Problems With Well Water in a Pool

Discoloration

• Well water may contain minerals that can discolor your water, clothing and parts of your pool. Iron creates yellow, brown or red water. Manganese causes gray, brown or black water. Additionally, the minerals stain clothing and materials in and around your pool. Copper can turn tinted hair green, and copper and iron can lead to green water. If the water contains copper and iron, it looks clear and green. Cloudy green water is due to algal growth.

Scale

• Hard well water has a high mineral content that can lead to the buildup of scale, which can affect the function of your pool’s filtration system and accumulate on your pool’s walls, your pool toys and pool cleaning equipment. Hard water issues are usually due to the presence of calcium and magnesium. Hard water may also irritate swimmers' skin.

Water PH

• Minerals such as iron can also affect the pH of your water. Acidic water has a low pH, which can cause corrosion and rust and harms metal fittings, frames and pool accessories. Alkaline water has a high pH, may appear cloudy and can lead to algae and scale issues. Hard water and either high or low pH levels can cause dry out swimmers' skin. Imbalances in pH levels can also lead to burning eyes. You need the correct pH level in order to allow your chlorine to work properly and to properly sanitize your pool. Ideally, you want to achieve a pH of approximately 7.4 in your pool.

Odor

• Well water may have an odor due to the presence of methane or hydrogen sulfide. Hydrogen sulfide gives water a rotten egg odor. Musty and moldy odors may be due to pockets of standing water, algal or bacterial growth or the presence of iron bacteria, which can form a red slime on surfaces. Contaminants may give well water an odor or render it unsafe for your health. Well water may contain BTEX or MTBE from a nearby gas station, chemical runoff from fields in agricultural areas, pesticides from orchards and from facilities such as golf courses or sewage runoff from factory farms.