Water Quantity Improvement Methods

Home page with links "how to" details
Steps to take if you run out of water

Don't confuse water quanity with water qualithy
Weak water pressure might, or might not have to do with water quantity

What's the Difference Between Inadequate Water Quantity & Bad Water Quality?

We distinguish among water quantity (how much water can we draw from a well before we run out?), water quality (what contaminants are present in water?), and water pressure or flow adequacy, and we list options for improving the first of these in the articles below.

Our photo (left) shows a modern drilled well with a six-inch steel casing and electrical conduit entering the well cap - telling us that this is a deep well whose pump is installed inside the well itself.

But from just a visual inspection of the well we have no idea how much water can be drawn from this system.

This article explains how to determine the water quantity available at a property, how to diagnose inadequate water quantity (or alternatively poor water pressure and flow), and how to correct those conditions.

If your concern is for the quality of drinking water (contaminants, odors, etc)

see WATER QUALITY TESTS, CONTAMINANTS, TREATMENT and the diagnostic suggestions listed there.

Our page top photo shows a very large water storage tank - a system that is installed when the well flow rate at a property is very limited.

By using a large water storage tank the building occupants can have plenty of water for regular use.

The tank is filled, slowly, during periods when water is not being drawn from the system.

Water Quantity Problem Diagnosis & Correction

Before we set out to fix a water quantity problem ( not enough water) we must find and correct the reason why we're run out of water.

The right fix depends on where the problem lies. Is the problem with

• Water pump - capacity affects water flow rate (pressure) but can also exhaust a low-flow well
• Water tank - a bigger tank can store water to compensate for a well with a poor flow rate or poor recovery rate
• Water supply piping - small diameter or clogged pipes?
• Well flow rate and well capacity - what can the well actually deliver
• Water flow limiting devices such as a pressure control or pump protection control device can deliberately slow the delivery of water

When water quantity is insufficient at a property, the basic steps and options for improving the water quantity include the following (all of which are discussed in detail at this website):

• Determine the actual water quantity you are using or need -
  
  See WATER QUANTITY USAGE TABLES
• Determine if the problem is water pressure or the rate at which water is delivered to the point of use fixtures - sinks, tubs, showers, etc.
  
  or water quantity - how much water is actually available in and at the well (or that can be delivered by a municipal water supply system)
  
  If you're not sure which is your concer see this
  
  WATER PRESSURE PROBLEM DIAGNOSIS TABLE
  
  If you need to understand just how much water your well can deliver, sss
  
  WELL FLOW RATE
  
  and continue with a review of the suggestions on this page.
• On this page (below) at
  
  DIAGNOSE WEAK WATER PRESSURE (flow) we list detailed articles explaining how to examine well pump, water tank & controls as well as water piping and fixtures; and if it's a water pressure problem,
  
  But you might want to start by determining whether the water pressure problem occurs for both cold and hot water (that's a water supply system problem) or just hot water (that's a water heating or hot water piping problem)


• WATER PUMPS, TANKS, TESTS, WELLS, REPAIRS - Repair or adjust water supply equipment, pump, control, piping, leaks, water pressure tank, water storage capacity -
• PIPING in BUILDINGS, CLOGS, LEAKS, TYPES - Repair any water leaks in well supply piping, building water supply piping, running toilets, etc.
• WATER TANK TYPES: WATER, OIL, EXPANSION, ALL Add additional water storage tanks without addressing the well flow limitation
• WATER QUANTITY IMPROVEMENT - What steps to take in order to increase well yield - such as hydrofracking - using liquid CO2 or other means to improve water flow into the well itself
• Take steps to conserve water or reduce water usage at a property - save water: low flush toilets, low flow shower and sink faucets, etc.
  
  Also see water conservation tips
  
  at WATER MANAGEMENT RESOURCE PLANNING [PDF]
  
  and GREYWATER SYSTEMS - ways to conserve water by reusing wastewter
  
  
  and WATER SOURCE ALTERNATIVES - where else to get water
• Drill a new well  - an option but may be costly and risky (the new well may be no better than the old one if it's at the same location)
• Connect to a municipal water supply - if one is available

If the Water Pressure is Too Weak in a Building

Water pressure or water flow rate in a building plumbing system describes the water quantity and water pressure delivered at individual plumbing fixtures.

The in-building water flow rate or water pressure is determined by the pressure capability of the well pump, the settings of the water pressure tank control, and by the length, diameter, and clogs in building piping - not by the quantity of water available.

• WATER PRESSURE LOSS DIAGNOSIS & REPAIR - a description of the procedures used to diagnose the cause of poor water pressure or the cause of running out of water entirely at a property served by a private well

• COST to REPAIR a WATER TANK or PUMP
• LARGER DIAMETER WATER SUPPLY PIPING - signifantly improves flow rate or "water pressure" but might lead to running the well dry
• SHAKE the WATER TANK - a quick simple way to find out if there is water in the water tank
• WATER PRESSURE MEASUREMENT - how can we measure water pressure and flow in a building?
• WATER PRESSURE INTERMITTENT LOSS - what does it mean if water pressure comes and goes at a property?
• NO WATER PRESSURE - what to do if water pressure is lost entirely
• WELL TANK RELATION to WATER PRESSURE - what are the functions of a water pressure tank and how does it affect water pressure in the building?
• WATER PRESSURE TANK REPAIRS - causes of problems with the water tank
• WATER PRESSURE TANK DIAGNOSIS - how to determine what's wrong with the water tank
• WATER PRESSURE STOPS, RETURNS - more details about intermittent water pressure and what to do about it
• WATER PIPE CLOG DIAGNOSIS - how to determine if building piping is responsible for bad water pressure and flow
• WATER PIPE CLOG REPAIR - what to do about clogged building water supply piping
• WATER PRESSURE REPAIR CORRECTLY? - how do we know we have made the correct repair while avoiding unnecessary water system costs
• WATER PRESSURE PUMP REPAIR GUIDE - clogged pump impeller or wrong pressure control switch adjustment
• WELL PUMP / TANK REPAIR ADEQUACY - did we make the right repair?
• WELL PUMP / TANK REPLACEMENT COSTS - did we pay too much or too little?
• WATER PUMP PRIMING PROCEDURE - how to get the water pump working again if you lost all water pressure
• WATER PRESSURE REDUCER / REGULATOR - how to adjust a municipal water pressure regulator to increase or decrease water pressure (flow) or to save water

If the Well Water Quantity is Insufficient at a Property

Water quantity describes the total amount of water available at a property served by a private well.

