Southern Indiana well

[Mosey]

Where I grew up in Michigan, there’s a well that’s over 100’ deep. It has a pipe that goes down into a pool of water (apparently anyway). Here in southern Indiana, the well is entirely different. It’s about 30’ deep and is made of sections of concrete cylinders 3’ in diameter fitted together (each one has a lip on each end). The water seeps in from somewhere (I don’t know where) and there’s a pump in the bottom. Does anyone know what this type of well is called? Why do they do it this way instead of the way they do in it Michigan? Which one is more expensive to put in? We only use it for watering the garden, trees, washing the vehicles, etc. (we have a county water line for the house water). I’ve thought it would be nice to have a second one, since this one did dry up once at the end of a dry summer 3 years ago, but have no idea what it would cost to put one in.

 

[dlabrie]

In NH what you are describing is a "dug well" . One digs down below the upper water table, lays in stone, sets well tiles then back fills. A pump can be either in the well or in the house, depending on the depth of the well. The other is a "driven well" or "drilled well" A drilling co. comes with a big rig and drills down through the upper water table(if there is any) into and through rock (i don't know the correct terms) to a more permanant water source hundreds of feet below. Pipe casing is used until they start in to the rock. A torpedo like pump is attached to plastic tubing and sent down the well to push the water up.
A dug well is much cheaper than a driven well. But in drought conditions, the dug wells dry out first and the driven wells are usually safe.
David

 

[rlw]

My grandparents have a "dug" or "bucket" well and a deep well. All of their household water comes from the shallow well. I can recall one very dry summer where they ran the shallow one dry and had to pump water from the deep well. These types of wells aren't put in much anymore. They were more common many years ago. It would likely be considerably more expensive to put this type of well in today. It is quite a bit cheaper and faster with today's drilling rigs to put in a standard well with a submersible pump.
Depth is dependant on the local water table. My well is only about 70 ft deep. Around here, you can dig a 6 ft hole and have water standing in it in no time. My parents' well is almost 180 ft.