Well problem need some help

[CurlyDave]

I think the well company is probably right about what is needed, and if they are the only ones in the area, you are sort of stuck.

I know when my well was drilled a few years ago, the prices for casing were right in the same ballpark you are talking about, and we have at least 6 or 8 well drillers in our area.

If you get a new pump, casing and pump pipe ask them about using PVC for the riser pipe. We have either schedule 80 or 120 (I think it is 120) PVC with stainless steel couplings. This will not rust out like steel pipe.

I know $7k is a lot. Ask them about financing. Even if you decided not to fix the well and move, you would have to disclose the well issue to a buyer, and your property would be worth a lot less.

 

[zzvyb6]

Same thing happened to me. It was not a 'new' pump, but a 'different' pump that was put in by the previous owner. Perhaps one that was on the truck marked 'usable' in the absence of s 'brand new' one. I had them install a 'brand new' pump on new feed pipe and wire at a depth 20' lower than it was (150'). The muddy water was then pumped/flushed out and eventually became crystal clear. Yes there was a hole in the feed line, but the real problem was a breech in the water table caused by another well that was dug nearby. Hopefully, you can drop the new pump into the depth because its not filled will solid or gelled mud. Your driller still ought to be able to pump it out as necessary if that's the case. The cost of this is a lot less than the estimate. Install some filters inside the house where the water line comes in. Bleach the well if you are worried about surface water contamination.

 

[PILOON]

In my area the new specs for wells state that a 'bib' (think that is the term) is now part of a well system.
Essentially the well diggers pour about a yard or so of concrete around the well head to seal and prevent surface water from entering the well.
This concrete is sloped away from well in all directions.
Some soils (like sand) could allow easy seepage of surface waters.

 

[Mousefield]

The 1" steel pipes attached to the pump were rusted pretty badly

We used 1 inch black poly pipe for our submersible pump that is down 120 ft. No steel to rust out.

 

[Egon]

Hopefully, you can drop the new pump into the depth because its not filled will solid or gelled mud. Your driller still ought to be able to pump it out as necessary if that's the case

I'd hesitate on using a new pump to clean the well out. A rig can easily circulate out the well bore mud.

 

[stumpfield]

Latest update to my well problem. Still no water....

I went with the recommended solution. Clean out the well, install new casing, new pump,new pipe and new wires. The crew from the well company has been working on it for almost 2 weeks and finally quit today. They gave up and said I need a new well.

First, the driller had a tough time getting his drill rod into the well. It got stuck because the well was not straight down. It wanders left and right along the way down. Then the drilling rig broke down.
After a week of waiting for parts, he finally cleaned the well by blowing everything out but still unable to install the new casing. It got stuck at about 180'. He tried with smaller 4" casing and still unable to push the new casing down so he gave up.

He recommend just put the pump in without the casing and hope it will last a while until I got enough cash for a new well. So today, they came over to install the new pump and pipe. The plan was to set the pump at 300'. However, they ran into problem dropping the pump past 220'. It got stuck.

Since the static water level was at 135', so we thought 220' would be ok since we didn't want to try to force the pump down any further. After everything was done, still no water. They replace all the electrical components and wiring with no luck of getting any water.

They finally had to pull the pump again. Now they discovered the water level has dropped 104' to 239' instead of 135' just 2 weeks ago.

Now, I'm at a situation that the water level is at 239' but unable to drop the pump down past 220'. The only solution is to drill a new well.

Does this make any sense?

 

[Mousefield]

stumpfield, Does this make any sense?
Sounds like they ran into all the problems you just about could. Hope their bill for not getting you water is not big. Guess if they have tried (2 weeks? :confused2: )and not been successful then a new well seems like the only way to go.
Are there other well drillers in the area you can talk to?
Wish you the best, having no water is the pits.

 

[rekees4300]

They finally had to pull the pump again. Now they discovered the water level has dropped 104' to 239' instead of 135' just 2 weeks ago.

Now, I'm at a situation that the water level is at 239' but unable to drop the pump down past 220'. The only solution is to drill a new well.

Does this make any sense?

It doesn't make any sense that the water level dropped 104' in two weeks. I dunno much about deep well pumps but as a temporary measure would it be possible to suck the water up rather than pushing it up? Put a pump above the well (or part way down) then attach a plastic pipe from the pump down to the water. The pipe would need to be large enough for your water needs, strong enough so it wouldn't collapse, and flexible enough to negotiate the bent casing. I dunno if there is a pump capable of sucking that far.

 

[captaincrab55]

It doesn't make any sense that the water level dropped 104' in two weeks. I dunno much about deep well pumps but as a temporary measure would it be possible to suck the water up rather than pushing it up? Put a pump above the well (or part way down) then attach a plastic pipe from the pump down to the water. The pipe would need to be large enough for your water needs, strong enough so it wouldn't collapse, and flexible enough to negotiate the bent casing. I dunno if there is a pump capable of sucking that far.

Pumps don't like to suck much over 25'...

 

[rekees4300]

Pumps don't like to suck much over 25'...

Oh okay .... my idea sucked :ashamed: