Water Well Casing Leak Repair FAQs

Well Casing Leaks Cause Water Issues: Dirt, Color, Contamination, Mud, Sand, Silt & Clogs FAQs

Why does our well water get dirty after rainfall

Hi, my well water is clear until it rains a lot then a day later it turns dirty and stays that way for about 3 days.

The well is in the yard below a relatively steep slope.

There was a runoff issue that I repaired and the water stayed clear for about 6 months but has recently started to get dirty again after it rains. What might be the issue? On 2023-01-16 by Darlene -

Answer by InspectApedia Publisher - surface runoff is probably leaking into your well; here's what to do:

@Darlene,

That sure sounds as if surface runoff is leaking into your well.

Watch out: leaks-in to a well casing from surface runoff will very likely contaminate the water supply.

You might ask your plumber or well service company to

• assure that there is a water-tight cap on the well
• that any well pipe connections exiting the well are sealed, such as at a below-ground pitless adapter
• to inspect the rest of the well bore for damage or leaks, using a well bore inspection camera

Watch out: Pay special attention to the point where the well casing bottom ends and "bedrock" continues the well bore. Well experts say that the most common source of sand, dirt, or mud and surface water leaking into a well bore will be at that location.

Watch out: After your well has been inspected and if necessary repaired, possibly with a liner, then you may need to shock the well to sanitize it (since the parts and work are not done with sanitized parts and equipment), and after a wait period, have your water tested, at the very least, for potability.

See

• WELL CHLORINATION SHOCKING PROCEDURE
• WELL CLEANING PROCEDURES
  

What can we do about mud problems in our water well?

We replaced well pump in Oct 2014, now filter is packed with mud and needs changed very frequently, low water pressure. (May 11, 2015) donna

Reply by (mod):

Donna:

Ask your well company or plumber for help: start by checking the height above well bottom that the pump is installed; if the well pump is too close to well bottom it may be picking up mud that can be avoided.

Other solutions: an improved well screen, or the discovery and repair of a crack or damage in the well casing that is allowing soil to fall into the well.

Our well water changes color after rain

Why should the color of the water change Every time it rains. On 2020-07-07 by Goodman -

Warning by by (mod) -

Goodman

Thank you for an interesting question. The color of well water the changes when there's rain is most likely because the red is either leaking some surface contaminants into the well or changing the level of the water table to feed the well in part from a different water source..

You might ask your local Water Testing Lab to test a water sample for iron, tannins, and for coming surface sourced contaminants such as nitrates and of course coliform.

Well casing fragments / debris coming up from the well in our water

Small pieces of well casing (coffee ground size) is coming up from the well, what can be done? The water is still clean and there is now dirt or sand in the water. On 2021-08-25 by William Ridge -

Explanation by inspectapedia.com.moderator - dirt or sand in the water might mean you need to scope the well

@William Ridge,

I suspect that you're seeing rust or other debris being picked up by a submersible pump that's too close to the well bottom, combined with either well casing damage like a hole that's letting dirt and debris fall into the well or there is significant well casing rust.

I'd hire a well company who have a well inspection camera to scope the well so that we understand what and where the problem is. It may be that a well casing repair sleeve is needed.

There are well casing liners and screens that can improve water quality by reducing mud and sand in the well water.

Would a well casing or pitless adapter leak cause brown water after heavy rain or is the problem corrosion inside the well casing?

I have a problem with our well water getting a brownish tint to it a day or two after a heavy rain. I have done a cursory inspection of the casing down to about 30 feet with a camera.

The well is 450 feet deep with (I am told) about 40 feet of casing.

I am NOT seeing water enter the well casing, but noticed that the interior is very corroded with sheets of rust peeling from the inside of the casing in a few places.

The pitless adapter has peeling sheets of rust all the way around it.

Can you tell me if this is a sign of a casing leak? (Feb 22, 2014) Joe Mattion

Reply by (mod):

Joe

Your comments about probably leaks at the pitless adapter might point to the most-likely problem so I'd start by inspecting that carefully first with a well bore camera - I don't know what camera you were using but more options are at WELL BORE CAMERA SYSTEMS - and then if necessary by excavating to expose the pitless adapter connection to the well casing.

I'm not sure but the thick flaking (exfoliating) rust is more than just surface rusting and could be hiding well casing leaks that show up as rusty water when there's a lot of rain; the casing's job is to keep surface water out of the well.

