A Company Removed our Submersible Pump From Our Deep Well & an Oil Film Was On It
Ok, we lost all water yesterday. Our home was built in 1979 by my fiancé's father, who has since passed away. We knew we needed to replace our pressure tank (along with almost everything in this house, due to it's age now) for some time now. Assuming we had burned up the well pump by not fixing the pressure tank for some time, so we called a professional to come service & replace whatever we needed.
They came immediately, replaced the pressure tank, pressure switch ran all new lines, inside our basement... Then they proceeded outside as we were correct in assuming our submerged deep well pump had failed as well.
They began the process of removing the submersible pump from our 60 foot well & they had some difficulties to say the least in removal. They were banging, slamming, jerking with their equipment for quite awhile when they finally removed the old pump.
Then more people showed up at our home, began discussing the old pump, the issues getting it out... And that's when our nightmare began and still continues...
They felt an oily substance on the outside of the old pump when removed, they really got upset and told us that this pump may be one of the pumps that contained pcb's from back in the 70's and were no longer legal as of 1978. Our well was dug between fall of 1979-1980 we aren't sure when exactly. The maker of this pump is Fairbanks Morse. I have pulled the model# 2D500 and another #100070025 off the pump itself and cannot identify it as an exact model documented to have contained these pcb's.
Anyway, I will mention this is now 6pm on Friday evening, Labor Day Weekend... The men who were here informed us that this could be a real problem we were looking at and that their hands were tied until the water could be tested. They hurried & packed all their things up, didn't want anything to do with the old pump being in their possession, or even writing us a bill for the work they had already done. They claimed this was such a horrible thing to encounter they rather not even say they had been here and if they do they will have to report the finding to the epa, and in turn cost of possibly tens of thousands of more dollars. They did state we should expect to be without water for minimum 2weeks if not 2 months!
We did go out and purchase a new well pump and all the materials to install, but now we are scared to death & don't know what to do!
We just saved this house from foreclosure! We just started making our payments to the bank again. We have no money to spare until next summer when we will be able to refinance and bring our payment more affordable. We are really freaking out here. I have looked into how to clean the oil from the well, etc. But we haven't even determined if there is any there!!
Could they possibly have done something wrong? They just don't want us to know it? Why else did they "run away" from our home like it was diseased, leaving behind over $1000 in already installed equipment/labor!
We really can't afford to have the epa come here and tell us we have to fix our septic, water lines, who knows what else to bring it up to code as this company said they would make us do if they do come here. These men said we were looking at $50,000 in repairs when said & done if the epa "get involved."
How hard can it be to bail an oil layer off the top of the well with a bailer, agitate dish washing liquid in the well for 1 hour, drain the well water till it's no longer soapy- directly into the septic tank, then rinse down the walls in the well, then add dish detergent again allow it to flush through the household pipes for 3-4 hours? Then retest the water? I mean this is crazy for us to try on our own, but they are professionals, with the proper equipment for this!
I am scared to death and don't know what to do here with this crazy situation? Please help!!
HELP PLEASE!! Correct Depth To Install New Submersible Well Pump?
How deep do we put our new submerged pump in our well?
I previously posted a question on 08/31/2013 "A Company..."
If you are interested in knowing the long, complicated, horrible mess we have been in this Labor Day Weekend... (See UPDATE at the bottom of the post as well if you do check it out.)
After a long exhausting weekend cleaning out our contaminated well water...
We are finally ready to install the new Submerged Pump in the Well...
It's 30 feet down water level. (From the top of the well opening till you hit water.)
There is 12 feet of standing water inside the well. (From the bottom of well to the top of the water level.)
So altogether, I assume its considered to be 42' well deep water well? Regardless, it's total depth is 42 Feet. :-)
Sorry, it's been a very long & trying 4 days now without water. :-/
We have been bailing oil out of our well for 2 days straight, along with using an entire roll of oil absorbing pads, & still had to bail some more!
Now we are recirculating a dawn dish soap solution for approximately 1 hour (As instructed by epa guidelines for oil removal of possible PCB laden oil contamination of well water.)
Oh, my what a fun filled weekend, we haven't even gotten the results from the water test yet. Pcb laden or not, we are assuming it IS & following the clean-up procedures as instructed. I am exhausted, frustrated, worried, & scared. I don't know if I'll ever feel safe drinking or bathing my kids in this water for awhile. Hopefully the testing comes back quickly & the results are negative! That's all I've been praying for after all this time & money.
Thank you for any advice or suggestions you may have.
Remaining steps of our clean up process...
We still have to drain the remaining soapy, oil contaminated water from the well when it's done agitating here shortly. Then we have to spray down walls of the well with pressure nozzle. Then drain any remaining soapy or oil contaminated water once more. Then, of course, chlorinate the well before closing the lid I hope for good! Or at least for awhile, I know we must chlorinate the well periodically hopefully not until next year though!!