Building a house on an artesian well?

Bison · Mar 10, 2011

I say too,move the house or you'l be sorry.If you plug it off,pressure will build and spring a hole somewhere else close to it.
I would rather develop that well so its usable,there's nothing more satisfying than having your own water supply free of charge.

I have a developed artesian well that runs year round,i piped it to a cistern and pump from there to the house.
For the animals i piped it straight from the well to drinking troughs,no pump needed or electric,it never freezes either:thumbsup:

jonyyuma · Mar 10, 2011

Looks like a headache waiting to happen, water pressure can open up anywhere it wants....The last thing you want is a cracked --foundation. My boss knew better than anyone else, went ahead and built over an old pond.....Busted mess of a home now...

tcartwri · Mar 10, 2011

My Father unknowingly built a house on an artesian well in the 70's. It was eventually abandoned because they could not solve the water issues in the basement. If the power went out for any length of time, there would be a swimming pool in the basement within a couple of hours.

As was said earlier, the water is under pressure, and it will find it's way out eventually.

Egon · Mar 10, 2011

It's in geology of the area that counts and that we do not know.:thumbsup:

Many of you may not know it but you may be sitting on top of a formation containing pressurized water, oil, gas or a combination of all three. These could be existing in multiple layers in various combinations.

The water may be potable, contain salt or dissolved gasses.

Water may reside in a connate aquifer or have an aquifer open to the ground surface. The aquifers may be a few feet below the ground surface or hundreds of feet deep. And there are other types than the two mentioned.

If the ground surface in the area is wet then perhaps there may be breaks in under ground formations allowing water to the surface.

If it's dry the chances are the well can be sealed off.

As for knowing if there will be sinkholes underneath that may take a fellow is quite familiar with the local ground formations.:thumbsup:

Jeff Lary · Mar 10, 2011

you got a good well dont ruin it ,move the house 20' left ,right ,back, foward ...whatever but i would save the well at all costs.Thats just one Mainers opinion. Good luck

Johnp33 · Mar 10, 2011

If you build on top of an artesian water source, you would have to seal the foundation and floor or have a severe moisture problem in the building.
An artesian well that is tapped somewhere else, and drained, or even the preasure reduced, can cause the surface of your property to drop.
The artesian well can break loose near your property, and cause a sink hole.
Water is a blessing when you need it and a curse :thumbsup:when it does what it wants.

lizl · Mar 10, 2011

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Thanks to you all who have given your insight!!!
As to the well, it is a drilled well, apparently 250-450 ft deep. No permits were ever pulled on it, so we don't know why it was drilled (probably irrigation for an old large estate??)
I've been told by various drillers, and the Dept. of River Management, that it's drilled through limestone at the bottom. The land in the area is flat, and about 1/2 mile from the ocean (Just south of Jacksonville Beach, Fl.).
The lot is not very large, that's why we think the footprint'll need to be over the well (unless it's a crazy zig-zag custom design...).
The development has about 16 houses built in 1998. No one knows of any problems w/the lot, or our prop....but the lots abutting ours, 5 in a row, where we are building, are empty....
I would like to actually use the well (irragation only), but don't think our house will fit that way.
Can we channel the well to the back of the prop.? I'm VERY worried about the idea of sealing it, and then have it sprout elsewhere-under our home!!!
Tx.!!

SARG · Mar 10, 2011

For what it's worth ... I know of a couple new homes up here in the Northeast that have their drilled wells actually in the cellars.... by design.

Western · Mar 10, 2011

SARG said:
For what it's worth ... I know of a couple new homes up here in the Northeast that have their drilled wells actually in the cellars.... by design.

I have seen that too, several times. I think the OP will need to have the builder and water drillers meet on the lot. In a situation like this you can't beat "boots" on the ground.

From what little I know, seems an odd location for A. well (elevation)

lizl · Mar 10, 2011

For whatever reason...no one is on the same page around here.
Our builder is not comfortable about building "on the well"...Our drillers see no reason not to build, once filled properly...The county isn't hesitant...But no one is working together!

Western · Mar 11, 2011

lizl said:
For whatever reason...no one is on the same page around here.
Our builder is not comfortable about building "on the well"...Our drillers see no reason not to build, once filled properly...The county isn't hesitant...But no one is working together!

Sounds like fear of "liability" from the builders standpoint.

If the driller is so sure, that in your particular circumstance, you would be fine? maybe they know of another builder with experience with this that you could consult?

I think I would also double check with the county, if you build over the well you want to make darn sure you can pull all of your permits.

Maybe a geological survey may help??

