Low yielding well?

[Colin Kauffeldt]

Hi all,

my family and I moved into our place almost 2 years ago and have experienced running out of water multiple times if we're not careful. We have a 165' drilled well and also the original 36" bored well that I've measured to be 46' deep that hasn't been used in years. We're at a point where we need to do something about this since our kids are getting older, wife wants to do a garden and the demand for water is going to increase.

Do you think having the drilled well cleaned out is going to help this issue at all? I've been quoted $1500 by a driller and obviously they can't guarantee it will make a difference. Most are suggesting adding a cistern in the house which I really don't want due to space and the idea of having water sitting in tanks inside the house.

This is why I mentioned our other bored well that isn't being used. During the summer, it had about 15' of water in it and I decided to pump it dry to see if it would recover. It took about a day to recover back the 15'. It currently has a deep well jet pump which doesn't work so I'm thinking of eliminating that and dropping in a submersible instead. My thinking is, if I can get this well working along with my drilled well, this might be just as good as having a water storage setup?

Any thoughts?

 

[Valveman]

With a two well system the spare well can work as storage. You just need to stagger the pressure switch settings so the first well works at the highest pressure and the spare well at the lowest pressure. A Cycle Sensor on the first well would shut the pump off when the well runs dry. The pressure would drop a little and the secondary pump would come on to supply water as needed. You can set the Cycle Sensor for like 15 minutes to turn the primary pump back on. If there is enough water in the well and the house is no longer using any water, it will just fill a small pressure tank and shut off.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Bannerman]

Why was the original 36" well abandoned and replaced with a new drilled well?

Suggest obtaining comprehensive lab tests for both wells to compare and determine if there will be additional treatment needed to use the old well.

 

[Colin Kauffeldt]

With a two well system the spare well can work as storage. You just need to stagger the pressure switch settings so the first well works at the highest pressure and the spare well at the lowest pressure. A Cycle Sensor on the first well would shut the pump off when the well runs dry. The pressure would drop a little and the secondary pump would come on to supply water as needed. You can set the Cycle Sensor for like 15 minutes to turn the primary pump back on. If there is enough water in the well and the house is no longer using any water, it will just fill a small pressure tank and shut off.

Thanks for the quick reply!

This is exactly the setup I would be looking to accomplish. Would you still consider having the primary well cleaned out? I'm just wondering if maybe trying this first to see if I gain more water would be beneficial or is it just wishful thinking...

 

[Colin Kauffeldt]

Why was the original 36" well abandoned and replaced with a new drilled well?

Suggest obtaining comprehensive lab tests for both wells to compare and determine if there will be additional treatment needed to use the old well.

Hi Bannerman,

I'm assuming the original well ran out of water or very low yield at one point? I'm not 100% sure.

I agree with you on having the water tested as well. This will be my next step.

Thanks!

 

[Valveman]

The drilled well can probably be cleaned up. I don't know about the dug well? A well that only makes 1 GPM can supply 1440 gallons per day if you have a cistern. If the ground isn't to hard you can even bury a cistern, put a pump in it like it was a well, and not have water sitting above ground where it can get sunlight to make green stuff grow or freeze from the cold.

 

[Colin Kauffeldt]

Why was the original 36" well abandoned and replaced with a new drilled well?

Suggest obtaining comprehensive lab tests for both wells to compare and determine if there will be additional treatment needed to use the old well.

I just got an email from a local lab for water test packaging and pricing. Just wondering which test you think is best? I'm not familiar with all the terms and metals that are important to know in drinking water...

Thanks again!

 

[Colin Kauffeldt]

The drilled well can probably be cleaned up. I don't know about the dug well? A well that only makes 1 GPM can supply 1440 gallons per day if you have a cistern. If the ground isn't to hard you can even bury a cistern, put a pump in it like it was a well, and not have water sitting above ground where it can get sunlight to make green stuff grow or freeze from the cold.

View attachment 71674

The drilled well can probably be cleaned up. I don't know about the dug well? A well that only makes 1 GPM can supply 1440 gallons per day if you have a cistern. If the ground isn't to hard you can even bury a cistern, put a pump in it like it was a well, and not have water sitting above ground where it can get sunlight to make green stuff grow or freeze from the cold.

View attachment 71674

Ok thanks! I'll probably go ahead and get the drilled well cleaned up. Looking at my well record and receipts left from previous home owners, it looks like it was drilled in 2000. I dont think the pump has ever been replaced since. Looks like a 3/4 hp Berkeley pump that's in there. Make sense to have the pump replaced too or do they usually last longer? I'll check this forum and see if anything is mentioned about longevity of submersible pumps.

