Possible sulphates in borehole water?

[Ali27]

Please has anyone got any advice/ experiences with boreholes? Quote for mains water is 32k ? so currently getting quotes for boreholes which are round 40% of the price! One company has commented that there may be issues with sulphates in the water as British Gypsum are mining in the area. Has anyone had this issue? Would it be a problem for horse drinking water? Thank you so much in advance ?

 

[ycbm]

We have very high iron (sulphide I think) and far too much manganese. We just have a big deioniser that takes it all out. We have a remaining issue with hydrogen sulphide (rotten egg) smell in the water which we were quoted thousands to sort out but solved by installing a simple "big blue" carbon filter which we change every 6 months at a cost of £25.
.

 

[shortstuff99]

Are you wanting to drink it or would it just be for non potable uses?

 

[Ali27]

Are you wanting to drink it or would it just be for non potable uses?

It’s just for the horses to drink

 

[Ali27]

We have very high iron (sulphide I think) and far too much manganese. We just have a big deioniser that takes it all out. We have a remaining issue with hydrogen sulphide (rotten egg) smell in the water which we were quoted thousands to sort out but solved by installing a simple "big blue" carbon filter which we change every 6 months at a cost of £25.
.

That’s interesting, thanks And reassuring I don’t mind spending 12k on borehole as long as it’s safe for ponies to drink?

 

[ycbm]

The iron and manganese are not safe (but in horses can be countered with high cost and zinc in feed) but we were told the hydrogen sulphide is completely harmless.
.

 

[shortstuff99]

It’s just for the horses to drink

Ah okay less of a problem then. Your local authority will be who you would go to for commissioning the borehole, and they would be able to explain what you would need to test for and the levels they should be.

 

[ycbm]

Ah okay less of a problem then. Your local authority will be who you would go to for commissioning the borehole, and they would be able to explain what you would need to test for and the levels they should be.

Our local authority had absolutely nothing to do with our borehole. It was put in 3½ years ago. They don't even know we have one. I think that's all done by private borehole companies these days.
.

 

[shortstuff99]

Our local authority had absolutely nothing to do with our borehole. It was put in 3½ years ago. They don't even know we have one. I think that's all done by private borehole companies these days.
.

The local authority will be the enforcement for it but they can farm it out to private companies. They should have dealt with it as they have to report it to the DWI.

 

[shortstuff99]

https://www.dwi.gov.uk/private-water-supplies/

What are private supplies?
A private water supply is any supply not provided by a water company where the water is consumed for domestic purposes or as part of a public or commercial activity. Further guidance on what is meant by this is available in our guidance here. About 1% of the population of England and Wales use a private water supply. Most of these supplies are situated in remote, rural parts of the country and can originate from a range of sources including boreholes, natural springs and watercourses.
Local authorities act as the regulators for private water supplies. Guidance on roles and responsibilities is available here.
The Inspectorate is not the regulator for private water supplies. However, we have a duty to act as technical advisors to local authorities in relation to the implementation of the Private Water Supply Regulations on behalf of the Secretary of State. We provide technical and scientific advice on all aspects of drinking water quality, including on private water supplies, to local authorities. We do not work directly with consumers or owners of private water supplies, but do respond to any enquiries made to us about private water supplies.
The Inspectorate publishes an annual report on private water supplies in England and Wales.

 

[Ali27]

The iron and manganese are not safe (but in horses can be countered with high cost and zinc in feed) but we were told the hydrogen sulphide is completely harmless.
.

Forgive me for being clueless? So does a deioniser require power? We have no electricity either so will be using solar or a small generator to power the borehole pump!

 

[ycbm]

Forgive me for being clueless? So does a deioniser require power? We have no electricity either so will be using solar or a small generator to power the borehole pump!

Yes it does, and it has to backwash at set times so I'm not sure that intermittent power generation will work.
.

