Anybody ever put in a shallow well?

Av8r3400 · Feb 8, 2005

I've hammered down many wells over the years. If your conditions are right, they will work great. Had one for our house water, was only down 17 feet. Plenty of water to run two showers at the same time with w 1.5hp pump.

Get a well pounder from a rental place and beat it down in an afternoon. They look like this.

Alan L. · Feb 8, 2005

By the time a well driller brought all his equipment in, the cost per foot would be prohibitive.

slydog · Feb 9, 2005

My uncle drove one with a sledge hammer in the afternoons. Took him about 2 weeks, but he finally hit water. The water table in his area is fairly shallow. He put a big old pump on it and uses it to water his garden.

EddieWalker · Feb 9, 2005

Does this make sense?

My property line is in the middle of the creek, so I can't **** it up. I can drill a well beside the creek and hit water at 4 feet. If I go deeper, should I have a better flow rate?

Could I put a tip on a piece of two inch galvanized pipe, drill dozens of holes in the side of it, and push it into the ground with my backhoe? When the pipe was down to the ground, I could thread on another lenghth of pipe and push it down further.

The 2 inch pipe would be a sleeve for a one inch PVC pipe I would slide inside to pump with.

Thanks,
Eddie

Egon · Feb 9, 2005

Can you dig down beside the creek bed, put in a caison or your well point and backfill?

Egon

ByronBob · Feb 9, 2005

Thats painful to think they can get you for 2000. I had my whole system drilled to 60 feet with casing for 1250.

Hope your way works well for you. Best wishes

B21nut · Feb 10, 2005

Byron,
Say hello to the "People's republic of Taxachusetts". Everything here is double of anywhere in the country, with a few exceptions. At the two thousand the guy actually acted like he was doing me a favor and said I would have to wait several months. I guess everyone is too busy building those yuppie Mcmansions.
John D.

Tinkerer · Feb 10, 2005

I helped my FIL put one in several years ago, up in Northern Indiana. He has pretty sandy soil and a high water table. We used the point you describe, some threaded pipe sections, and a fence post driver. Worked and still works great. I believe we went down about 25 feet. One thing you really need to watch is that your pipe has no air leaks where the sections join together.

tc35dforme · Feb 10, 2005

Have you considered digging a hole with an excavator and then setting in some pipe. A good sized excavator can get to 20+ feet.

Many shallow wells have a concrete tile ( 3' diameter ) liner, but I have heard of people using 12" diameter corrugated drainage pipe ( smooth inside ) as a liner. Have the excavator dig down to botton, set the pipe vertically, and the place a foot or two of nice fine pea or rice stone in the bottom. As long as you don't overpump it you'll get pretty clear water after a bit of time. The animals won't mind.

Unless you're inside 128, the cost should be less than $ 100 per hour. They'll dig 50 of that size holes in a day.

Worth talking to someone. Do any of your neighbors have a shallow well ??

Av8r3400 · Feb 10, 2005

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Could I put a tip on a piece of two inch galvanized pipe, drill dozens of holes in the side of it, and push it into the ground with my backhoe? When the pipe was down to the ground, I could thread on another lenghth of pipe and push it down further.

Thanks,
Eddie
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No, It doesn't make sense, why go to all that work. Buy a 3 or 4 foot "SAND POINT" from your plumbing supplier, and pound it down with a well pounder (See previously attached picture). If you have water at 4 feet below the surface, pound it down 8-10' and put a head valve on the top with a pump and let 'er rip.

Driven Well (Sand Point)

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