 

[Valveman]

Depends on what is wrong with the well. 20 years is not a very old well and doesn't normally need cleaning. However, if you have iron bacteria or something in the well water, well rehab can help with that. Your pump could also be clogged with iron. Sometimes it is best to replace the pump, pipe, wire, and everything down the well to keep the stuff on the pump from re-contaminating the well after it is clean.

There is a lot mentioned on this forum about the longevity of pumps. You will find it is not so much the brand of pump, as they are all pretty much the same quality anymore, as how it is controlled. Any pump will last longer when you reduce the number of times it cycles on and off.

 

[Colin Kauffeldt]

Depends on what is wrong with the well. 20 years is not a very old well and doesn't normally need cleaning. However, if you have iron bacteria or something in the well water, well rehab can help with that. Your pump could also be clogged with iron. Sometimes it is best to replace the pump, pipe, wire, and everything down the well to keep the stuff on the pump from re-contaminating the well after it is clean.

There is a lot mentioned on this forum about the longevity of pumps. You will find it is not so much the brand of pump, as they are all pretty much the same quality anymore, as how it is controlled. Any pump will last longer when you reduce the number of times it cycles on and off.

I'm just wondering if the pump is clogged preventing us from having more water or if my well just isn't producing like it used to. If we run out of water after doing a load of laundry (older top load washer), my guess is that the well just isn't producing enough water. A clogged pump would just mean less pressure no? After a couple hours, water is back again. The well record shows "recommended pump rate 3 GPM"

 

[Valveman]

A clogged pump would deliver low pressure from the beginning. A clogged well screen will let you have water for a little while, then the flow drops off. With a 165' well and static water level of 46' you have about 200 gallons stored in the well. This should be enough to supply a house for a day all by itself. I would guess if you are not getting 200 gallons before the water stops you have a pump problem not a well problem. Checking the amps would tell us more, but it is 165' in the ground and you usually don't know what the problem is until you pull it up and have a look.

 

[Colin Kauffeldt]

A clogged pump would deliver low pressure from the beginning. A clogged well screen will let you have water for a little while, then the flow drops off. With a 165' well and static water level of 46' you have about 200 gallons stored in the well. This should be enough to supply a house for a day all by itself. I would guess if you are not getting 200 gallons before the water stops you have a pump problem not a well problem. Checking the amps would tell us more, but it is 165' in the ground and you usually don't know what the problem is until you pull it up and have a look.

Sorry, I never mentioned static level of the drilled well which is 105' according to the record.

46' is the depth of my dug well that isn't currently being used...

 

[Colin Kauffeldt]

A clogged pump would deliver low pressure from the beginning. A clogged well screen will let you have water for a little while, then the flow drops off. With a 165' well and static water level of 46' you have about 200 gallons stored in the well. This should be enough to supply a house for a day all by itself. I would guess if you are not getting 200 gallons before the water stops you have a pump problem not a well problem. Checking the amps would tell us more, but it is 165' in the ground and you usually don't know what the problem is until you pull it up and have a look.

This is the well record that was left for me.

 

[Reach4]

I just got an email from a local lab for water test packaging and pricing. Just wondering which test you think is best? I'm not familiar with all the terms and metals that are important to know in drinking water...

I think DW2M, but DW2 may be enough if you know As is not a problem in your area.

These offerings do not include a coliform or E.coli bacterial test. In deep wells, I think a positive on those is often due to the sampling procedures. I would sanitize the well. I don't know about dug wells. Those seem more vulnerable to surface contamination.

 

[Bannerman]

Just wondering which test you think is best?

The usual minimum recommendation for posters located in US is National Labs WaterCheck. You might compare their standard well package to the packages offered by your local lab to choose the one that will offer the most similar testing.

http://watercheck.myshopify.com/?aff=5

 

[Colin Kauffeldt]

I think DW2M, but DW2 may be enough if you know As is not a problem in your area.

These offerings do not include a coliform or E.coli bacterial test. In deep wells, I think a positive on those is often due to the sampling procedures. I would sanitize the well. I don't know about dug wells. Those seem more vulnerable to surface contamination.

Thanks for your input!

Our township does provide free testing for coliform and E.coli. I had this test done a few times from our drilled well and they came back negative.

 

[Colin Kauffeldt]

The usual minimum recommendation for posters located in US is National Labs WaterCheck. You might compare their standard well package to the packages offered by your local lab to choose the one that will offer the most similar testing.

http://watercheck.myshopify.com/?aff=5

Ok I'll have a look at that!

Thanks again.