Artesian well construction & repair FAQs.

This article series describes types of artesian wells, how water flow from the artesian well is controlled, special artesian well parts like the well spool, and we discuss special problems for artesian wells and the property aroudn them when there is a leak in the well casing.

Construction of Flowing Artesian Wells

These questions and answers were posted originally

at ARTESIAN WELLS, WELL SPOOLS - be sure to review the advice given there.

[Click to enlarge any image]

On 2019-12-27 by (mod) -

With the apology that what the heck do I know about a well when sitting here on the other side of the wall, in Mexico, yeah, regrettably if the aquifer is dropping - to be confirmed perhaps by inspecting the well itself - you may find that you need to add pumping capacity or even to improve the well yield. (See that topic in the ARTICLE INDEX given above).

Climate change, warming, changes in weather patterns, etc., all mean that many parts of the world are headed for water shortage - in fact are already there. According to the United Nations 4 out of 10 people in the world already face water shortages. What is in store for you specifically depends on where you live and possibly more narrow, local conditions.

You might check with nearest neighbors and with local well drillers to see what they report - let me know where you are and what you're told, Tom.

On 2019-12-27 y Tom Wasluck

If the artesian well is losing water because of a drop in aquifer level, am I looking at more issues to come? Is there a chance that my well could run out of water?

On 2019-12-27 by (mod) - artesian well losing water

Tom

When the overflow stopped overflowing, is it possible that the artesian well is in fact losing water - a drop in aquifer level in the ground, for example? That's what you're being told and that's what it sounds like.

On 2019-12-27 by Tom Wasluck

Our artesian well started with this issue over the summer. The over flow pipe at the end of our property stopped flowing water. Also noticed that our water filter for the house has been getting dirty faster since the over flow stopped flowing water. We still have water in the house but I'm getting concerned that this might become a bigger issue if there is something wrong that I dod not know about? I was told that the over flow stopped due to a change in the water table around me. Could this be the problem?

On 2019-02-18 by (mod) -

Yes there are lots of methods for draining wet areas. One thing that you should find encouraging is that there's likely no problem that we're going to encounter that no one has ever encountered before and for which someone hasn't already figured out a good solution.

For example people may install an area drained by building a catch Basin or a catch Basin filled with gravel that collects water from a low area and Dreams by gravity through a sufficiently large diameter pipe to a suitable disposal area. It's also the case that you will often correct wet spots simply by improving the surface grading drainage and slope.

On 2019-02-18 by jd2cyl

The wet spots are elsewhere, one is in the gravel drive going up a hill to the barns. That is the one I'm most interested in diverting because it is running down the hill and icing up where it levels out. I'd add a couple of pictures but it is covered with snow right now. Is there a way to bury a pipe to capture the water at its source and keep debris from clogging it?

On 2019-02-18 by (mod) -

It's unclear to me are the wet spots coming from your well or from somewhere else?

On 2019-02-17 by jd2cyl

The well source for the house water is fine, no problem. My question has to do with a couple of other locations that are wet to the point of it appears would be a really weak flow of water, no well casing involved.

What I am looking for is a method by which I could control the flow direction and dry the surface area up enough to mow over it this summer which would also allow me to remedy the ice build up this winter.
Thanks for your reply

On 2019-02-14 by (mod) - protect artesian well from freezing

JD

please see your question and our detailed reply at

ARTESIAN WELL FREEZE PROTECTION
and let me know what you think and what questions remain.

It would be most helpful also to see some photos of your particular well and site.

On 2019-02-13 by jd2cyl

I recently moved into a home that the water source is from an artesian well. We were told that the well has 5 lbs pressure before the pump

. I have noticed 2 other locations on the property with wet spots, is there a way to bury a pipe to control the direction of discharge to dry the surface ground up? I do have enough slope to divert the water, I'd just like to have the source area surface dryer. With cold weather the discharge from these locations has now frozen.

On 2019-01-13 by (mod) -

BV

An artesian well, by definition, is one that delivers water under its own pressure. But some, as I infer from your question, have a flow rate that's so modest that people stick a submersible or even a jet pump into the artesian well to pump at a faster rate.

Bringing the pump up near the top of the well is absolutely backwards - you would be reducing the volume of static head in the well that's available to the pump. When the pump runs it is extracting water faster than the in-flow rate to the artesian well. IN that circumstance the water available to the pump is the volume of water in the casing - the static head or water columnn between the water column top (when the pump is off and the well has recovered or rested) and the water column bottom at the point of pump intake.

Making the static head shorter by raising the pump just means it'll run out of water sooner.

If by "gate discharge" you mean "Gate valve installed near top of an above-ground well casing." as we discuss in the article above, NO that will not help the submersible pump in the well work less EXCEPT insofar as you sometimes choose to take water from the well not through the pump but right at the "gate discharge" or "faucet" installed right on the casing, above ground, at the well. That water use, obviously, won't be using the in-well pump, and the discharge rate or flow rate you will see at that valve is limited to the artesian well's own in-flow rate.

On 2019-01-13 by bvorobel@yahoo.com

Will an artesian well with a gate discharge near the top help the submersible well pump work less?

