Yes, you can shock your own well, and it is a common DIY maintenance task for clearing out harmful bacteria, iron bacteria, or sulfur odors.
4 Signs That You Need to Shock Chlorinate Your Well
To gain peace of mind about the quality of your well's drinking water and have your well shock chlorinated by a professional, you can expect to pay anywhere from $80 to $200 depending on your well depth, the type of well, labor, and more.
The best product for shocking a well is plain, unscented household bleach (like Clorox or a generic brand) with 5.25% to 8.25% sodium hypochlorite. Never use "splashless," scented, or color-safe bleaches, as they contain additives that will ruin your water quality and damage your plumbing.
Allow the chlorinated water to stand in the well and the entire water system for a minimum of 12 hours (24 hours is recommended).
One standard 1 lb bag of granular pool shock is roughly equivalent to 11𝟏 to 1.51.5𝟏.𝟓 gallons of standard household bleach, though it varies depending on the strength of the shock and the age of the bleach.
Chlorine is aggressive and can damage well casings and other parts of a water treatment system, including softeners, filters, and other treatment components. Additionally, introducing high levels of chlorine can reduce septic growth—killing the good bacteria that resides in septic systems—impacting performance.
Run the water to flush the bleach solution out of the well. Monitor the process, it can take 30 minutes to 24 hours or more to flush all of the bleach solution from the well. Use a chlorine test strip to verify that water coming from the outside faucet or yard hydrant is free from any bleach solution.
Putting too much bleach in a well creates highly corrosive water, releases toxic fumes, and can damage your well pump, plumbing fixtures, and filtration equipment. It can also overload your septic system and kill nearby vegetation when you flush it out.
Mix the chlorine and well water. Attach a hose to a faucet near the well and run the water. After you smell chlorine, direct the water from the hose back down into the top of the well (if you don't smell chlorine after a few minutes, add some more before circulating the water).
Yes, 12 gallons per minute (GPM) is an excellent flow rate for a residential well. It easily meets the water demands of an average household and provides plenty of cushion for running multiple fixtures at the same time.
Now the water must not be used for drinking, bathing or cooking for 12-24 hours. CAUTION: Do not leave the concentrated chlorinated water standing in the well for more than 24 hours as this may affect the well pump. You may flush the toilets, but try to minimize the number of flushes.
After shocking your well, you must run your taps just long enough to smell chlorine at each fixture, let the system sit for 12 to 24 hours (do not use any water during this time), and then run the taps again for several hours to completely flush the chlorine out.
Mix the chlorine with 10 times as much water before pouring down the well. Remove the well cap or air vent carefully and pour the diluted chlorine into the well. If unsure, seek professional help. Protect yourself by wearing safety goggles, rubber gloves, and a chemical-resistant apron.
After shocking a well, you must let the chlorinated water sit for 12 to 24 hours, then flush the system entirely by running outdoor taps until the chlorine smell disappears. Do not drink the water or send large amounts of it into your septic tank during this process.
No, you cannot shower while your well is being shocked, nor can you use the water for drinking, cooking, or laundry.
No. Shock chlorination doesn't always work. The chlorine only disinfects (kills germs) in the water that it has had contact with for the right amount of time. If you don't know or don't fix the source of the problem, your well can become contaminated again.
Brown water after shocking a well is common and is typically caused by chlorine oxidizing dissolved metals (like iron or manganese) in your groundwater, turning them into solid rust particles. It can also be caused by sediment being stirred up at the bottom of the well.
Common Well Water Contaminants
Bottom line – Dawn dish soap is generally safe for septic systems. Its biodegradable ingredients, low phosphate content, lack of antibacterial agents, and gentle cleaning power make it a good choice if you've got a septic system.
Using bleach and blue drop-in tablets in a home with a septic system is highly discouraged. Septic systems rely on a living biome of beneficial bacteria to break down waste. Chlorine bleach and harsh sanitizers kill these necessary microbes, potentially leading to foul odors, backups, and expensive drain field failures.
If the water looks good and you simply want to boost the chlorine level a bit, add 1 bag per 20,000 gallons. If the water is hazy or cloudy, use a full bag per 10,000 gallons. Or, if there is algae, use 2–6 lbs per 10,000 gallons, depending on the extent of the algae bloom.
Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) acts as a natural buffer that raises both your pool's total alkalinity and its pH. It prevents severe pH fluctuations (known as "pH bounce"), clears cloudy water, prevents equipment corrosion, and helps your chlorine sanitize more effectively.
In a clean quart container about half full of water, put 1 to 1 1/2 fluid ounces (2-3 tablespoons) of a standard unscented, non-detergent household chlorine bleach (5.25% concentration) for every 500 gallons of water to be treated.
After shocking your well, you must run your taps just long enough to smell chlorine at each fixture, let the system sit for 12 to 24 hours (do not use any water during this time), and then run the taps again for several hours to completely flush the chlorine out.