A comprehensive look at the most commonly used disinfectant.
Although there are several chemical disinfectants that may be used to treat a well, chlorine is the water supply disinfectant most commonly used. Chlorine is a bactericidal chemical that destroys or inactivates coliform bacteria that it comes into contact with. Chlorine attempts to disrupt the normal life processes of an organism. This is done by penetrating the cell wall of the organism and upsetting the natural life cycle processes or altering the organism's enzymes. With the cycle so disrupted, the organism either dies or cannot reproduce and the water is made bacteriologically safe.
Treatment with a chlorine solution is an essential component of efforts to eliminate microorganisms that have invaded an existing well or have been introduced into a new well during its construction. The objective of water supply system chlorination is to expose all parts of the water system to a chlorine solution of sufficient strength for an adequate time period. The “water system” includes the water-bearing formation around well screen or a rock borehole, well casing, pump, pressure tank and piping.