UV light for well water

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Where UV fits

EPA says high bacteria concentrations can sometimes be controlled by adding disinfection to a well, and lists chlorine, ozone, ultraviolet light and electronic radiation as examples. A UV system is installed on the water line and treats the water as it passes a lamp inside a chamber. It is aimed at bacteria and other organisms; it is not a filter for iron, hardness, sediment or chemicals.

Fix the cause first

A positive coliform test is a signal, not just a water problem. Nebraska’s DWEE says coliform in a sample suggests structural issues with the well or a source of contamination nearby, and that a certified well contractor should inspect the well as soon as possible. A UV system on a well with a cracked cap or a failing seal treats the symptom while the cause stays.

1. Contact your health department, as EPA advises when a contaminant exceeds a health standard.
2. Have the well inspected for the way bacteria are getting in, and fixed.
3. Have the well disinfected, and re-test at a certified lab.
4. Then decide, with the pro and the test results, whether continuous treatment such as UV is needed.

The guide to coliform in well water covers those steps in more detail.

When UV may be worth discussing

Every well is different, and the decision belongs to you and the pro, with the test results in front of you. Situations where an owner may raise UV with a pro include:

• Bacteria have come back after the well was fixed and disinfected
• The health department has suggested continuous disinfection
• Something nearby, such as livestock areas or a septic system, cannot be moved away from the well
• The household wants a safeguard after past positive tests

In each case, keep testing. A UV system does not replace the yearly lab test EPA and CDC advise, and only a test at a certified laboratory shows whether the bacteria are gone and stay gone.

NSF/ANSI 55: Class A and Class B

UV systems are covered by the standard NSF/ANSI 55, which has two classes, Class A and Class B. TCEQ’s advice applies here as for any treatment: choose a unit certified by NSF, Underwriter’s Laboratory or the Water Quality Association for the contaminant you are concerned about, and check that the certification covers it. Ask the pro which class the unit they suggest is certified to, and why that class suits your water.

What else the water may need

TCEQ notes that no single unit can remove all contaminants, and that you may need to combine units. If the test also shows iron, manganese, hardness or sediment, ask the pro whether those need treating ahead of the UV system. The well water treatment page explains how a pro matches equipment to a test.

UV is not the only option. Besides chlorination and ozone, EPA WaterSense notes that reverse osmosis can potentially remove bacteria and viruses, among other contaminants, though the point-of-use RO units it describes treat water at one tap rather than the whole house.

Upkeep

TCEQ advises following the maker’s recommendations for cleaning and maintenance of any treatment unit, or it may lose its effectiveness over time. For a UV system, ask the pro what the lamp and its sleeve need and on what schedule. TCEQ also says to test the water after installing a unit to make sure it works, and EPA and CDC advise testing the well every year in any case. See well water testing.

Questions to ask

• Has the cause of the bacteria been found and fixed?
• Which NSF/ANSI 55 class is this unit certified to?
• Does my water need anything treated ahead of it?
• What upkeep does it need, and on what schedule?
• How will we confirm with a lab test that it is working?