On 2018-12-17 by (mod) - how to get the artsian well flowing again?

If the muddy area is due to water coming out of the top of your Artesian well that's telling you that a well spool is either damaged and leaky or missing entirely.

You need a well driller to explore the well and make sure that it's connected properly to a supply pipe as well as being sealed against overflowing.

On 2018-12-17 by sheila emerson

i bought asome property and it has an artesian well on it but its just a hugh muddy mess so im sure theres still water there

the small town i live in used it for the towns water supply for many years .i would like to know what to do to get it flowing and the mud dried up

On 2018-08-30 by (mod) - limited flow from artesian well

Shawn I'd like to help but am confused by the question. I don't have a clear understanding of your system. Is there a problem with the float-operated valve that admits water from the artesian well into your water storage cistern?

On 2018-08-30 by Shawn

We have an artisian well that supplies our cistern with an onfliw line and an discharge line hooked up by a tee to a float to stop the flow lately we have been having problems with the flow , when inflow line is down low water comes out like crazy,

but when 3 are hooked up together there is no flow disconnect the discharge line lots of water but water then starts leaking from the well head which rests in the middle of our driveway and this particular well supplies 2 houses which similar cisterns any suggestions please

Any replies can be sent to flynn6722@hotmail.com thanks

On 2018-01-14 by (mod) - artesian well ran dry

David,

If the well is dry it's no longer functioning as an artesian well and that's the root problem.

If you are confident that the pump is working, and if you think the well is not "dry" then there could be

- a leak in or broken well piping

- a clogged intake screen

- a mistake in guessing that the pump is actually working - for example a damaged impeller or broken shaft

- a mistake in guessing that the well still yields water

See WATER PRESSURE PROBLEM DIAGNOSIS TABLE - https://inspectapedia.com/water/Water_Pressure_Table.php

On 2018-01-12 1 by David

Artesian well not giving me water, but the pump is working fine. Besides the well being dry ,what else could be wrong?

On 2017-05-19 by (mod) - packing an artesian flowing well at the top is acceptable in Alaska

Thanks for the interesting question, Rob. I'll have to do some research and then I'll post more information here

On 2017-05-19 by Rob

I was told by a municipal employee that packing an artesian flowing well at the top is acceptable in Alaska and that .250 steel well casing has never cracked under freezing temperatures, even at our 10 foot frost line. Can someone confirm/deny that and provide references? Thank you

On 2017-05-04 by Bill

Just had a new well drilled and it was artesian. The driller installed a run off pipe to a small brook which is working. There is still water bubbling out of ground on outside of well casing. I know this is not acceptable.

What do I have the driller do to correct this problem. The well is 180' deep with casing to130' the pump is at 160'. The run off pipe is near the surface of the ground, will this freeze in the winter and crack the well casing? The well is running at 15 gal per min.

On 2015-12-25 by (mod) - if the casing is properly sealed

Yes if the casing is properly sealed throughout the borehole. How did this happen? Well drillers finish their work.

On 2015-12-21 by Gary

we just had a well dug for our home and hit an artesian cavity of water. Water is pouring out of the top at 7-10 gal a minute. We cannot get anyone to help us contain the water or hook to the house. Question: can we put a pressure cap on the well casing without compromising the well itself?

Question: South Texas artesian well slowed to a trickle

(Feb 2, 2014) A. G. Roby said:
Due to our drought, my flowing artesian well is just trickeling. I want to install a smaller pvc pipe in my 3 inch casing so to lower the head pressure to increase flow.

What can I use to seal off the bottom of my pvc to the casing. Like a packoff.

I do have some mineral build up inside the casing downhole. calcium and such. I live in south texas.

Reply:

A.G.

I'm not sure I have a clear understanding, but it seems to me that a smaller pipe is not going to improve the performance of the artesian well if the root problem is that it's flow rate has diminished. You may be better off leaving the piping in place and installing a larger water storage tank to give the well more time to recover and produce water.

From the comment about calcium (mineral deposits) it may be worth asking a professional to take a look at the installation for mineral clogging. Well fracking can sometimes improve the well yield.

I suspect that drought conditions are dropping the water table, a condition that's likely to reduce the output of many artesian wells world wide.

Question:

11 Feb 2015 Eli said:
Wow, this has been extremely informative. My brother recently installed an artesian well to cut down on his water expenses. It made me very curious to know more and if it would be possible to do the same at my house. Is there a specific type of land that allows for digging a well, or contrarily, a type of land that is not good for it?

Reply:

The aquifer has to be one that will deliver water to you without a pump - that's what makes it an artesian well. That geology varies widely around the world.

 

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Continue reading at ARTESIAN WELLS, WELL SPOOLS or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.

Or see these

Recommended Articles

WELL CASING LEAK REPAIRS

WELLS CISTERNS & SPRINGS - home

WELL FLOW RATE

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ARTESIAN WELLS, WELL FAQs at InspectApedia.com - online encyclopedia of building & environmental inspection, testing, diagnosis, repair, & problem prevention advice.

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INDEX to RELATED ARTICLES: ARTICLE INDEX to WATER SUPPLY, PUMPS TANKS WELLS

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