How Do You Treat a Livestock Well and Stock Tanks?

Step 1: Test the water first

Ohio State University Extension says to treat a well after a water test shows bacteria. Our advice: any coliform result means the well needs treatment and a second test.

Our guide on how to test well water shows how to find a certified lab in your state. A home bacteria test is a first screen. A certified lab confirms it.

Step 2: Give the animals another water source

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension says neither people nor animals should have prolonged contact with the water during treatment. If an automatic waterer serves the animals, it says to give them another water source for the treatment period.

Our advice: keep the animals on the other water source until the retest comes back clean.

Step 3: Check the pump and the equipment

Mississippi State University Extension says its method is only for wells with a working submersible pump. It says a jet pump or a damaged system needs a certified contractor.

Ohio State says chlorine can damage carbon filters and reverse osmosis units, so check the maker's rules. Mississippi State says to put water softeners and household filters in bypass mode. Texas A&M says chlorine can damage the rubber bladder in a pressure tank, so check the maker's guide to see if the tank should be bypassed.

Step 4: Treat the well by the extension method

The extension method is also called shock chlorination. Ohio State fact sheet AEX-318 and Texas A&M fact sheet SCSC-PU-106 give the steps and the amounts for the water standing in the well. In short:

• Find the water depth and the casing size. Ohio State uses them to size the amount from its table.
• Mix the chlorine product in water: about 3 gallons for Ohio State, a 5-gallon bucket for Texas A&M. Pour it into the well, and wash down the inside of the casing with a hose.
• Ohio State says to run each tap until you smell chlorine, then shut it off.
• Let it stand. Ohio State says 12 to 24 hours. Texas A&M says at least 12 hours, and 24 is better.

Ohio State says to wear safety glasses, gloves and an apron, because strong chlorine can hurt eyes and skin. It also says to never mix chlorine and ammonia, because they form a toxic gas. Read the full fact sheet before you start, or ask a well pro to do this step.

Home wells follow the same steps. See how to treat a well, step by step.

Step 5: Flush away from stock, plants and septic

Texas A&M says to run the outdoor faucets first, until the chlorine smell fades, and to let the water drain onto the ground. It says to keep the water off lawns, gardens and plants, and out of ponds, lakes, rivers and streams. It also says high loads of chlorine in a septic tank can kill the bacteria the tank needs. Mississippi State University Extension says to keep the flush water away from septic systems, landscaping and bodies of water.

Our advice: keep the animals away from the flush water too.

Step 6: Clean the stock tanks and troughs

The University of Georgia Equine Program says water troughs can breed bacteria. NC State Extension says to scrub the sides and bottom and rinse well. A tank with no drain is easier to empty if you turn off the water and let the stock drink it dry. NC State says a few minutes of tank care each week helps.

Our advice: clean the tanks after the flush, and refill them from the well after the retest comes back clean.

Step 7: Test again

Ohio State says to wait about two weeks, then test for bacteria again. Mississippi State says not to drink the water until it has been tested.

If bacteria are still there, Texas A&M says to treat again and test again. If they come back a third time, it says to look for the source: a poor wellhead, nearby livestock pens or a septic tank. Ohio State says a well that keeps failing may need a continuous disinfection system. Mississippi State says a well that fails may need cleaning first, and to contact a contractor or the local health department.