You might get more insight by having the water tested to identify the type of sediment and coloration in the water; from there you probably need a well repair company to take a look at the casing. If the casing is actually perforated or cracked then repairs are needed.

Depending on the extent of damage, if the casing is found to be shot and leaking there are repair methods that can often salvage the well. - Daniel F

Is debris in water traced to damaged or leaky well casing? leaks and problems after well head froze.

A new pump installed two weeks ago then had below zero temps as in - 12 to -15 degrees and didn't get above 18 for 3 days in row in which time the well head froze and I spent time and 110.00 in buying items to get it thawed out it took 36 hours to get water back on to the house, then my pump was on for hours before shutting off for only a few min.

Before turning back on after someone using water any where. the company that installed the pump at first said I burnt my brand new pump and I said could there be a casing leak as you told me that you put a casing pipe on top that had erd osion areas on it on top that was on the bottom.

I think that maybe the pump buily enough pressure to blow out the areas where it was weak and water is flowing out and down the outside of the pipe. what do you think? (Jan 4, 2015) Anonymous

Reply: very possibly, yes.

Anon:

A well casing that is leaking could admit debris that fouls up a pressure sensor control; But more likely is a damaged well water supply pipe that's leaking either from frost damage or a poor connection

Yes such a leak can run back into the well if the leak is in the in-well section of piping; leaks can of course be anywhere along the course of the well piping.

Low well water will also leave a pump running and risk burning up the pump.

Water Leaks Out at Well Head / Casing Top Q&A

Is the wet area around our well casing a sign of a leak?

I was digging nest to my well head today and discovered some muck or more like light green ooze next to the the PVC pipe. When I dug down a bit deeper I have found more. It all seems to be concentrated on one side of the pipe. Is this a leak? 19 May 2015 Tim

Reply by (mod):

Tim:

I would dig enough to find the answer to that question. Certainly a leak at the pitless adapter or well piping near the casing is possible.

If it were groundwater I'd not expect it to be just on one side of the casing.

Tim said:

My well is 185' and I have not noticed any problems in the past. The house and well were constructed in 2006. The pipe going down is PVC.

Reply by (mod):

all the more reason to look for a leak.

 

Is it normal to find standing water around the well head?

We have water standing around the well head but we have also had an abnormally amount of rain.

The water is not standing in any other location of the yard which is concerning.

Sometimes when using the water in the house we get a little air in the pipe. Is this normal for a well? On 2019-01-07 by Amy

Reply by (mod) - Advice about water around the well top and air discharge from fixtures

Amy

About water around your well head

Take a look at the soil surface slope or grading around the well; if there is a depression around the casing that might explain water collection there.

It is also possible that some wells can be flooded by local rainwater, either entering from the aquifer ( normal) or entering the well casing from a leaky well casing side or top.

if the latter is going on, such a well may temporarily act like an artesian well, sending water up and out near the casing top or at a leaky pitless adapter if your casing uses one of those below ground.

Your plumber or well service company may want to open the well casing and inspect the entire casing for damage using a well bore camera.

Let me know what you're told and we can take it from there.

For air discharge at fixtures there are several explanations

See details at AIR DISCHARGE at FAUCETS, FIXTURES

Certainly if there are leaks into the well casing from holes, rust, splits, bad piping connections etc. then the well water may not be sanitary.

Take a look at the soil surface slope or grading around the well; if there is a depression around the casing that might explain water collection there.

It is also possible that some wells can be flooded by local rainwater, either entering from the aquifer ( normal) or entering the well casing from a leaky well casing side or top.

if the latter is going on, such a well may temporarily act like an artesian well, sending water up and out near the casing top or at a leaky PITLESS ADAPTER if your casing uses one of those below ground.

Your plumber or well service company may want to open the well casing and inspect the entire casing for damage using a well bore camera.

Let me know what you're told and we can take it from there.

Pressure relief valve on well spilling water; pressure tank drains back into well: what's wrong?

A few days ago, as I was walking by the well head house, I noticed that the pressure release valve at the well head was gushing water intermittently. I installed a new pressure release valve and now there is only the occasional, very short spurt of water from the release valve outlet.

I had not noticed any change in the house's faucet water pressure but thought it best to check the water tank.

It turned out my submersible well pump is cycling on and off at 40 and 60 psi every 44 seconds.

When I turn my pump off at the electric panel, tank pressure drops to zero. When I subsequently turn it back on I can hear the tank filling with water and the light “snapping” noise of the tank bladder as the incoming water “pushes” it into it's 60 psi shape.

