Can this well be used to supply water to a house?

[Bluetera]

Hi! I just posted a video on Youtube of a well that we have on our land in Pinnacle, NC and am trying to figure out if it is something we could use to supply water to a home or if it is only good for irrigation. If you get a second and don't mind, let me know if you have any ideas/opinions about it. Thanks!

 

[Valveman]

Make shorter videos. I wouldn't have finished if I hadn't been taking my time drinking my coffee this morning. The dogs cracked me up. lol

Anyway, that well could easily make enough water for a house. You won't know until you have a pump in there using water at the driest time of the year. And even if it will make enough for the house, it is so shallow it is susceptible to contamination from surface water. The water level actually looks about the same as the creek level. But you can filter it, and use a UV light to sanitize, and a under the sink RO system would probably be best if you plan to drink it.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Banjo Bud]

I’m no expert. I’m just a DIY guy but it seems to me that you could get a cheap pump at HD (like this kind) https://www.homedepot.com/p/Superio...VC43ICh30xgO7EAQYCCABEgJY5_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Then drop it down as far as the cord will allow. Then run it for a few hours, then take a sample to a lab. That should tell you if the water is drinkable. As far as having enough volume to supply a house, maybe drop a rock tied to a string down until it hits bottom and see how deep it is. I would think that a well as big in diameter as that is doesn’t need much depth to have the volume a house needs. You could rent a trash pump (they pump huge amounts of water) and pump it out with that. Pump it down a ways and stop. See how long it takes to recover.

 

[Reach4]

Pumping down to see how fast the water flows at 10 gpm or more draw (better test during the dry season) would be useful to check that you have enough water. You probably have enough water.

After testing, I would sanitize the well and plumbing, dump the chlorine, draw water, and then test for coliform bacteria and other stuff. If the water stays clear of coliform when testing, I would be eliminating the UV myself. UV won't hurt, but may be unnecessary.

You would probably want to improve that cover.

I am also thinking that a better seal where the pipes go through the wall of the well would be good to keep surface water from coming in there.

I am not a pro.

 

[Bluetera]

Make shorter videos. I wouldn't have finished if I hadn't been taking my time drinking my coffee this morning. The dogs cracked me up. lol

Anyway, that well could easily make enough water for a house. You won't know until you have a pump in there using water at the driest time of the year. And even if it will make enough for the house, it is so shallow it is susceptible to contamination from surface water. The water level actually looks about the same as the creek level. But you can filter it, and use a UV light to sanitize, and a under the sink RO system would probably be best if you plan to drink it.

Thank you for the response! We were considering an RO system anyway. I think the water level right now is actually the lowest I have seen it. Those pipes you see in there are usually under water. But I have only seen it from May to now. Doesn't a RO system remove bacteria as well? I have never heard of using UV light. I wonder how that setup works?

 

[Bluetera]

I’m no expert. I’m just a DIY guy but it seems to me that you could get a cheap pump at HD (like this kind) https://www.homedepot.com/p/Superior-Pump-1-4-HP-Submersible-Thermoplastic-Utility-Pump-91250/204589831?cm_mmc=Shopping|G|VF|D26P|26-5_PUMPS|NA|PLA|71700000033150360|58700003868932546|92700031086388722&gclid=EAIaIQobChMInrrip73U3wIVC43ICh30xgO7EAQYCCABEgJY5_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Then drop it down as far as the cord will allow. Then run it for a few hours, then take a sample to a lab. That should tell you if the water is drinkable. As far as having enough volume to supply a house, maybe drop a rock tied to a string down until it hits bottom and see how deep it is. I would think that a well as big in diameter as that is doesn’t need much depth to have the volume a house needs. You could rent a trash pump (they pump huge amounts of water) and pump it out with that. Pump it down a ways and stop. See how long it takes to recover.

Thanks! Those are all good ideas!

 

[Bluetera]

Pumping down to see how fast the water flows at 10 gpm or more draw (better test during the dry season) would be useful to check that you have enough water. You probably have enough water.

After testing, I would sanitize the well and plumbing, dump the chlorine, draw water, and then test for coliform bacteria and other stuff. If the water stays clear of coliform when testing, I would be eliminating the UV myself. UV won't hurt, but may be unnecessary.

You would probably want to improve that cover.

I am also thinking that a better seal where the pipes go through the wall of the well would be good to keep surface water from coming in there.

I am not a pro.

This all makes sense and sounds good too! Thank you! Any ideas on improving the cover?

 

[Bluetera]

Do any of you have suggestions on who (the profession) I could call to inspect the wells integrity and to see if code will allow use of it? I worry that if I call a well drilling company, they will just try to push me to install a new well for the sake of making money.

 

[Banjo Bud]

Just realized that Pinnacle, NC is close to Mt Airy. I go there to play at bluegrass jams now & then. I’m a banjo player as you can tell by my screen name. I also go to a jam once in awhile in Tobaccoville, which is really close to you. I love that area.

 

[Bluetera]

Just realized that Pinnacle, NC is close to Mt Airy. I go there to play at bluegrass jams now & then. I’m a banjo player as you can tell by my screen name. I also go to a jam once in awhile in Tobaccoville, which is really close to you. I love that area.

That's cool! My friends like to make music as well. One of them just got a banjo for Christmas. I love the sound. I have been up to Mt Airy only a couple of times. We just moved to NC last year.

 

[Banjo Bud]

Banjo is a hard instrument. I played trumpet in HS and then in a Glenn Miller type band for 15 years after I graduated. Also bass in a rock band and drums in a country band. Banjo was the hardest. I threw it out the window a few times while learning. Lol. But now I’m Purdy good.

 

[Bluetera]

Hi again, everyone! I was able to measure the depth of the well today. It goes down about 6 feet below ground level, not including the casing above ground. I also got a ballpark estimate of the distance from the well to the home site. Approximately 166 feet (not as far as I thought).