation about bore holes and possible problems... any help gratefully received!
 
We are on a bore hole, by law it has to be tested every 5 years as it supplies more than 1 property as the household water. But if it's only for you, you don't have to get it tested, If you want it testing go through your local council it costs about £100.
Any run off from surrounding fields will affect the water quality. Is he a cattle farmer?
Or could something have died in the water storage?
 
we had a bore hole at one of my old yards. Could never use it as it always smelt like rotten eggs! was vile! and the water was manky so had to go through a man made filtration system before it could be drunk. didnt get rid of the smell though.
 
He has dairy cattle, they are grazed in a different field in each day, it's an organic farm and I've never known them spread on the land. There is no water storage, I run the generator and the pump which is 60 metres down brings water straight to the surface so I don't think that's the problem, I can only think it's the silage storage - our field is high up and there are only two fields higher than our 60 metres down pump, and one just has a few ponies on it.

Rotten eggs, that's it! The water was beautiful for the first four or so years, we could drink it straight from the hosepipe and it was sweet and clear (still is clear).
 
We have a deep bore well and the water also stinks of rotten eggs, even though it comes up from 200 feet below and goes through our own very expensive filtration system. We have had the water tested and the lab tell us it is absolutely safe to drink despite the rotten smell of the sulpher in it. But the stink does put you off even if you know it is quite safe.

However, we have found that if you draw the water up and allow it to stand uncovered (possibly in an a jug in the fridge or something)for a short while the smell dissipates completely.

Our horses have no problem drinking it at all.....once it is standing in their trough the smell soon disappears.
 
Thank you MrsJingle, last year we found the smell went on standing but this year it's lingering for longer. I've resorted to chucking a scoop of Fast Fibre into it but that's not a long term solution of course!
 
I wonder if it counts as drinking water if it's for the animals. If it did then even if it was for one property the neighbours wouldn't be allowed to contaminate it with any run off.

I would speak to the farmer and explain what you explained on here. He may be able to move the bales and solve the problem relatively easily and all farmers will be v well aware of the headache they get if the environment agency or environmental health people start examining their handling of all of the potential fluid runoffs on the farm, so he might well be keen to sort it simply by moving the heap. I would ask the farmer whether he would prefer to move the bales in case it's them causing the issue, or you get the council (they often provide a service to do this tho you might have to pay) to get it tested first to see if it is agricultural runoff or something else).
 
Nicely put Lachlan. We don't know them very well but always say hello so no problems and that's the way I'd like to keep it, no need for this to become an issue. The field that the bales are in is above a lower field which a bungalow has a well in - when I say well, I mean three concrete rings set into the ground, so there is potential for seepage there too.
 
Hi i know this is an old thread. The problem you have is higher than normal levels of Hydrogen sulphide. This can be annoying due to the smell. It is possible to get rid of it with filtration. Another cheaper way is to try and get as much air into the water IE putting it into a tank up high so the smell cant be noticed. I know the water smells but does it taste funny try leaving it for a few mins first?

regards max
 
I work for the Environnment Agency and the Silage slurry and agricultural fuel oil regs state silage, slurry etc and all simialar things MUST be stored at LEAST 10m form any wtarecourse and this includes ones which dry up in summer and AT LEAST 50m from any well or borehole. You MUST now tell the environment Agency and Liaise with them over the clean up of the water and the farmer MUST move his bales. This is a serious issue and you need to also tell the council as they will be responsible for drinking water quality of private boreholes.
 
scribble said:
I work for the Environnment Agency and the Silage slurry and agricultural fuel oil regs state silage, slurry etc and all simialar things MUST be stored at LEAST 10m form any wtarecourse and this includes ones which dry up in summer and AT LEAST 50m from any well or borehole. You MUST now tell the environment Agency and Liaise with them over the clean up of the water and the farmer MUST move his bales. This is a serious issue and you need to also tell the council as they will be responsible for drinking water quality of private boreholes.
Click to expand...
Hmm but this one isn't for human drinking water so not quite the same draconian ness and urgency as it would if it were for drinking, Certainly needs sorting but approaching farmer and moving bales and seeing if that resolves it would seem appropriate first.....?
 
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