Shallow well issues...

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I just bought my first home, and it has a shallow well. In Sept, I checked the flow etc, and all seemed to be good. This winter (january) I lost pressure and checked the well. I was horrified to see that the water level had dropped substantially, to the point of less than a foot in the bottom of the culvert. The water was also rusty, (I knew that was a problem when I had the water tested). I left the well 2 weeks without using ANY water, but it didn't come back. I organized a work party and me and 2 friends dug out the bottom some more, and I punched out the lining holes. I disinfected the well, and then through a process of elimination, figured that my sandpoint must be plugged as I couldn't get any water flow. Luckily, the old bugger that used to live there, (who passed on, taking all valuable info with him), had a secondary setup that pulled water from approximately 4" from the bottom of the well. The water that has returned is much clearer, and returns quite quickly. I still don't have much more than 10-11" of water in the bottom of the well. My questions: should I keep the setup as I have it now, or remove and replace the sandpoint and go back to it- and will this help with the iron?
2) if I dig down further, will it help the iron issue? 3) should I invest in a cistern system?
-thanks in advance!!!
 

Speedbump

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Dug wells don't have sand points. Sand points are usually on the end of a piece of 1-1/4" pipe driven into the ground.

It sounds like you need a well driller to drill you a real well.

bob...
 

Speedbump

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Nope, you have lost me. It sounds like someone who didn't know what they were doing did your well. The fact that it went dry is one good indication.

bob...
 
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o.k...
the well did not go completely dry, though 8-10" is damn close. The water WAS drawn up through a sandpoint (it is a flexible hose connected to the top of an approx 1 1/4" galvanized pipe. The pipe is firmly driven into the bottom of the well, and wouldn't budge despite shovelling around the pipe). When I shovelled out the bottom of the well and tried to hook the sand point back up to the pump, it wouldn't draw water (despite priming both pump and hose). Mickey Mouse? yes. As is a few other things around the property. Neighbours have told me that they had similiar issues (with water volume) and digging down 4' helped. Another friend told me using a pump truck to suck the sand/silt/water from the bottom would be easy, and then pump my septic tank out to make the trip worthwhile (ensuring to do it in that order, as reversing the order may make my water taste 'funny') ;)
 

Speedbump

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How far is it down to the water from the pump? A jet pump or a pump truck can only lift water 25' vertically.

bob...
 
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