Estrogen Hostage
New Member
I have a rural property with a shallow hand dug well. It's got a rock casing and is at least 20' deep. I've got a jet pump just sitting at the top of the well and it usually works fine. Right now the static depth is at ground level, but this summer it's been running dry at 20'. I believe the production rate to be a quart to two quarts per minute. The well water has comtamination issues from fecal coliform bacteria. This is treatable but irritating. I assume this is from the lack of a solid well casing.
I have discovered the following solutions:
1) Attempt to lower the pump in the well and store water in a tank using a second pump to feed the house and treat water quality seperately. Cost here is approx $3k.
2) Drill a new well. The issue here is that I am concerned about finding water. Wells in my area are all over the place for flow rate and depth. Nobody in my section has a well and the nearest are a mile away. Cost is variable from $5k-$10k depending on depth. My guess is around $6500 because if they are going to hit water it's around 100-150'.
3) Rural water. Cost is $15k but I'm at the end of a few miles of 2" line and only expected to have 20-30 PSI. There is anotehr water discrict I can connect to with half a mile of 4" pipe at my expense of $25-30k. That assumes my water district will deannex me but I think their bylaws say that they either have to upgrade their pipe at their cost or deannex me.
Up until today I had been leaning towards rural water and a pressure booster pump if I need to. I'm not excited about spending money on my well and continuing to deal with quality problems and flow rate. I think one or the other is OK, but not both. Today a well driller that has a bad reputation called me and told me he'd guarantee I hit water or all I'll owe him is fuel - 300 gallons or so. He's drilled wells in the area and is comfortable that he'll find water. He has a reputation from reputable sources for drilling dry holes or going too deep to find water. If it were any of the other drilling companies I'd jump on the deal. I specifically asked him how he will pack a dry hole and what kind of grout he uses, etc - and his answers were the same as everyone elses.
So what would you do? Would you gamble with the unknown guy?
I have discovered the following solutions:
1) Attempt to lower the pump in the well and store water in a tank using a second pump to feed the house and treat water quality seperately. Cost here is approx $3k.
2) Drill a new well. The issue here is that I am concerned about finding water. Wells in my area are all over the place for flow rate and depth. Nobody in my section has a well and the nearest are a mile away. Cost is variable from $5k-$10k depending on depth. My guess is around $6500 because if they are going to hit water it's around 100-150'.
3) Rural water. Cost is $15k but I'm at the end of a few miles of 2" line and only expected to have 20-30 PSI. There is anotehr water discrict I can connect to with half a mile of 4" pipe at my expense of $25-30k. That assumes my water district will deannex me but I think their bylaws say that they either have to upgrade their pipe at their cost or deannex me.
Up until today I had been leaning towards rural water and a pressure booster pump if I need to. I'm not excited about spending money on my well and continuing to deal with quality problems and flow rate. I think one or the other is OK, but not both. Today a well driller that has a bad reputation called me and told me he'd guarantee I hit water or all I'll owe him is fuel - 300 gallons or so. He's drilled wells in the area and is comfortable that he'll find water. He has a reputation from reputable sources for drilling dry holes or going too deep to find water. If it were any of the other drilling companies I'd jump on the deal. I specifically asked him how he will pack a dry hole and what kind of grout he uses, etc - and his answers were the same as everyone elses.
So what would you do? Would you gamble with the unknown guy?