 

[ycbm]

https://www.dwi.gov.uk/private-water-supplies/

What are private supplies?
A private water supply is any supply not provided by a water company where the water is consumed for domestic purposes or as part of a public or commercial activity. Further guidance on what is meant by this is available in our guidance here. About 1% of the population of England and Wales use a private water supply. Most of these supplies are situated in remote, rural parts of the country and can originate from a range of sources including boreholes, natural springs and watercourses.
Local authorities act as the regulators for private water supplies. Guidance on roles and responsibilities is available here.
The Inspectorate is not the regulator for private water supplies. However, we have a duty to act as technical advisors to local authorities in relation to the implementation of the Private Water Supply Regulations on behalf of the Secretary of State. We provide technical and scientific advice on all aspects of drinking water quality, including on private water supplies, to local authorities. We do not work directly with consumers or owners of private water supplies, but do respond to any enquiries made to us about private water supplies.
The Inspectorate publishes an annual report on private water supplies in England and Wales.

That may still be the law but the local authority has shown no interest in the quality of our domestic water supply since they tested it the year we moved in, 1991.

We were told at that time water quality was their responsibility and would be tested regularly, then we never heard from them again. We installed a borehole in late 2018 and saw neither hide nor hair of the local authority. Everything was done by the borehole company.
.

 

[scruffyponies]

We're currently re-commissioning one here (have got the old pump and pipe out. Next step is a flow test). Not sure how the LA would even know about it unless we told them.

 

[sbloom]

Where are you? If you're in Scotland I can recommend people to help, our planning permission (new build eco house, multi plot with existing borehole) depended on the existing borehole being tested for flow and quality, and treatment improved as necessary. It took a while to find the right people, the LA were hopeless at advising us anything at all about it.

 

[shortstuff99]

If the LA is being useless then you can ask for information from the DWI.

 

[ycbm]

Deleted

 

[SEL]

I've got a well at the yard built over 200 years ago. We pump up from it for the horses (petrol pump). Many farm suppliers will do a variety of tests on the water if you Google. Does anyone local to you already have a borehole so you could ask them if they've tested? Ours comes from a spring draining from the Chilterns and can smell sulphury when the water levels are low but otherwise I could drink it (or bottle it!!)

 

[PurBee]

If its for horses to drink - have you considered rainwater harvesting off the stable/barn roofs? Have the guttering connected to a massive tank in the shade. Only do this if your roofing material isnt toxic - which most arent these days.

I can fill a 1000ltr tank after 1 good rain shower here from 1 barn roof. Its astounding the amount of rain collected from a roof! Would save you thousands. Best get your rainwater tested if youre close to a major city or prevailing wind direction passes cities - my rain comes straight off the atlantic as im west ireland, so the clouds dont pass cities to get to me.

My horses have spring water from a nearby ancient spring, yet if there’s a puddle to drink from, they prefer rain water! Ive had the spring water tested and its not bad - we drink it after minimal filtering - but they still prefer rainwater than fresh spring water…no idea why! Theyre happy and healthy drinking both waters.

 

[PurBee]

P.s we were going to have a well drilled - used to cost a standard 2.5k here for over a decade. Mains water was not charged in ireland then. Then a few yrs back, governments were implementing charges, so many got their own well drilled, suddenly the price went to 5-8k.

We were advised by a well driller that almost everyone needs to add cost of a filter to well water. In my area its mainly for iron.

 

[paddy555]

Our local authority had absolutely nothing to do with our borehole. It was put in 3½ years ago. They don't even know we have one. I think that's all done by private borehole companies these days.
.

we have had pvt water supplies for the last 50 years and no one has done anything. With spring they asked how many properties, just us and we never heard from them again. With the borehole the drilling company never did anything and the LA has had nothing to do with either ours, the 4 others close by or the one that is going to be drilled very shortly.

If we want the water tested then we have to send a sample off for testing.

We are 2 miles from mains water, lots of people around here are even further away. Everyone has a private water supply. I don't get where Shortstuff is coming from. It's not the RL that I know.

 

[vhf]

we have had pvt water supplies for the last 50 years and no one has done anything. With spring they asked how many properties, just us and we never heard from them again. With the borehole the drilling company never did anything and the LA has had nothing to do with either ours, the 4 others close by or the one that is going to be drilled very shortly.
If we want the water tested then we have to send a sample off for testing. We are 2 miles from mains water, lots of people around here are even further away. Everyone has a private water supply.

This has largely been our experience. They did come out (on my request and with payment) when we moved in, reported that they weren't prepared to finish the testing process due to bacterial presence, and we never heard from them again (8 years). They really only care if you are providing water to other properties. I think I recall reading that you are expected to inform them if you are using a private water system, but if you don't... and they certainly had no real interest in us or ours once I said it only covered us and our menagerie. I imagine they care even less if it's not even for human consumption. We just used our own judgement on the results we got.

