Water Active: Overcoming iron contamination in water supply systems

In an article published in the January 2013 issue of Water Active, Mike Deed considers the problems of iron oxide and iron bacteria contamination and how to overcome them using the BoreSaver range of well cleaning and borehole rehabilitation treatments.

One company that has overcome the problems of iron oxide and iron bacteria contamination with the help of BoreSaver treatments is Yuasa Batteries. World leaders in valve regulated lead acid battery design and manufacturing Yuasa produce over 500,000 batteries a year at their Ebbw Vale plant and employ more than 350 people. Yuasa have an independent water supply and use their boreholes to supply drinking water for the staff, dionised water in their batteries as well as the plant’s showers and fire mains. The plant is in a heavy ironstone area and in 2007 iron oxide contamination was starting to cause operational problems and a significant reduction in the specific capacity, down from 32 cm3 an hour to 15 cm3. Geoquip recommended treating the system with BoreSaver Ultra C to remove the build-up of iron oxide deposits on the screens and pumps and regular use of BoreSaver Liquid to control the iron bacteria contamination. Yuasa has now been carrying out an annual maintenance programme for the last five years and use BoreSaver Liquid every fortnight to maintain the system. Specific capacity is back up to 32 cm3 an hour with a corresponding reduction in operational problems.