The total amount of water available is the sum of the static head in the well (the water inside the well casing or well itself when the well is at rest), the water stored in piping and in water pressure or water storage tanks, and the well flow rate (the rate at which water flows into the well).

If you run out of water at a property this means that you have drawn off all of the static water storage and that the rate at which water flows into the well is less than the rate that the pump is trying to send water out of the well and into the building.

Well flow rate or well yield is the rate at which water flows into the well from surrounding rock and ground water sources. The flow rate of a well is a complex number - water enters the well from various rock cracks or fissures at different depths. The sketch at left, courtesy of Carson Dunlop, outlines what happens during a well drawdown or well flow test procedure.

At each point where water enters the well the rate of water flow may vary over time, and may slow or even stop as water is drawn from the well. When a new well is drilled the well driller measures the actual flow rate of the well (the sum of all of these individual flows) by using a calibrated pump installed right at the well itself.

Well depth does not tell you much directly about the ability of the well to deliver water (the well yield or well flow rate). Rather, the depth of an individual well was determined by the well driller who drilled ever deeper until the well flow rate appeared to be adequate (typically 5 gpm or better for new wells). However a very deep well probably indicates that the driller had to do a lot of drilling to hit an adequate water supply.

• WELL FLOW RATE - we describe the well flow rate and water quantity of a well, including well flow rate, static head, and the effects on well yield when we install a new more powerful well pump.
• WELL FLOW TEST PROCEDURE - we describe how to test the ability of a well to deliver water
• WELL YIELD IMPROVEMENT - we describe how to increase the water flow rate or quantity from a well - improving the well yield

Hot Water Problems & Solutions

Hot water problem diagnostic basics: If cold water pressure is adequate in the building but the hot water quantity or pressure and flow are inadequate, see these articles listed below. The sketch at left, courtesy of Carson Dunlop, shows the installation of a tempering valve at a tankless coil used for making hot water.

A useful water pressure and flow diagnostic in a building is to compare the hot water pressure and cold water pressure at individual fixtures.

If hot water pressure and flow are the same as cold water pressure and flow at some fixtures but at others the hot water flow rate is less, we suspect a local problem with the piping, faucets and valves at the fixture.

If hot water pressure and flow are poor throughout the building, the problem could be at the hot water source or in the building piping.

• HOT WATER PRESSURE LOSS - diagnose the cause of loss of all hot water or of poor or weak hot water pressure (flow rate)
• 'HOT WATER IMPROVEMENTS - how to get more hot water pressure, flow, or temperature in a building
• HOT WATER CIRCULATOR PUMP SPEEDS DELIVERY - how to get hot water more quickly at a plumbing fixture
• HOT WATER QUANTITY IMPROVEMENT - how to increase the amount of hot water at a property
  • ALTERNATIVE HOT WATER Sources & Methods
  • ANTI_SCALD VALVES & HOT WATER QUANTITY
  • CLOGGED PIPING & HOT WATER FLOW
  • EXTRA TANKS to INCREASE HOT WATER
  • INSULATE HOT WATER PIPES
  • INSULATE HOT WATER TANK?
  • LARGER DIAMETER WATER SUPPLY PIPING - signifantly improves flow rate or "water pressure" but might lead to running the well dry
  • WATER HEATER TEMPERATURE TOO COLD or TOO HOT

Water Quality: is there Sediment or Debris in the Water Supply?

Water quality describes what is in the building water supply: contaminants,odors, etc.

Why are we even talking about water quality on a water quantity diagnostic page?

Debris or even high mineral content in the water supply can clog buildng water filters, pipes, water heaters, and other equipment, thus reducing the water flow rate in the building.

In extreme cases debris can even totally block water flow. So we may think we've run out of water but in fact the well has plenty of water it just can't get past a debris blockage at a valve or water heater, or tempering valve.

Also, if the well supply is limited or the water pick-up point in the well is too close to the well bottom, the water supply system may pick up debris or crud that then blocks the water supply system including the pump impeller, valves, pipes, etc.

A clue might be the appearance of an increase in silt, sludge, mud or debris when you've run out, or nearly run out of water.

If your concern is for water quality (contamination, sediment, debris, mineral content or even odors, water tests, water treatment) see these articles:

• WATER TESTS for CONTAMINANTS
• WATER TEST CHOICES & WATER TEST FEES
• WATER TESTING GUIDE
• WATER TREATMENT EQUIPMENT CHOICES

• WATER QUALITY TESTS, CONTAMINANTS, TREATMENT

Question: black stuff in water after we ran our well pump for a few hours

We ran our water pump for a few hours today to get a few inches in our pool.

Now our water is black and not sure why? We do have well water. (July 12, 2014) Stacey said:

Reply:

Stacey. I suspect you ran the well nearly dry.

It is comon for an exhausted well to begin to pick up debris from near the well bottom as debris may be stirred by the extreme draw-down of the water in the well bore.

If the problem persists you may need to install a water filter system and a pump protection control to avoid damaging a well pump by running dry.