Once it reaches 60 psi, and the pump switches off, the pressure in the tank immediately begins to drop. When it reaches 40 psi, the pump comes on again. I can hear no loss of air from the tank.

Given the above, I'm thinking that the pump, tank, pressure switch, and pressure gauge are operating correctly.

My first thought was that there must be a faucet running or some kind of continuous water loss in the house's pipes. I could not find such a “leak” so to be sure, I shut off the house valve next to the tank and turned on the pump.

The pump came on, filled the tank to a pressure of 60 psi and switched off. The pressure immediately began to fall until it reached 40 psi and the pump turned on again.

When I turned off power to the pump, the tank pressure fell to zero indicating that the water was leaving the tank, but with the valve off, it could not have been leaving into the house piping.

I confirmed this by rocking the tank back and forth, which was very easy to do. Clearly at this point there is very little, if any, water remaining in the tank.

Could the cause of this issue be a faulty foot valve attached to the well pipe?

The only possibility I can think of is that the water in the tank is rushing back into the well-head-to-tank-piping. Could this cause a short spurt of water from the pressure release valve at the well head?

I'm retired and on a low income. I'm hoping I can get directly to the cause without having to change expensive system parts in a step by step, physical process of elimination.

I'm turning on the pump for very short periods only when we need water, hoping to save the pump. On 2018-05-13 by Tom

by (mod) - A safety warning and some tips on how to proceed: relief valve discharge, pump short cycling, pressure tank drains back to well: relationship to a well casing leak?

Tom

Thank you for the important Field Report, as it illustrates that such overpressure really do occur and that the pressure relief valve can do its job.

Still I would urge you to have your plumber inspect the system to find out what's wrong since over pressurizing a water system risks bursting a tank or pipe.

As I've pointed out, besides flooding a building, such a break can actually injure someone.

If you when you turn off all water into the house and if then when the pump turns off the pressure tank is emptying, there's most-likely either a leak in the well piping or a leaky check valve or foot valve.

To fix that you'll need to pull the well pipe.

Watch out: there's also an over-pressure condition in your water system that is unsafe. A burst pipe or tank from over-pressure (the relief valve is spilling) not only risks a building flood and water damage, it can also injure anyone unlucky enough to be close enough to the exploding part.

A common cause of the pressure switch not properly turning the pump ON or OFF at the right pressure is debris clogging at the pressure switch sensor port on the switch base OR a clogged tube that conducts pressure to the switch. So you might start by replacing the pressure switch and clearing the tube and its mounting point from any mud or debris. - Daniel

The relationship between a debris clogged pump pressure control switch and a foot valve that's stuck open and a possible well casing leak might sound a bit far-fetched but I suppose if your well casing were damaged and leaking dirt down into the well that could indeed provide mud or dirt that could cause those problems.

Watch out: a pump that over-pressurizes the system could burst the bladder in your water pressure tank.

In turn that would lead to a water-logged pressure tank and pump rapid on-off short cycling.

Now I'm not sure this is happening in your case: if after the tank has sent water back into the well (with the pump turned off) if the tank is still heavy, then it may have a torn internal bladder, but we can't be sure if it's a dramatic ripped burst tank bladder or a smaller perforation.

If it's just a small perforation then water will leak out of the tank into the air space above the bladder.

So if you press the pin on the Schrader valve on the air valve on your (internal bladder type) water pressure tank and then if water comes out, the bladder has burst. - Daniel

 

Water tank is running back into the well, pump runs continuously, well company says we have a well casing leak.

A few days ago our water pump was running constantly. My husband determined when it cut off, the water tank was emptying, so the pump would come back on to fill it back up.

As a temporary fix, he installed a valve on the pipe, so we can turn the pump on, open the valve and use water (which is clear and plentiful), but then once we are finished using the water, we have to close the valve and turn the pump back off.

When a local company came out to evaluate, they seemed to think the casing is bad and plan to replace it.

It will be a large expense and a huge mess and since they can't see the casing, I don't understand how they made their determination. Does this sound like an accurate assessment? Thank you! On 2018-03-11 by Nancy

Diagnostic suggestions by (mod) -

Nancy

I'm not clear on how a bad well casing (leaks dirt or contaminated water into a well) would cause the pump to run continuously unless the dirt has clogged the pump pressure control switch.

Ask for a more clear explanation of why your local company thinks the well casing is leaking.

