Well Cleanup

Good Afternoon Everyone!
I have searched around for an answer to my question and didn't find it.  I hope I didn't miss it.  Anyways I have a small problem.

We purchased 21 acres in MT and it came with an old well that was drilled for oil.  They didn't hit oil but hit a water zone with sufficient pressure to flow to surface (artesian).  So we have had a slow flowing well that is completely unregistered.  Nobody knows how deep it is or really anything about it other than the fact that water flows to surface.  Horses have been drinking this water for decades with no issues and we had the water tested by two seperate labs and found it safe for human consumption.  It is high in sulfates (resulting from H2S) and smells not great but we can rectify that with an activated carbon filter.  In the mean time we have been hauling water by hand to our living arrangement (RV inside a barn) and using the water pump to do everything that isn't basic drinking (showing, cooking, dishes etc.).  We finally got a well pump installed in the well and it flows.  They were able to pull 30 gpm (max pump rate) for over an hour with no reduction in flow.  So the reservoir appears to be permeable and filled with water.  Unfortunately once we started trying to use the water it turned murky.  We have been running a single garden hose outside for 5 days straight...and while the sand has decreased the water went from crystal clear to murky (see photo below).  I'm wondering if anyone has any idea of what we should do?  Keep pulling water out of the well?  shut down the pump and let it go back to natural pressure?  It is interesting to note that the flowrate went from 1/2 gpm before we started pumping it to 4 gpm on it's own.  Unfortunately that means we cannot fully shut it in and force everything to settle...even when shut in it will flow at ~4 gpm.  Are we at risk of collapsing the well by producing this murky water?  Is it something we need to try to filter?  Any hopes it will clear eventually?  It seems like it is clay (bentonite maybe used in drilling?) either way even if i leave a jar on the table and come back tomorrow it is still murky.

Thanks for the advice.
Colter

Phew! Interesting problem! How deep is this well?

It goes without saying that the well has been disturbed by the change in flow. I would stop pumping and let it flow naturally.

Some forms of clay are so fine that they stay suspended almost forever. What happens when you run it through a double coffee filter?

Maybe what would help is a well pressure tank.

When we bought our property we knew nothing about wells so we hired the local well driller to come out to explain everything to us. This was the best $50.00 we ever spend.

We also had him move the pressure tank because it was in the wrong place.

My thinking is that the water would settle in the tank and not be cloudy when you use it.  Maybe even put a filter before the water reaches the tank.

fascinating problem.
Can you let it trickle to a large tank, 5000L and then draw from the tank.
It may be possible to create a mini water purification plant for yourselves.
Here are some available that may seem over the top!
mini purification plant

Colter.  I am a hydrologist located near Helena, MT.  I have worked all over the state for the last 30 years.  It was not uncommon in the early days for oil exploration holes to be turned over to the surface owner for stock watering or even domestic use. Unfortunately these wells were not designed as water wells and depending on many factors, can produce formation fines and further well development may not ever alleviate this problem. So you are left with treatment if you want to use this water in your house.  Since you desribe the water as high sulfate I assume you are located in Central or eastern MT where the Cretaceous units typically have this water quality issue.  Contact one of the water treatment vendors in you part of the state to discuss your options.  If you want to use the well you should go ahead and file a water right application with the Montana DNRC.  The DNRC Oil & Gas Board also maintains a GIS mapping application that should have a record of the original well.  You can reach me at azhydro1992@gmail.com if you have further questions.