How Well Do Your Know Your Well?

Some private wells run dry every summer, while others, which may be right next-door, flow without a problem even during a drought. What accounts for the differences? Geographical or physical conditions of the soil, in addition to the well construction itself are major factors as to how efficient your water well is.

How to determine if you have a problem:

If you hear your pump going on more frequently than normal or experience water outages, or if air bubbles come out of your faucet, you well may be having trouble keeping up with your demand for water.

Know about your well:

As a well owner, you should know where on your property it is located, and how deep it is. If you do not know the answers, call your local health department. The well driller who installed your well may also be a useful source of information. A metal detector may prove useful in tracing buried pipes to locate your well. New pipes are generally plastic, but iron is often used in the installation of wells.

Water conservation is key:

Cutting back on water use by refraining from outdoor use or doing laundry and limiting toilet flushing and bathing can significantly reduce your demand for water. Timing water use to spread out your water demand over the entire day may also help.

How to increase your available water:

A licensed plumber or well driller can inspect your well and may be able to lower the pump. This may increase the useable storage in the well and increase the extent of the aquifer from which the well can get water if the well is already deep. Deepening your well is another possibility. Consult your local health department about the advisability of deepening your well and to obtain a list of licensed well drillers. Increasing the amount of water storage through the installation of an atmospheric storage tank and/or transfer pump by a licensed plumber may help. Water in storage will be available for use as needed, for longer periods. This allows well water to flow into the well (recover) for a longer period of time before recharging the tank.

We take water quality seriously!

Sullivan County Labs opened for the convenience of local well owners and businesses that need to determine their water safety and evaluate potential contaminants. We offer a wide range of water analyses for potable, recreational, and process water.
For more information, give us a call today: 845-704-8151