Getting the Ultra C into the Well

Early morning on an industrial site in Milan, Italy, back in 2008, our team was onsite and ready to carry out a recycle clean of a large bore pump badly fouled with iron bacteria. The plan was straightforward: dose the well with BoreSaver Ultra C, circulate the treatment, and restore efficiency. But almost immediately, we hit a snag.

The bore’s steel headworks only had a golf ball–sized opening, making it nearly impossible to pour the Ultra C powder into the well. With no funnel on hand, the operation could have ground to a halt.

Fortunately, a sharp-eyed team member spotted a traffic cone nearby. Within minutes, it was repurposed into a makeshift oversized funnel—just the right size to guide the chemical safely down the bore. Improvisation at its finest!

The technique is simple but effective: run a small flow of water over the Ultra C powder as it’s added. This carries the chemical down into the well evenly and reduces clumping. Once the solution is in, the pump is run for five minutes to circulate the mixture into a tank, then the treated water is dropped back down the bore. The process is repeated in cycles over 24 to 48 hours to ensure thorough cleaning.

What started as a logistical hiccup turned into a great example of field ingenuity. And most importantly—the bore was successfully rehabilitated, the pump returned to full performance, and the site learned that sometimes, even a traffic cone can save the day.