 

[shortstuff99]

we have had pvt water supplies for the last 50 years and no one has done anything. With spring they asked how many properties, just us and we never heard from them again. With the borehole the drilling company never did anything and the LA has had nothing to do with either ours, the 4 others close by or the one that is going to be drilled very shortly.

If we want the water tested then we have to send a sample off for testing.

We are 2 miles from mains water, lots of people around here are even further away. Everyone has a private water supply. I don't get where Shortstuff is coming from. It's not the RL that I know.

I linked above to the law surrounding private water supplies. Local authorities are supposed to (as written in the legislature) be responsible for being the regulator for private water supplies. The owner is in charge of making sure that they comply and are healthy, the same way that water companies are required to provide healthy water and are overseen by the DWI. Whether the LA bothers to do that is another story, but they could in theory come and see your private water supply and tell you to make changes.

 

[Ali27]

If its for horses to drink - have you considered rainwater harvesting off the stable/barn roofs? Have the guttering connected to a massive tank in the shade. Only do this if your roofing material isnt toxic - which most arent these days.

I can fill a 1000ltr tank after 1 good rain shower here from 1 barn roof. Its astounding the amount of rain collected from a roof! Would save you thousands. Best get your rainwater tested if youre close to a major city or prevailing wind direction passes cities - my rain comes straight off the atlantic as im west ireland, so the clouds dont pass cities to get to me.

My horses have spring water from a nearby ancient spring, yet if there’s a puddle to drink from, they prefer rain water! Ive had the spring water tested and its not bad - we drink it after minimal filtering - but they still prefer rainwater than fresh spring water…no idea why! Theyre happy and healthy drinking both waters.

I already have a 1000l IBC container and 600l towable IBC connected to guttering on roof but I am stressing about having a hot and dry Summer and running out of water. My house is 3 miles away so it’s a hassle! I just want proper running water ?

 

[Dynamo]

I already have a 1000l IBC container and 600l towable IBC connected to guttering on roof but I am stressing about having a hot and dry Summer and running out of water. My house is 3 miles away so it’s a hassle! I just want proper running water ?

Don't stress. We have just done exactly what you are describing after getting a similarly ridiculous quote for mains electric and water. Installed private bore hole powered by solar panels, with a back-up generator. We had the water tested and got reports back about high sulphates. We have installed a UV filter system and the reports on the filtered water are excellent. Horses were there all winter without issue. We have clipped using solar power, also without issue. The water serves six paddocks on auto drinkers, the stables, and extensive horse washing. We run it from a huge header tank just on gravity for auto drinkers, and anything that doesn't need high power. Then in the shower we've installed an electric pump for high power shower water. It all works brilliantly and at a fraction of the overall cost of mains installation.

 

[Ali27]

Don't stress. We have just done exactly what you are describing after getting a similarly ridiculous quote for mains electric and water. Installed private bore hole powered by solar panels, with a back-up generator. We had the water tested and got reports back about high sulphates. We have installed a UV filter system and the reports on the filtered water are excellent. Horses were there all winter without issue. We have clipped using solar power, also without issue. The water serves six paddocks on auto drinkers, the stables, and extensive horse washing. We run it from a huge header tank just on gravity for auto drinkers, and anything that doesn't need high power. Then in the shower we've installed an electric pump for high power shower water. It all works brilliantly and at a fraction of the overall cost of mains installation.

Oh that’s brilliant! Please could I message you later for more detail?

 

[Ali27]

Update! Thank you for all replies Borehole was done last Summer and it’s absolutely amazing! Didn’t have it tested as guys tested it by drinking it We are powering it by small generator and fill up ibc’s but need to sort out a solar panel for the pump at some point

 

[sbloom]

Please get it tested, excess of certain minerals eg manganese as mentioned above can have serious long term effects.

 

[ycbm]

Please get it tested, excess of certain minerals eg manganese as mentioned above can have serious long term effects.

I was going to write this. Unfortunately the filtration equipment to remove it will cost a lot of money and takes up a fair amount of space as well, as it has to be protected from frost.

Our water tasted fine to humans and horses, but it was dangerously high in both iron and manganese. A lot of horses in the area drinking it used to get laminitis and have poor hoof quality.

 

[sbloom]

Tasted?