Watch out: "can't see the casing" ... is easily remedied by hiring a plumber who has a well bore inspection camera as we explain at WELL BORE CAMERA SYSTEMS

What you describe sounds as if you may have a well piping leak or a bad foot valve.

Take a look at the diagnostics at FOOT VALVE TROUBLESHOOTING - pump runs, no water: is it a bad foot valve? - DF

Water leaks at top of Artesian Well Casings FAQs

Water leaks up around artesian well casing

Have a new artisan well. Driller installed a run off pipe from well to a small brook near the well. The well is 185' with well casing, with casing to 130'. The pump is at 160'. The runoff pipe seems to be working but still have water bubbling out of ground around the outside of casing.

I know this is not right and what should be done with the problem since the water is flowing in the yard and
causing a wet wet area? Also the runoff pipe is close to the top of the ground. Can this freeze in the winter and cause the casing to split? On 2017-05-04 by Bill

by (mod) - the usual seal around the artesian well top must need repair or replacement

Bill,

Because an Artesian well, by definition, sends water to the surface under its own pressure, it is often necessary to install and internal seal inside the well casing below the wells top cover. One term for that seal is a well spool. If your well has begun leaking out of the top I suspect that that seal is either missing or has failed.

Artesian well overflow runs into the lake but under-water, causing water to back up out of my well cap vent & at the electrical conduit

I have an artesian well. The overflow pipe runs into a lake. When the lake water level is high the overflow pipe is under water. As a result water comes out the top of my well cap vent causing a mess on my lawn.

That is the case now, but the water isn't coming out the vent it's coming out under the cap where the wires go in? Why all of a sudden is water coming out there? Is there a seal of some kind that typically prevents this?? Thanks On 2017-04-21 by Paul

Warning & repair advice by (mod) -

Watch out: wet electrical wiring and connections risk death by electrocution. Be sure your electrician checks the safety of the wiring. (Why are there wires and a pump on an artesian well?) Don't try just sealing the wires.

Next: it sounds as if your well is missing an internal bore-well spool or seal that is intended to prevent water from rising up and out of the well bore.

Well Casing Damage / Leaks by Blasting, Driving Nearby, Construction

What's the risk of damage to my well and casing if a developer does blasting and excavating 10 feet away from my well? What can I do?

I have a very good encased 100' well that fulfills all needs for 27 years. I live on top of a mountain composed of a lot of rock near Little River canyon in Alabama.

Recently, new developers have convinced the water board to bring city water here (i will not be tapping in, of course).

However, they will be breaking rock (not blasting) with heavy equipment and laying pipe 20' deep 10' from my well.

I am concerned if this will cause damage to my well, casing, or facets to my aquifer. The crew chief of this project has been by to speak with me but said he doubts it, but can not guarantee anything. Thank you for any advise. On 2017-07-05 by Susan Proctor

Opinion by (mod) -

Your concern is absolutely reasonable and the crew chief has confirmed that their work could affect or damage your well.

Unfortunately, as we document at WELL CLEARANCE DISTANCES it's indeed possible that your well is just ten feet from your property line, but you ought to confirm that.

And you might ask your attorney or a local geotechnical engineer what local regulations govern blasting and safe blasting distances where you live. While I don't know Alabama law, usually blasting would not be permitted within some safe distance, usually 50 to 500 feet, from a property line.

Watch out:I think that because "blasting" is too broad a term - we don't know how big or how much explosive will be used, at what depth, under what geological conditions etc - your state does put some requirements on contractors who are conducting blasting and excavating.

Ask your attorney to consider

• Alabama Administrative Code Rule 880-X-3A-.05 - Use Of Explosives
• Alabama Administrative Code Rule 880-X-10C-.34 - Use Of Explosives: Control Of Adverse Effects, and to check on whether or not there are further laws or codes for your specific area.

There's also risk of damage to your home or other buildings if they're within those distances from the blasting.

Watch out: Also, before the work begins I would get an independent expert to photo document the condition of the well and report in writing on

Well flow rate
Static head position
Water quality
Casing condition
Historical seasonal variations in water table heights (just to head off that argument)

Driving or logging near a well damaged its casing? What kind of sand filter do we need?

We have a similar situation to your well disruption. When the land behind us was recently logged, we had a couple days where the water was very brown and filled with sand. The disruption to the ground I suspect affected the aquifer.

The company that owns the land suggests that we have a cracked casing, and that they couldn't have had anything to do with it. I think that it is too much of a coincidence. It settled down when they stopped, but we continue to get sand clogging up the washing machine.

