In order to ensure the well was free of contaminates and the water is safe to drink I had the water tested.

The test consisted of a couple of bottles that needed to be filled and sent immediately to a lab. In return I received a report detailing a number of bacteria and mineral tests. When the report came back it confirmed what I already suspected based on the slightly metallic taste of the water: presence of elevated iron and manganese levels.

The good news is that both of these are very treatable with common residential well filters.

The manganese is the harder of the two to treat because it must be taken out of suspension by a chemical process and then mechanically filtered. So, I searched for a filter that would take care of the manganese first and the iron second.

There are a myriad of filter types and methods on the market. However, given my relatively low levels of both iron and manganese the best choice for me was a Pro-Ox filter. The filter passes the water through a pocket of air to oxidize the iron and manganese. Then the water passes through a bed of manganese dioxide to complete the oxidation process and capture the iron particles. About once a week the filter backwashes the iron particulate to the drain and recharges with fresh air.

It took about a day to pipe-in the filter. All water coming into the house is passed through the filter.

I’m pleased to report the filter was effective immediately after installing it. The water tasted great and the smell of iron disappeared.