How do you tell if you have a shallow well?

The diameter of your well casing determines what type of well pump you need. If you do not have a well casing, you have a shallow well. Some well casings are 2” and require special accessories with a convertible jet well pump.

What constitutes a shallow well?

A shallow well is a hole which has been dug, bored, driven or drilled into the ground for the purpose of extracting water is a well. A well is considered to be shallow if it is less than 50 feet deep. The source of a well is an aquifer.

What is considered a shallow well pump?

Shallow well pumps are found in applications where the well is less than 25' deep and operate as above-ground well pumps. This style of pump is not submersible and is placed outside the well in a well housing. A feature you should look for is overload protection, which prevents motor burnout.

How deep should a shallow well be?

A well is classed as shallow if it is less than 50 feet deep. Wells with a depth of less than 100 feet lack enough soil thickness to adsorb all of the contaminants seeping into the ground [3].

How big is a shallow well?

A shallow well, also called a dug well, is less than 50-feet deep and constructed above the bedrock. Placement and drilling of these wells depends on the soil type – the best geology make-up sandy gravel. An excavator digs into the ground as deep as possible to ensure a high yield.

All about wells ..Where to DRILL or locate your well.

How can I tell how deep my well is?

If you cannot see the top of water in your well then you can tie a fishing float or "bobber" to your string and lower it carefully into the well until it stops dropping. Mark the string at ground level. Measure that string length - that's the depth from the ground surface to the top of your well water.

How much water can you get from a shallow well?

How Much Water Should A Well Yield? Thus, a typical well yield is approximately 3-gallons per minute; some lenders prefer 5-gallons per minute; and in some cases authorities will accept 5-gallon wells, however, they will be required to provide 1,500 gallons in on-site storage so they can accept two gallons per minute.

How long do shallow wells last?

How long do shallow well (centrifugal pumps) last? A shallow well pump is also called a centrifugal pump and is used above ground on wells with a high water table. These pumps generally last for 8 to 10 years as they don't have much pressure put on them to perform.

Can you drink water from shallow well?

Your well water may NOT be safe to drink. water if the well casing is damaged or if you have a dug or shallow well. get into Maine wells from nature. They're in the rocks and can dissolve in water.

Can a shallow well be dug deeper?

Drilling machines can drill to great depths. Deeper wells usually cost more than a shallow well to construct in the short-run. However, not drilling deep enough can result in later problems that will be much more expensive to fix.

How do I know what type of well I have?

You may be able to determine the type of well you have by looking at the outer casing and cover of the well. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), there are three basic types of private drinking wells dug, drilled, and driven .

Can you put a submersible pump in a shallow well?

Submersible pumps are selected based on the flow and pressure required and can be installed in shallow wells of just a few feet deep or in wells over a thousand feet deep!

What is considered shallow groundwater?

Shallow groundwater is a condition where the seasonal high groundwater table, or saturated soil, is less than 3 feet from the land surface.

Are shallow wells reliable?

Shallow and older wells may have a higher risk of contamination. Wells less than 100 ft deep lack the soil thickness to adsorb contaminants seeping into the ground, while older wells may not have a good seal around the well casing, a watertight cap, or may not have a well casing that extends above ground.

Is a deep well better than a shallow well?

In fact, properly constructed deep wells typically offer a much higher level of protection from bacterial contaminants near the surface. This is because there is a longer path to the surface.

How deep is the average well?

Most household water wells range from 100 to 800 feet deep, but a few are over 1,000 feet deep. Well yields can be increased by fracturing the bedrock immediately around the drill hole and intercepted rock faults.

Can a shallow well run dry?

Can Your Well Run Out of Water? If your well has been correctly drilled, it can last your family a lifetime, but it is possible for a well to run dry. This often happens with wells that are too shallow. If a well is not drilled deep enough, it may only be a water table well.

How much does it cost to put in a shallow well?

The average cost to dig a shallow well is between $1,800 and $3,000, or $5 to $10 per cubic yard depending on the depth of the water table. Shallow wells are typically 25' to 50' deep, 3 to 10 feet in diameter, and are best in areas without rocks or any bedrock.

Do water wells replenish themselves?

While your well is a 6” hole in the ground, it is not directly replenished by rainfall, as you might expect a cistern to function. The rainfall that seeps into the ground on your property moves through the soil at a rate of only 10 feet per year.

What happens if well runs out of water?

Does the well “running dry” do any damage? Yes, it can. Running the well pump when there isn't water to pump can damage the pump itself which can cause it to burn out prematurely. Well pumps can be quite expensive to replace.

How do you treat shallow well water?

Pour 3 pints of bleach into your well for every 100 gallons of water and add 3 extra pints to treat the household plumbing such as the pressure tank, hot water heater and pipes.

How far down is the water table?

Although the water table varies throughout the Oglalla Aquifer, it is generally 15 to 90 meters (50 to 300 feet) below the land surface.

How do I find out the water table in my area?

Contact your county or state health department, check with your State Certification Officer, or use this EPA website for a list of state certified laboratories in your area that do water testing.

How can you tell if there is water underground?

The ground penetrating radar (GPR) system is used for underground water detection. GPR is a promising technology to detect and identify aquifer water or nonmetallic mines. One of the most serious components for the performance of GPR is the antenna system.