What kind of sand filtration system do you suggest? On 2018-01-18 by Julie

Repair Recommendations by (mod) -

Julie,

The chances that driving or logging near a well would damage its casing depend on

- the casing material (plastic is more likely to be damaged than a steel pipe)

- how close to the well equipment was driven (a few feet - more likely)

- how heavy is the equipment

- the soil properties: softness, compressibility

Driving over land near a casing that is already cracked might indeed stir up mud that might find its way into the well

Driving over land near a well casing that is undamaged should never send mud into a well. A properly-installed well casing is sealed against surface and subsurface runoff entry specifically because such water is almost never sanitary

You should

1. have your well water tested for contaminants

2. have the well casing inspected for damage (well companies use a well camera lowered into the well)

3. based on the above, if the casing is intact, then it may be appropriate to choose a treatment system.

But I would NOT install such a system just to treat the muddy water and sand before knowing that we don't also have to treat for bacterial or other contaminants.

The well inspection should tell us if the problem is best addressed by a filter. For example if the water pick-up (or submersible pump) is too close to the well bottom all that might be needed is to raise the pump a few feet in the well.

Then see WATER FILTERS, HOME USE

You'd choose a filter size and type depending on what needs to be filtered. If the water is sanitary, then a filter cartridge that is large enough (for your water usage volume and the level of sand contamination) that you don't have to change it too frequently.

Well Casing Damage by Lightning Strike Q&A

Can a lightning strike crack our PVC water well casing

Can a lightning strike crack our PVC water well casing - in three places? (Aug 13, 2014) Anonymous

Reply: yes

Anon -
A lightning strike anywhere at the well casing or piping can send current that might damage piping in several locations. For example if water was changed to steam it might burst the piping.

Watch out: Before assuming that a water problem is due to the water pump or the water well itself.,

see WATER PUMP REPAIR GUIDE a specific case which offers an example of diagnosis of loss of water pressure, loss of water, and analyzes the actual repair cost.

If you know that your well is performing poorly with a poor flow rate or poor well recovery rate,

see WELL YIELD IMPROVEMENT, and

to protect the well pump from damage due to low well water or other hazards

see WATER PUMP PROTECTION SWITCH
or

see WELL PIPING TAIL PIECE.

Well Casing Leak Diagnostic Trouble FAQs

What would cause a sudden appearance of sand in well water

My well suddenly pumped a lot of sand up into my system. It then stopped working. originally it was 100' deep i figured this out when I dropped the 60' of pipe in and had to fish it out. I since replaced with PVC.

I pulled the pipe out and found the coupling had come apart. I fixed that and lowered back in but it stopped.

I pulled it out found the valve at the bottom full of sand and dirt at least 1' into pipe.

I checked the water level with a string and weight it was about 25'but the hole was now only 52' deep I lowered 40' of pipe back in primed the system it seemed to work but suddenly stopped so

I pulled the pipes up enough to lower a string back in and the water level was at 40' does this mean my well has collapsed and I need to drill a new one ? (May 7, 2014) Brett Wells

Reply by (mod):

Hi Brett. Indeed it sounds as if the well casing has been damaged, perhaps by rust perforation, if not collapsing then allowing sand to enter the well. A second concern is that if the casing side has failed in one or more places the well would no longer be assured of remaining sanitary.

Surface or high level groundwater leaking into the well casing contaminates such a well.

Sometimes the well casing rusts and perforates at a single site (near the top of the static water head). In such cases it's sometimes possible to repair the casing by inserting a sleeve sealed to the well sides.

In that case a well restoration company may be able to repair the well and pump out sand and soil from the well bottom, restoring the present well. If that cost is significantly less than drilling a new well I'd give it a try.

Call well drillers in your area asking who has the necessary expertise to diagnose the problem and propose a repair.

North Georgia deep well problems: Georgia clay vs rust clogging our pump inlet

My wife and I bought some property in the north Georgia Mountains. The property used to have a small cabins that we believe was built in the 1970's. The small cabin has been demolished but the drilled well is still there.

I hired a well company to test the pump. We showed the motor was pulling around 7 amps. But we could not get any water up. We decided to pull the pump up and inspect it ourselves. The well pump was about 200 feet deep.

