How to aerate water from a well with your own hands

If your property has a well, you are aware of the importance of having a dependable water supply. But well water frequently has contaminants in it that must be filtered out. Aeration is a quick and easy way to raise the standard of your well water. By eliminating dissolved gases, iron, and other impurities, this procedure helps to improve the safety and flavor of the water.

An aeration system doesn’t have to be expensive or difficult to set up. You can build an aeration system for your well water on your own with a few simple tools and a little bit of knowledge. Aeration can be a fantastic do-it-yourself project, regardless of whether you have high iron levels or simply want to enhance the flavor and clarity of your water.

We’ll guide you through the process of aerating your well’s water in this article. We can help you with everything from selecting the appropriate equipment to configuring your aeration system. By the time you’re done, you’ll know exactly how to use a homemade aeration system to improve the quality of your water.

Why is water aeration needed?

Water is necessary for comfortable living in any home because, in most cases, life cannot exist without it. There are at least three different forms of communications for water intake in the private sector. These are:

1. Wells.
2. Wells.
3. Centralized water supply.

I’d like to take a brief detour here regarding wells since the general public frequently fails to notice the subtle differences in their construction. Two kinds of wells exist:

1. Artesian wells.
2. Wells on sand.

The difference between them is huge. Artesian drilling is carried out to a depth of 40-50 meters, depending on the location of the limestone layer under which the water is located. To make such a well in your yard, you will need a lot of certificates and permits, since these flows are controlled by the state, just like oil or gas. Of course, this is an expensive pleasure, so for artesian drilling, several neighbors usually get together and do it together. But as a result, all participants in the agreement receive a pure product, which does not always have to be filtered, because, in fact, they have spring water.

But there are smaller wells that are drilled into sand, that is, up to the first aquifer – their depth is the same as that of wells and they differ only in the diameter of the pipe. In these cases, cleaning will never hurt, and here they use various filters, sedimentation tanks and aerators, which, in fact, will be discussed in this article. The most common pollution is sand, increased content of iron and manganese, hydrogen sulfide, although such a list is far from complete. But in any case, the selection of equipment for filtering will depend on the results of chemical analysis, which you can order in the nearest laboratory. Not everyone can afford expensive equipment for cleaning water, so many make devices with their own hands and aerators are just about such equipment.

The principle of water purification

A specific chemical reaction is required to remove iron (Fe) from water. This reaction results in the trivalent iron (Fe+3) from bicopoline iron (Fe+2) sinking to the bottom as rust or corrosion. That is, an oxygen reaction is required for Fe+2 to become Fe+3, after which the oxidation process takes place and iron turns rusty. Many have had to witness the yellow stripes that eventually turn brown on the sink, bathtub, or toilet. These are the remnants of ferric iron, which does not settle in a settling tank or get filtered out.

Installation of aeration unit

The following actions must be taken in order to put together an aeration station for water deferrization:

• First you need to find a suitable container and such containers are available in hardware stores. As a rule, the tank there is made of food-grade plastic, and its volume is up to half a ton.
• On the tank, at a distance of at least 10 cm from the bottom, make two holes – one for pumping, and the other for supplying water to the system. Install hose or pipe fittings into these holes (depending on what you will be using).
• Inside the container, at the injection fitting, install a shower head or aerator (mesh), which is used for faucets. Saturation of water with air will occur naturally, but to enhance the result, you can add an aquarium compressor.
• The container should be installed on a high platform or in the attic.
• At the outlet (you can directly on the pipe) install two filters – coarse and fine – this is necessary to prevent sediment from entering the water supply system.

Note: While there are other methods available online for assembling aerator installations, the one I just outlined is the easiest and least expensive, and its efficiency is on par with that of structures with more intricate design.

The operation of an aerator installation of this type is carried out as follows: the container is filled in the evening and, if an aquarium compressor is installed, turn it on at night (or do not turn it off at all). Until the morning, all divalent iron that is in the water will be converted into a trivalent compound (into rust) and will precipitate. Of course, this design has its drawbacks – this is the need to install a large container and its regular cleaning from the precipitation, the need to manually turn on and disconnect the water to fill the tank. But if you want to switch to full automation, you will have to buy a factory aeration system – it"s up to you and your wallet.

Homemade ejector for water aeration

To saturate with air, you can make an ejector for water aeration with your own hands, although, of course, you can buy it in a store, but since this is a simple design, I still prefer self-assembly. Let"s start with an unpleasant fact – the human race has managed to pollute the planet so much that even in the artesian aquifer, hydrogen sulfide (H2S), methane (CH4), ammonia (NH3) and divalent iron (Fe+2) have appeared, although these sources are protected by a thick layer of limestone. Well, as they say, we have what we have and we can"t get away from it. The method of water purification by aeration in this case is suitable as well as possible – gases are removed with air bubbles, and iron is transformed into a sediment of rust. All solid particles of dirt present in the water accumulate on coarse and fine filters. We will not talk about factory equipment now, so we move on to assembling a homemade device.