If there was a way to keep it, you'd be glad in the long run I think, new wells aren't cheap.

adjusterr · Mar 11, 2011

If you are fortunate enough to have an artesian well, don't build your house over or near it. Artesian wells are very sensitive to the level of the water table, they loose some pressure when the water table drops as in drought, but really gain pressure during rainy weather. An artesian well under your house will result in constant dampness and probable water in the basement problems. I question whether or not filling the well will prevent any problem, the water will simply find another route, probably right up beside the filled area. Move the house and put a pipe and cap with a spigot on the artesian well and use it for exterior watering and a source of water during power outages. My neighbor's artesian well carrys 12 pounds pressure at the spigot. You are fortunate to have an artesian well, it means you have a constant, dependable supply of our most precious resource, enjoy.

lockhaven · Mar 11, 2011

would it be possible to attach large pipe to the top of the well casing and run it out under the foundation then back up for use. i would not think the water would mind the bends

The Dougster · Mar 11, 2011

Lockhaven has the idea... The OP does not give their location and darn few details... He/She does tell us it is a drilled well, which is extremely helpful. We don't know if there is, or is not, a basement in the plans. I'm a geologist. If it were me, I'd excavate around the well to below grade, re-plumb the well head so that the water will exit outside the foundation of the house and proceed with construction. It's not a biggie.

dmccarty · Mar 11, 2011

lizl said:
Our builder is not comfortable about building "on the well"...Our drillers see no reason not to build, once filled properly...The county isn't hesitant...But no one is working together!

The builder does not want to build over the well since he is worried there will be a problem and he will get sued.

I am sorta kinda surprised the county does not have a problem with the well due to termite treatments.

Since you are in FLA are you going to build on a crawlspace or on a slab?

Does the well actually have water running out of the top? Most drilled wells will not have pressure to push water out of the top of the well pipe. One of the wells in our area DOES or at least did right after being drilled.

If water is not flowing from the well I would think it could safely be sealed. But I would not build a house over the well. That is just me. If water is flowing I would not build a house over the well either.

The problem with having a well in the house is having the room to service the well. If the pump had to be pulled and the well is in the crawl space that could be a problem. If you build on a slab and the well needs a pump you will need to have a room that contains the well and the pressure tank has to go somewhere.

Later,
Dan

MossRoad · Mar 11, 2011

You haven't answered if it is a flowing artesian well or not. Is water coming up, out of the pipe, without mechanical assistance?

MossRoad · Mar 11, 2011

lizl said:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thanks to you all who have given your insight!!!
As to the well, it is a drilled well, apparently 250-450 ft deep. No permits were ever pulled on it, so we don't know why it was drilled (probably irrigation for an old large estate??)
I've been told by various drillers, and the Dept. of River Management, that it's drilled through limestone at the bottom. The land in the area is flat, and about 1/2 mile from the ocean (Just south of Jacksonville Beach, Fl.).
The lot is not very large, that's why we think the footprint'll need to be over the well (unless it's a crazy zig-zag custom design...).
The development has about 16 houses built in 1998. No one knows of any problems w/the lot, or our prop....but the lots abutting ours, 5 in a row, where we are building, are empty....
I would like to actually use the well (irragation only), but don't think our house will fit that way.
Can we channel the well to the back of the prop.? I'm VERY worried about the idea of sealing it, and then have it sprout elsewhere-under our home!!!
Tx.!!

I removed your other duplicate thread. Please continue the discussion here. Thanks. :thumbsup:

JB4310 · Mar 11, 2011

MossRoad said:
You haven't answered if it is a flowing artesian well or not. Is water coming up, out of the pipe, without mechanical assistance?

Not to speak for the OP, but I'm thinking not, since "it's FLA, a half mile from the ocean and is a flat area".

Probably not going to be a basement from what I understand about Fla, isn't the water table only like 2 feet down?

JB.

dmccarty · Mar 11, 2011

JB4310 said:
Probably not going to be a basement from what I understand about Fla, isn't the water table only like 2 feet down?

JB.

The water table is usually not 2 feet down :laughing: but it is not real deep. My parents well has the pump on the surface not down in the well so I do not think the their well is that deep. But it is deeper than 2 feet.

They are a couple miles from tidal water and even closer to fresh water canals.

I am surprised that the OP's well is 250-450 feet deep.

Most houses in FLA are on slabs with some on crawlspaces. I do know there is a house on the Intercoastal Waterway in Ft. Lauderdale with a basement. Can't imagine WHY anyone would do that and they must have to run sump pumps all of the time.

But if they can afford the lot they can pay for the sump pump power.

Older homes were often built on piers so they had a crawlspace but the crawlspace was not walled in. For all of the houses my extended family had in FLA only one had a crawlspace and that was because the house was on a slope and a slab would not have been the best choice.

Later,
Dan

lizl · Mar 11, 2011

The previous owner found out about the well, after a construction vehicle apparently hit it. Water was gushing out, so the owner had it capped off.
The house we plan will be slab, no basement.
After reading through all...I'm thinking we will do our best to build away from it, and not fill it, and try to use it.
Anyone know how far away from it our foundation should be?
Thanks again.