The inlets of the pump are covered in what looks like Georgia Clay (maybe its rust?) The well casing does appear to have a good amount of rust on it and the pump and well have not been used for the past 20 years. We don't have a lot of money to dropped into the well

Do you think this sediment around the inlets could be caused by the well being static for so many years? Or could this be a sign of a casing problem?

Reply by (mod):

Yes, a cracked casing can send additional mud into the well as can leaks around the PITLESS ADAPTER, or if the casing top is buried, leaks there also can send both soil and unsanitary surface runoff into your well.

Any of these are important to repair not just for the mud but because the well sanitation is no longer reliable - the water may be unsafe to drink if surface runoff is leaking into the well. (June 14, 2014) Robert Micheals

How do I diagnose seasonal (summer) sediment problems in my well water?

19 yr old well, 25 gpm been great. Past year or so getting enough sediment to clog filter within a week.

Problem happens seasonally when not using well much (I have a ground-source heat pump that runs off well).

So not present during Summer, occurred during Summer-Fall transition, now winter water clean as can be. I'm guessing I have a casing break relatively high? Note when you pull top of well you normally see water (good producing well). Is my diagnosis close? - On 2015-12-05 by David

Answer by (mod) -

David

I agree with your guess; ask your well driller to drop a camera down the well to inspect the casing; the good news is that often repair of a cracked casing is possible by inserting a well sleeve.

I've also had sediment show up in an old well with a long history of good behavior following nearby road blasting.

The rock fissure system feeding the well was permanently changed and even though the well water level didn't change the water entering the well in its lower portion - below the casing, became muddy; we had to install a sediment filter system.

Well casing has a leak: contractor says I need a new well because pulling the pump out to fix the pipe will ruin the pump

My submersible well has a discharge pipe leak about thirty feet down in the well. The pump is located approximately 100 feet down.

The contractor has stated that it would be best to go ahead and replace my well pump because it is 8 years old and the disturbance of pulling up the pump to fix the discharge pipe will likely cause the pump to fail prematurely. On 2017-11-08 by Anonymous

by (mod) - Really? get another opinion!

Anon,

I would be too embarrassed to even pretend that I could be smarter than an on-site well expert, but based just on what you say, drilling a whole 100 ft or more deep well and installing all new well equipment just to replace a leaky well pipe sounds a bit extreme. I'd want to hear that there was some other reason to take such an expensive step.

I cannot give any solid reason that pulling a well pipe up to repair it and then putting it back into the well would be expected to cause a premature pump failure.

I and other readers would very much appreciate hearing some factual basis and reasoning that your contractor can offer for his/her advice.

Call another well contractor or plumber with well repair experience, and ask they why not pull the pipe and replace or repair the leaky section.

Intermittent well sediment issues but Hydrologist says that if the casing was cracked or the screen was insufficient or absent the water sample would have shown it

We had a new well dug almost a year ago (3/16). The well had to be dug 500 ft to reach good water. Since then we have had intermittent issues. Sediment, mud and sand continues to come through the pipes to the house.

Again, it is intermittent and not constant. Two or three times we have had no water to the house but there is water at the well. This was resolved by back flushing each time. We believe there was sediment lodged in the pipe and the back flush loosened it and released the flow of water.

The problem is that we cannot get the well driller to respond to our calls and emails when the issue is occurring. When he does call 2-3 weeks later, the issue has resolved itself. He contends that he cannot help us if the problem is not happening at that moment.

He seems to miss the point that he does not call us back when the problem is occurring. The point here is the problem is intermittent. We have had the water tested a couple of times and there is bacteria in the water.

We follow the recommendation but we continue to have bacteria.

Everything we have found in our research if there is a crack in the casing, the sediment issue should not occur intermittently.

We had a hydrologist from the state licensing division come and take a sample from the well and it was perfectly fine. The hydrologist stated that if the casing was cracked or the screen was insufficient or absent the water sample would have shown at that time. Any advise or other ideas of possible issues would be greatly appreciated. On 2017-01-19 by Curn

by (mod) - vague well casing damage diagnosis needs better inspection

Curn

It sounds as if even with a deep well the total water quantity or flow rate is inadequate.

A different possibility might be a damaged well casing and dirt falling into the well - as you suggested, via crack or opening.

Why not find a plumber with a well inspection camera so we can put the end to arm-waving speculation.

Noise at Well Head / Casing Top Q&A

Well casing is whistling and there's air in our water

Hi there! We have had a lot of air coming into our water supply in our home so we called a well expert to come investigate. Our pump and pressure tank are all working well but there is a whistling sound coming from our well casing in our backyard.

