A little freaked out- Please tell me what's in my filter

[daveccarsley]

If this is all too long for you to read. Please see the photos at the bottom and tell me what the hell I've found in my whole house filter (on a well). Filter is only ONE MONTH old.

Hi everyone, I'm new here, but have found great advice on many similar forums for lots of other everyday issues (not plumbing), so I'm hoping that you can help me. I've tried to make the post as short as possible while including as much info as possible (since any one piece of it could be important).

Here's a little back story- I have lived in a rented house for about 7 years or so. The house is way out in the country. The house is very old (100+ years), and has a well. The well pump is an above ground, very old looking red pump with pullies and belts and such. I would estimate it being at least 60 or more years old.

The well is of unknown depth to me, I have heard everything from "about 80 feet" to "less than 15 feet" from various people (small town- people talk) as well as my landlord (none of whom probably actually know).

Anyway, the "Pump house" is in the backyard, at a distance of what I would estimate to be about 30' from the septic tank (at least from the "above ground" part that I can see where it get's emptied- which hasn't been done since I've lived here- alone for most of that time). I'm sure this is illegal, or at best stupid, but whatever. I know nothing about the actual septic "field".

It's no slum house, and is actually really beautiful, but To my knowledge, all the work done on this house (and probably the well- since it's drilling) has been done by my landlord in a "harry homeowner" fashion.

Now to my question- Since I moved in, the house has had a "whole house filter" (just the little canister type- about the size of a 2 liter soda bottle). It is placed in line, inside the house, after the bladder tank, but before the HW heater, boiler (baseboard heat), and obviously all my taps.

When I moved in, I changed the filter a couple of times, and then got busy with life. I didn't change the filter for probably 5 or more years. You do not have to tell me how stupid this is (I have since learned about bacteria growth etc.), because when I tried a few times, I couldn't get the canister open, and was afraid I was going to tear it off the wall (either nobody told me about the pressure relief button, or I'd forgotten).

So, after those 5 years, about a month (maybe 6 weeks max) ago, my water started running dry, just stopping when showering etc. and there was smoke coming from the pump house.

The landlord changed the belts on the pump, and asked if I'd changed the filter lately (he then showed me the pressure relief button).

As you can imagine, what was in the filter was disgusting, but it was just sediment, a few pieces of grass, and a little accumulated mud. That's OK, it had been 5 F-ing years! So I changed it, and put a 20 micron filter in (I figured a 1, 3, or 5 would just clog too quickly). Life is good right? sure.

Then, just 2 days ago, I noticed my water was losing a bit of pressure, so even though it had only been a month, I decided I'd change the filter again. What I found disturbed me...

There was sediment and all the normal crap, but also what looked like pieces of feces or some such when I dumped the canister in my laundry tub (I'm not saying it WAS feces). It was gelatinous, and almost looked like pieces of flesh. It had no smell whatsoever to MY nose (the nose of a smoker).

I have no idea what it is, and it isn't making me very comfortable. I've posted some pictures below. I also have a video I could put on YouTube if helpful.

It's really got me worried about what the hell is coming out of my well. I also have a separate, unrelated plumbing question below (after the pics), although it's not as important to me.

A couple of clarifications-

- Although I didn't change the filter for 5 years, the filter in the pictures is NOT the 5 year old filter. The filter in the pictures below is from ONE MONTH of use.

- I do NOT ever drink my water, nor feed it to my cat (I drink bottled water).

- I DO cook, shower/bathe, wash dishes, do laundry, brush my teeth, etc with it.

- I do not have any weird smells or anything coming from the tap, just the standard rust stains that accumulate on the tub, shower, and sinks (cleans with CLR)

And........ The pictures......

http://i1294.photobucket.com/albums/b620/daveccarsley/20151001_233656_zps9pc7pqoz.jpg

http://i1294.photobucket.com/albums/b620/daveccarsley/20151001_233715_zps6eb08mad.jpg

http://i1294.photobucket.com/albums/b620/daveccarsley/20151001_233723_zps28urnsms.jpg

http://i1294.photobucket.com/albums/b620/daveccarsley/20151001_233735_zpsmzlm156m.jpg

http://i1294.photobucket.com/albums/b620/daveccarsley/20151001_233801_zpshlpbwb3n.jpg

http://i1294.photobucket.com/albums/b620/daveccarsley/20151001_233812_zpsnxug5jub.jpg

http://i1294.photobucket.com/albums/b620/daveccarsley/20151001_234006_zpsijrjgl7d.jpg

http://i1294.photobucket.com/albums/b620/daveccarsley/20151001_234016_zpsjbzd2yzk.jpg

http://i1294.photobucket.com/albums/b620/daveccarsley/20151001_234152_zpsrrhjdytu.jpg

http://i1294.photobucket.com/albums/b620/daveccarsley/20151001_234217_zpssh3bwdz0.jpg

http://i1294.photobucket.com/albums/b620/daveccarsley/20151001_234342_zps467uofv4.jpg

http://i1294.photobucket.com/albums/b620/daveccarsley/20151001_234808_zps8dcvxs8c.jpg

Thanks so much for the help guys!!!

 

[frodo]

scrap that alien into a jar, take it to the state public health labortory "blue pages"

cost about 3 bucks for it to be analised

 

[speedbump]

Since you allowed the water flow to slowly go down to a trickle, lots of stuff got stuck to the pipes. When you changed the filter, water moved much faster than before which knocked a lot of that stuff loose.

The fleshie stuff I believe is a form of algae. But if your not sure, have it tested for the normal VA/FHA mortgage water tests. E-coli, nitrate, nitrite, lead and total Coliform count.

 

[frodo]

you can sanitise your water system.

turn off valve from city, drain system, using compressor, blow the lines free of water

disconnect ice maker
disconnect dishwasher
disconnect washer

at the washer, take the 2 hoses loose from machine, open the valves
pour 1/2 cup of bleach into the cold hose, 1/2 cup into hot side. it will run into your pipes

turn the water on to the house, fill the pipe with water. when the wheel stops spinning turn water off at meter

let system sit, untouched for 12 hours

after 12 hours. turn on every thing in the house...hook garden hoses to hot/cold at washer run outside
THEN turn on the meter

let the water run for 5 hours

drain the water heater, fill, drain again,

take samples of water, to the health lab, have water analised

your system should be sanitised

 

[buddy24]

You got iron bacteria coming from your well. Look in your toilet holding tank and you'll find more. Wells around you probably have it to. We had this problem with a well years ago.