Shallow Well vs Public Water Supply?

[volleypc]

We have 40 acres that I am going to start a small homestead on. There is a small piece of property between ours and the road/water with an easement that has been in place for years. It provides access to our property and another neighbors field. While I was out today I found an old shallow well. It has filled in somewhat and I do not know how hard it would be to dig out. I was hoping some of you with more experience can make a recommendation on whether I should proceed with extending a 1 inch water service line about 400 feet of try to excavate the shallow well back out and reuse it?

[Belfrybat]

If the well is on the easement and not your property, I wouldn't mess with it. If on your property and doesn't cost much, I'd try to dig it out and see if it would be a viable water source. You could always supplement it with a rainwater catchment system.

[volleypc]

Belfrybat... I think I am leaning this way. It is on our property so that is not an issue. I am not sure how to safely re-excavate a partially filled well. (there is about a 3 foot drop at the top). I just don't want to start digging and then fall through. I can't imagine it would be very deep though.

[fantasymaker]

Just cause there is a access easement does not mean you can use it to put in a water line. have you looked at the paperwork to see if that is provided for?

[Sawmill Jim]

Could it be an old cistern and not a well

[volleypc]

Fantasy Maker... Yes I should have stated this in the original post. It does not have an easement but it will not be an issue getting one from the owners. (The area is alraedy cleared since there is a transmission line running through this easement as well.).

Sawmill Jim - Not sure. It is my dads property and he has had it for 30 years or so and grew up next to this property (hes 65) and he said he never remembers a house being there. There are several large trees growing just around the perimeter of the depression. I do not believe it is a cistern. I have not been able to find any signs on an old homesite in the area.

[Bearfootfarm]

I think you'd be best off to run public water AND drill a NEW well rather then start digging what MIGHT just be nothing but a hole in the ground.

Then you'd have a back-up water supply, since public water usually runs even when the power is out.

Most places it's illegal to have them both connected to your house without at least a backflow preventer, and sometimes even those arent allowed.

Another advantage is all your outside faucets could run from the well, and would only cost the power to pump it.

If you're NOT allowed to connect the two systems LEGALLY, I've "heard rumors" that if you have an outside faucet from each system that are close together, you could connect them with a hose that has a female fitting on each end.

[texican]

"Excavating" sounds easy... just some words really. It's the actual lowering yourself down on a rope and filling buckets full of mud and getting them hoisted out... that gets iffy. Back when we were younger, a cousin got his brothers and they 're-dug' a hand dug well. They got water, but not what they thought they would. They eventually drilled.

Don't be surprised if you find "stuff" in an abandoned well. Leave the "stuff" to your imagination.

I'd test whatever waters in it already... could have some toxic witches brew that can't be treated already in it.

[fishhead]

It sounds like it could be a septic tank too.

I would just check with local well drillers and whatever gov't agency records well to see what other people have done to get water.

[volleypc]

The local supply shop has a 1 1/4 inch well head so I have about decided I want to try and drive a well. I can't seem to find much information about pumps available for a 1 1/4 inch well for anything over 20'. I see hand pumps that work up to about 20 feet, some solar pumps that claim to be good for 25 feet, but what happens if I get to 30-40 feet before I find water? Any suggestions?

[fishhead]

There aren't any centrifical pumps that will suck water deeper than 25'.

If it's 30'-40' you will need a well large enough to hang a submersible pump or the head of a jet pump down in the well pipe. That takes a much larger casing 4" or larger.

That's why it's cheaper and faster to check to see what your neighbors have done to find water before you buy pipe and start driving the sand point..

[dragonjaze]

I'd say it was probably closed off for a reason? Stuff like that makes me nervous to try and re-use. An old cistern could be turned into a root cellar, if it's still in good shape, but other than that, I'd be cautious.

If you do decide not to reopen it, make sure it's filled well enough to prevent accidents.

[Wolf mom]

What would it cost to get a well company out to tell you exactly what you have & how much it'd cost to get a working well there?

Is the water potable at that level?

I'd go along with those who say do both - one for irrigation, one for the house.

Some places won't let you put in a well if there is commercial water available. Check with the water company to see if you have the option.

If you can put in a well you have 2 options. You can hammer a sandpiont down up to 25 feet if there are no rocks. This uses 1 1/4 inch or 1 1/2 inch pipe. A shallow well pump can pump up to a 25 foot depth. If you put down a sandpiont you may hit water or not. Check with the county folks that give out permits for septic systems. They should know what the high water table is at your site. If you do hit water it is "ground water" and much more likely to be polluted than water from a deeper well. The county Health Dept usually has a program where you can have well water tested for coliform bacteria (human and animal waste), Nitrates (fertilizers) and if you need it, arsenic. There is a small charge for this.

Wells deeper than 25 feet have to be drilled and a 4 inch well casing (pipe) installed. You have to have room to lower a submersible pump down the well to pump the water out. Professional well drillers will charge you by the foot with no guarantee they will hit water before they reach China. Don't expect the professionals to tell you about a driven well. Arround here they won't do a shallow well and they won't make any money if you do it yourself. Water from a deeper aquifer will most likely be filtered more and more likely to be drinkable. Get it tested.

I wouldn't try to dig the old well. It may not be a well and the walls could collapse on you.

Some areas have really bad water; alkaline , cloudy, ect. Also some wells provide only a very limited flow, rated in gallons per minute. Find out what the neighbors have experienced.

Curt

[fishhead]

Actually you can pound a sand point deeper than 25'. I've pounded several down to 55'-60' before they hit water. The water was under pressure and came up to 7'-10' of ground level so a centrifical pump works fine.

In this state drillers are required to go a minimum of 50' even if they hit good water at 10'. Landowners can pound their own sandpoint to any depth. The important point is that there is an impervious layer between the surface and the aquifer.

[ronbre]

i say well, but in our area, if you live where they have public water you HAVE TO take it..no choice..

we have a well as we don't live where there is public water available..and if we did we likely would still keep the well no matter what they told us, public water is gross

[Jim-mi]

Quietly check with the local health dept. . . .Many areas have outlawed shallow wells.
If you are in such an area, then any time/money spent on what you have described will be wasted should you want to sell the place.

For drinking water I would be darn leary of what you have.
Send in a sample for testing before you disturb anything.

Could be OK for watering a garden.........