The plumber/well expert told us that there is something leaking in our well and that he would suggest drilling a new one since it is a very old steel well that is rusted. I'm wondering if a crack in the well cap would cause the extra air to come into the water supply or if it would be coming from the well casing itself.

Our well cap is cracked on top and the well is old and rusted steel. We have no idea when the well was drilled but our home was built in 1988 and we just purchased it in August 2016. Please advise on whether a new well is needed or if there is another, less expensive option. Thanks for your feedback, it is greatly appreciated!! On 2016-12-19 by Jennifer

Reply & Suggestions by (mod) -

Jennifer:

I am by no means smarter than your onsite expert, but I'd be curious about leaping into drilling a well because of a whistling sound and air in the water.

IF an investigation of the water level and flow rate (search InspectApedia.com for WELL FLOW RATE) shows that this well is performing inadequately then yeah, steps to either increase well yield or drill a new one (a new pig in a poke as well) are appropriate.

But if the investigation shows that there is casing damage or a failed vent or snifter valve, those are repairable at a much lower cost.

External superficial rust is normal on casings. If a casing is bad throughout, collapsing over considerable depth, for example, that may not be repairable.

I'd sure like to see some objective facts before deciding on what's the right repair. Maybe a well inspection using a camera + a flow test are in order.

Well Casing Damage or Leak Repair Methods Q&A

How do you install a well sleeve ?

Was wondering what mechanisms you use to sleeve the wells..
How do you install the well sleeve? (Sept 25, 2014) Lorrisa Singh

Reply by (mod):

The sleeve is selected to match the internal diameter of the well and must also be able to pass the submersible pump (if used) and foot valve and piping. It is inserted into the well at proper depth and mechanically expanded against the casing sides.

The procedure for installing well sleeves as well as reference citations to companies providing them are described in the article WELL CASING LEAK REPAIRS.

How do we fix a slow leak at the well head that is ponding a large area around the well head

We have a water well that has developed a slow leak.

Over the past 4 months the water has leaked from the well and now covers about 100 ft by 100ft. area. The water is about ankle high. We have had 3 different companies look at it and no one can tell where the leak is. I think its at the well casing but I don't know. I need help.

The water pressure doesn't seem to have changed but it needs fixing. Is there anyone out there that can help me. (May 10, 2015) Jan McWhort

Reply by (mod): inspect the well, if it's artesian use a

Jan

You may need to call well repair companies from a wider area to find an expert who can help with the well leak you describe. There are several possibilities that will need to be investigated in order to determine what repair is needed.

But indeed there are procedures for finding the point in the well casing where there is damage - if that's the problem - and often the well casing diameter permits the insertion of a well sleeve that repairs that section.

I can't tell from your question whether you may have a well that seasonally becomes artesian - naturally sending water up in the well bore and leaking out at the well head.

If that's the problem, we explain at ARTESIAN WELLS, WELL SPOOLS the usual solution is to install a seal near the top of the well casing combined with a pipe that will direct the excess water to an acceptable drain-off or disposal location.

As long as the well recovery rate or rate of water flowing into the well is sufficient, you won't notice the leak as a reduction in water pressure. Water pressure is produced by your well pump not by the well itself

How do I re-line or repair a leaky, damaged well casing: my well is a 2-inch diameter bore using a Sta-Rite MSN jet pump.

I have a Sta-Rite MSN 6 2 stage one line 1 hp jet pump.

The water pickup is set 326 feet down in a 2" out side diameter well casing that was put in between the late 1940s early 1950s that I believe has a hole in the casing.

Can I reline it? This question and reply were posted originally 2017/05/31 Darrell at WATER PUMP, ONE LINE JET

Reply by (mod): relining a 2-inch well casing is probably not possible - and your Sta-Rite MSN is a submersible pump

Darrell,

For other readers: Sta-Rite MS pumps are vertical multi-stage pumps currently manufactured by Pentair. But I cannot find specifications for a Sta-Rite MSN-6 pump.

The current MS- series are cast iron pumps models MSD, MSE, MSF, MSG - all of these are deep well jet pumps.

The pump shown here is a Sta-Rite MSE 1 HP deep well jet pump. The pump itself, as you can infer from the photo, is located above ground.

Here's a PENTAIR PUMP CATALOG [PDF] (at Pentair.com website) - local copy saved as Pentair-Pump-Catalog-2013.pdf from which I excerpt from page 100 and 101 to show the pumping depth capacity in gallons per minute as a function of pump model and the depth of the water pick-up jet in the well.

