Idle Well

[bigtiller]

Do I have a good well or just a hole with water in it?

We have a board well that is 12" wide, if I remember right, and 70' deep. Every time I looked the water was about 12 feet from the top. But we haven't used it since 1998 when rural water became available. If there is still water in it, what are the chances that it still acts like a well? I took the pump and all the pipes out years ago. Now I am considering capping it permanently if it isn't worth using.

 

[bumperm]

Maybe drop a pump suction hose in, pump some water out. Given the pump's capacity in GPM, and monitoring the water level in the well, that would give you an idea of the well's current recharge rate.

 

[Sysop]

Since you took all the pipes and the pump out, you just have a hole with water. As stated by bumperm, pump some water out and see if it refills at a decent rate. As long as the recovery rate is acceptable, have a drinking water test performed. Chances are the well is fine, but standing water can be bad water. Make sure you pump a lot of water before having the tests performed. Some folk will tell you to dump chlorine and similar down the well to clean it, don't... If you are going to treat the water, treat it after it comes out of the ground and set up a proper chlorination and filtration system.

 

[bigtiller]

Since you took all the pipes and the pump out, you just have a hole with water. As stated by bumperm, pump some water out and see if it refills at a decent rate. As long as the recovery rate is acceptable, have a drinking water test performed. Chances are the well is fine, but standing water can be bad water. Make sure you pump a lot of water before having the tests performed. Some folk will tell you to dump chlorine and similar down the well to clean it, don't... If you are going to treat the water, treat it after it comes out of the ground and set up a proper chlorination and filtration system.

I'm looking to convert the term "chances" into a percentage. If it is just a 50/50 chance, I'll cap it and forget it. But if there is a 90 percent chance it is still a good well I just might rebuild the cover and stick in a hand pump.

 

[Sysop]

I'd say it's likely above a 90% chance it's fine. Many well issues come from lack of use, put it to use and many issues clear themselves up.

 

[Soundguy]

Since you took all the pipes and the pump out, you just have a hole with water. As stated by bumperm, pump some water out and see if it refills at a decent rate. As long as the recovery rate is acceptable, have a drinking water test performed. Chances are the well is fine, but standing water can be bad water. Make sure you pump a lot of water before having the tests performed. Some folk will tell you to dump chlorine and similar down the well to clean it, don't... If you are going to treat the water, treat it after it comes out of the ground and set up a proper chlorination and filtration system.

it may be different in your county.. but in my county, if a well fails a test, procedure is to treat the well for 24 hours with chlorine, then after that elapsed time, run water for a couple hours, then retest. if it fails again, then you have a problem.


I agree.. a stagnant well is worse than one otherwise good and running.

I wouldn't be at all surprised if asked to treat a dormant well before use.

Lets face it, when they drill them they treat them, and then treat the plumbing before a co. ...

 

[turnkey4099]

I'm looking to convert the term "chances" into a percentage. If it is just a 50/50 chance, I'll cap it and forget it. But if there is a 90 percent chance it is still a good well I just might rebuild the cover and stick in a hand pump.

I wouldn't want to dring or use water for anything but irrigation ouit of a well that is used only occasionally and for short periods. Stagnant water goes bad.

However after putting in a pump and controller, your irrigation water will be almost free after the cost of electricity. Cheaper than city water for sure.

Harry K

 

[bigtiller]

I wouldn't want to dring or use water for anything but irrigation ouit of a well that is used only occasionally and for short periods. Stagnant water goes bad.

However after putting in a pump and controller, your irrigation water will be almost free after the cost of electricity. Cheaper than city water for sure.

Harry K

I've been thinking about that for a while now, and i am thinking i will put a new dog house over it, that is big and heavy enough that someone can't get into it without working at it. I hate to plug a well because you never know what is in the future.

Your right about the price of rural water. We pay $95 for 4000 gallons. That's just water, no sewer, no garbage or anything else added in.

 

[Zerk]

Keep in mind you can only lift water 26 feet, from a pump on the surface. A two pipe system can double that. After that the pump needs to be in the well.

Does the well have a case? Outside pipe? They are usually only 5 or 6" around here.

 

[bigtiller]

It's a bell tile. I think it is 12" maybe it's only 10" on the inside, I haven't looked at it for a few years.