new sandpoint

**mahza** · 11-24-2008, 07:43 AM

My old sandpoint well (in basement) lasted till now (40years) Good water,,,not to hard, no taste smell etc..excellent results when tested! We installed new pump on it and it collasped the well. So my question is can we install another sandpoint close to old one in basement and what are my chances are getting water. The sand that the old sandpoint brought up when collasped is a very very fine sand,,,my old sandpoint, bare in mind worked for 40 years.....apparently when it was put in long ago it did 5gpm and we tested it just before new pump went on and it did 2.5 gallons per minute! I'm hoping new well gives more!

**speedbump** · 11-24-2008, 08:15 AM

That's a long time for any well to last. Especially one with a screen.

If it only did 5 gpm when originally installed, I would assume that the screen was a very fine mesh. Like 100 gauze or so. This would have been done because of the sand size. You want to be sure to filter it out once the well has been installed. Problem is, you don't know this for sure. So unless you pull the old one and inspect the sand stuck to the screen and try to determine what screen size to use for the new well, you may always have a sand problem. You can also, pull the old one, install a new screen and put it in the same hole. It will again pump water if put back where it was.

Edit: I just saw your other post. I wouldn't call those guys again unless they will take the pump back. The pump didn't cave in the well. That isn't possible, but if those guys turned the casing, they could have torn the screen. If you don't have the ability to pull the well, try to find someone who can or look for a new drilled well out in the yard somewhere by a pro.

bob...

**mahza** · 11-27-2008, 10:09 AM

Wow!

New well driller came and says we have a 50 feet wide and 20 feet aquifer running under us! So he put in new well...and do we have water! New pressure system everythig! The first guys that changed the well pump before the well collasped came back and unplug all my lines (cut off elbows and replaced) took out water softner to get it cleaned nad cleaned out hot water tank and all lines including laundry lines!

I am still getting some sand or silt in water but well driller told me that will clear up and to keep flushing the lines!

**speedbump** · 11-28-2008, 07:06 AM

New well driller came and says we have a 50 feet wide and 20 feet aquifer running under us!

Egads, where do they come up with these ideas? There is water under you everywhere and I don't know anyone including a Well Driller who can make any sort of blanket statement like that. Does he have X-Ray vision?

bob...

**Porky** · 11-29-2008, 08:59 AM

Quote: There is water under you everywhere and I don't know anyone including a Well Driller who can make any sort of blanket statement like that. Does he have X-Ray vision?

There isn't always water under you everywhere! I've drilled many places in my 60 years of drilling where there was NO water!

Most Well Drillers know their area and know where the water is and is not and some even know the approximate depth.

**speedbump** · 12-01-2008, 06:35 AM

There isn't always water under you everywhere! I've drilled many places in my 60 years of drilling where there was NO water!

+

I didn't mean that to sound like there is water everywhere - everywhere. What I meant was if he had a well already in his yard, he could move over and do it again the right way without worrying about getting into water.
I know many wells in North Caroline that are over 600 feet deep that barely make humidity.

I have heard too many of those stories where the Driller comes out with the Peach Bough and witches the yard while telling the homeowner; "there is no water here, but after a few more steps the bark is magically twisted off the branch in his hands as the forked stick points downward with the force of a powerful locomotive and he states that; he will drill right here". OK?

bob...

**mahza** · 12-07-2008, 08:59 PM

one week wh new sandpoint......lots of silt and sand still coming up! the water also has a slight yellow tinge to it nad a metallic smell.....ummmmmmm the new sandpoint is right beside old sandpoint (like less than one fooot away) and is in 3 feet deeper!

Any ideas on when the sand and silt will stop coming in and what the smell is?

**speedbump** · 12-08-2008, 05:57 AM

I don't know about the smell, but what screen did you use?

bob...

**mahza** · 12-08-2008, 09:01 AM

the well driller who installed it is coming back today I am not sure what screen he used but he knew we had fine sand and lots of silt......

**mahza** · 12-08-2008, 09:03 AM

I dont know what to think.......there is more sand and silt coming up today than when he first installed sandpoint,,,then it seems to clear up and only a bit of sand comes up....could my presurre tankl or bladder be filled up with sand....the fellow installed a brand new tank,,,,actually everything was brand new!

**speedbump** · 12-08-2008, 10:01 AM

I don't know too many Well Drillers who install hand driven wells in Basements.
So that makes this guy a Weekend Warrior. I sure hope he isn't the one that made this statement:

Wow! New well driller came and says we have a 50 feet wide and 20 feet aquifer running under us!

bob...

**mahza** · 12-08-2008, 10:28 AM

There are a ton of sand point wells in basements in our area! They are not all installled by same well driller...
The fellow that put in well is from this area also!

Before technolgy came about just how did people find water? Sometimes going back to nature to find water is good.

**speedbump** · 12-09-2008, 05:24 AM

Most Well Drillers are Professional, Licensed and own Equipment which cost a lot of money; so they can drill wells deeper than the one in your basement. I'm not saying that your water is contaminated or that it's bad for you. What I am saying is that a Pro with the bills that come along with being a Pro keeps most of us out of Basements.

The guy who put in your well either used the wrong screen or tore it in the process of installing it. Either way, the old one apparently didn't pump sand and the new one does. That tells me there is something wrong with it. With less than an hours pumping with a hand pump, the new well should have completely cleared and you shouldn't have any more sand or silt.

bob...