Worth noting, this above-ground one-line jet pump, in Pentair Sta-Rite MSG can provide 2.5 gpm from a depth of 260 feet - the maximum in a 2-inch well bore for this pump series.

The MS Series Jet Pumps include the pre-plumbed external automatic regulator, pressure gauge, pressure switch, and a complete line of casing adapters to drive the 4" double pipe or 2" and 3" single pipe jet packages.

Repairing damage or a leak in your 2-inch diameter well bore

Certainly there are well casing repair kits, basically a sleeve that is inserted into the well bore. You wouldn't re-line an entire well bore in most circumstances.

Watch out: a 2-inch O.D. well bore is so small that almost every source I researched said re-lining or installing a well sleeve in a 2-inch bore isn't possible.

There is a recent well casing repair approach for small diameter wells that uses an inflatable swaging tool to insert a round section of Schedule 10 stainless steel pipe into damaged well casing with minimal diameter reduction, described in the article I'll link below, but the author does not assert that this approach has been used on very small diameter casings such as your two-inch well.

• Price, Mike, Innovating Well Casing Repair Technology (Website), Water Well Journal, 18 November 2025, local copy saved as Small-Diameter-Well-Casing-Repair-Price.pdf

We discuss repairs to well casing leaks at WELL CASING LEAK REPAIRS,

If you can get a well camera down the well bore, that's where to start. You want to know the location (depth from ground surface) and nature of the damage.

In general, the repair sequence for repairing a well casing from the inside is to use a swage to push a deformed casing back into proper round cylindrical shape, then a well casing repair sleeve - a metal (or other) liner is pushed into the well to the proper depth.

I looked for sources of small-diameter well casing repair sleeves and report on:

T.D. Williamson sells steel repair sleeves for damaged well casings in sizes 2" to 48" in diameter. I'd contact the company about the ability to fit one of their sleeves into your well casing once we have accurate measurements of the inside diameter of the casing.
As we have readers world-wide and you didn't mention your location I'll include several contact numbers for the company, as they have locations world-wide.

T.D. Williamson, Inc., Website: http://www.tdwilliamson.com/
North & South America: +1 918 447 5000
Europe/Africa/Middle East: +32 67 28 3611
Asia Pacific: +65 6364 8520
Offshore Services: +47 5144 3240

Well packers and even pumping sealants down to a leak location are other well casing leak repairs but those are more-likely not going to be suitable for a 2 inch residential water well casing damage repair job.

An example of these more-sophisticated well casing patch systems is the XPatch Expandable Casing Patch - described in two PDFs I will include below.

Keep me posted on how you progress as what you find will doubtless help other readers as well.

Well Casing Repair Kits

• Owen Oil Tools, X-Span® TUBING/CASING PATCH, [PDF] Owen Oil Tools, 12001 CR 100, Godley TX 76044 USA Tel +1 817 551 0540, Website: www.corelab.com/owen also provides well casing patcy systems such as the company's X-Span Tubing/Casing Patch, retrieved 2017/05/30, original source: http://www.corelab.com/owen/CMS/docs/Manuals/patch/MAN-PAT-005-R04.pdf
• Smith Blair Repair Clamp: for repairing 2-inch pipe, applied to the pipe exterior won't work for repairing an underground section of a 2-inch well casing.
• TIW, XPatch® EXPANDABLE CASING PATCH, [PDF]TIW Tools, from TIW Corporation , 12300 South Main St. Houston, Texas 77035
  Tel: 713-729-2110 Website: http://www.tiwoiltools.com/ retrieved 2017/05/30, original source: www.tiwoiltools.com/Images/Interior/downloads/xpatch.pdf
• TIW, 2T-XPatch® WELL CASING REPAIR SYSTEM [PDF] retrieved 2017/05/30, original source: op. cit.
• See our complete list at WELL CASING LEAK REPAIR REFERNCES

How do I seal off the lower portion of my well casing?

There are two water source level in the borehole. I want to stop water coming from depth 500 meter and want to keep bore well open. On 2022-09-28 by VK -

Solution by InspectApedia (Editor)

@VK,

You may be able to insert a well bore sleeve at the depth at which you want to stop water from entering the well. Their use is explained at WELL CASING REPAIR SLEEVES

The sleeve or set of sleeves will need to cover enough of the well bore to be sure you've sealed that area completely.