These waters almost always contain algae and bacteria which can live inside of and clog filters and irrigation laterals. Chlorine is used under these conditions to kill these organisms. In treating water containing iron, chlorine will oxidize the iron dissolved in water, causing the iron to precipitate so that it can be filtered and removed from the system. It will also kill the iron bacteria and any other algae or bacteria present in the system. In either case, chlorine treatment should take place upstream of filters in order to remove the precipitated iron and microorganisms from the system.
Chlorine is available in either gas, liquid, or solid forms.
Chlorine gas is extremely dangerous and not recommended for agricultural purposes. Solid chlorine is available as granules or tablets containing 65-70 percent calcium hypochlorite. Liquid chlorine is available in many forms, including laundry bleach and postharvest wash materials. Liquid forms typically contain between 5-15 percent sodium hypochlorite. Use chlorine only if the product is labeled for use in irrigation systems.