So, to saturate water with air, you can use a homemade or factory ejector, which functions by changing the diameter of the through hole. In such a T-shaped cross, as in the photo above, at the place of narrowing of the section (in the center), a vortex occurs, and the water becomes rarefied, which causes air to be sucked in through an additional branch pipe. Such a device does not need an electric drive or compressor, but only a one-way valve for sucking air into the water supply system. But there is one condition: to create such a vortex, an input pressure of about 1.5-3 atm is needed. I want to say that a conventional submersible pump or hydrophore, according to factory settings, raises the pressure in the hydraulic accumulator to 2.7 atm. But it can be made larger by adjusting the pressure sensor (there are two bolts for adjusting the upper and lower pressure), that is, the upper one can be raised to 3.5 atmospheres, and the lower one to 2.0 (the threshold for turning off and turning on, respectively).

It is advised that you install a tap at the inlet or use PPR pipes from different sections to alter the cross-section at the center of the ejector. A vortex will form at the necessary pressure if you close it halfway.

When water is aerated, if divalent iron is present, rust will always accumulate at the bottom of the storage tank, which will have to be removed periodically somehow. There are two ways to go here. If you disconnect the inlet and outlet pipes or hoses from the fittings, the container will be free, and you can easily lay it on its side and wash it, but the process of dismantling and installation itself takes time. To simplify the procedure, you can install a fitting for a PPR tap with a diameter of 40 or even 60 mm in the bottom of the tank. Since the container will be on a stand, you can easily push the shut-off valves into the slot, but it will be very easy to wash off rust from the bottom if you place a large bowl or trough underneath.

Additional filters

As you can see, a single aeration unit is insufficient for purifying water because different solid elements may be present. In this situation, the roles played by different filters are crucial. As shown in the top photo, a mesh-type coarse filter needs to be installed first on the water supply in front of the tank and/or in the pump group. This brass device has a 45° outlet that allows a mesh to be inserted, collecting all large solid elements. A filter like this doesn’t require replacement; simply remove the mesh, unscrew the plug, rinse it, and replace it; it will continue to work as good as new after cleaning.

There are also fine filters on sale with cartridges that cut into the pipeline after coarse cleaning as part of a pump group. Depending on the composition of the water and your desire, such devices can be installed not only at the inlet, but also after the storage tank – extra filtration never hurts. When the cartridge is dirty, it changes color – from white to yellow or gray (depending on the type of contamination). In the photo above you see a device with triple filtration, but it can also be single. In some cases, we simply cut in two or three single filters in a row, since the nearest store simply did not have triple models, but this does not change anything at all.

Note: When buying, make sure to look for the special plastic spanner that comes with the filter to replace the cartridge. It is used to unscrew the flask.

Faucet aerators

To reduce the intensity of water flow, an aerator is installed (screwed on) onto the faucet spout – this is a mesh consisting of a metal body, a rubber gasket and a simple filter system. You may be surprised, but debris also collects on the mesh over time – these are salts, and if the filter is not periodically cleaned, then after two or three years it will have to be thrown away, especially if the water is hard. But the aerator reduces water consumption by about two (!) times, although when washing your hands or dishes you will not feel this, since the diffused flow has a good pressure. You can understand the difference only when you collect water in some kind of vessel – the process happens much more slowly.

Aerators for faucets can be composed of titanium, pressed steel, or plastic. Naturally, you can infer from the material that plastic products are the least expensive but also the least durable; steel has a limited service life due to corrosion; on the other hand, titanium products will last for as long as you use this mixer.

Reducing the amounts of dissolved gases and metals in well water can be accomplished by a simple, do-it-yourself method called aerating the water. This entails exposing the water to air, which can be accomplished with a variety of easy techniques such as building a small fountain, utilizing a spray nozzle, or letting the water cascade down a set of steps. Your well water can be improved in taste, odors removed, and safety for daily use by aerating it—all without the need for costly equipment or expert assistance.

An efficient well water aeration system can greatly enhance water quality and is a rewarding do-it-yourself project. You can make your water safer and fresher for daily use by taking a few simple steps to eliminate undesirable gases and odors.

Selecting the best aeration technique for your needs and budget should be your first step. Simple installations, such as venturi systems or air stones, work well and require little effort to set up. Consider spray aeration or diffused aeration for more sophisticated solutions; they may need a little more work but produce better outcomes.

To keep your aeration system operating effectively, be sure to perform routine maintenance on it. As parts require cleaning, keep an eye out for any indications of wear or damage. Maintaining your system regularly will help it last longer and guarantee consistently high water quality.

You’re investing in your family’s health and well-being when you take the time to aerate the water in your well. It’s an easy, hands-on method to improve the quality of your water supply, which will make routine activities like cooking, drinking, and taking a bath safer and more enjoyable.

With the correct equipment and a little bit of experience, you can handle this project on your own with assurance. Savor the advantages of cleaner, fresher water along with the fulfillment of a job well done.

Video on the topic

Do-it-yourself super aerator from iron! Home water treatment.

Do-it-yourself purification of water from iron at the dacha (issue 2)

Gravity aeration and dry water input from a well (with a pumping station and a submersible pump)

A simple do-it-yourself water deferrization station

Do-it-yourself well for water in the house / Purifying water from iron