Your Own Private Spring? Well Water Basics & Keeping It Clean

Types of Wells: Not Just a Hole in the Ground

Wells ain’t all created equal. The type you have (or might drill) impacts depth, yield, and vulnerability:

• Dug Wells: Old school. Wide-diameter holes, usually shallow (10-30 feet), often lined with stone or concrete rings. Highly susceptible to surface contamination runoff. Think historic farmsteads. Less common now for primary drinking water.
• Driven Wells: A pipe with a screened point is hammered or driven into the ground, usually into sandy or gravelly soil, typically reaching depths of 30-50 feet. Also vulnerable to surface contamination.
• Drilled Wells (The Modern Standard): Deep holes (hundreds of feet) bored through rock and soil using drilling rigs. A solid or PVC casing lines the borehole down to the water table, sealed at the top (usually with grout) to prevent surface water intrusion. Much less prone to contamination than shallow wells. This is what most modern homes with wells have.

The Heartbeat: Well Pumps – Getting the Water Out

Unless you’re hauling water up with a bucket like some medieval peasant, you need a pump. These mechanical workhorses do the heavy lifting:

• Submersible Pumps: The most common type for drilled wells. The entire pump motor assembly is lowered down into the well, submerged below the water level. It pushes water up a pipe to the surface. Efficient for deep wells, protected from freezing (mostly). Requires electricity down in the well.
• Jet Pumps: Sit above ground (usually in a basement or well house) and pull water up from the well using suction (often involving two pipes down the well for deeper applications – deep well jet pump). Generally limited to shallower wells (around 25 feet for shallow well jet pumps, maybe up to 100-120 ft for deep well versions). Easier to access for maintenance but more vulnerable to freezing and losing prime (suction).

Powering the Pump (The Off-Grid Challenge): This is where well water meets energy independence. Most conventional well pumps are AC powered and can draw significant electricity, especially on startup.

• Grid Power: If you’re still tethered, easy peasy (until the grid dies).
• Generator: A common backup, but noisy, fuel-hungry, and needs manual operation.
• Dedicated Solar Well Pump System: Increasingly popular. Uses DC pumps powered directly by solar panels (often with a specialized controller), sometimes storing water in a large holding tank instead of relying solely on batteries for pressurized delivery. Can be complex but offers true water independence.
• Inverter + Battery Bank: Running a standard AC pump off your main off-grid solar system’s inverter and battery bank. Requires a robust inverter capable of handling the pump’s surge current and sufficient battery capacity.

The Pressure Principle: Tanks and Switches

Your pump doesn’t (or shouldn’t) run every single time you turn on a faucet. That would burn it out fast. Instead, you have a system to maintain water pressure:

• Pressure Tank: A metal tank, usually with an internal air bladder or diaphragm. The pump fills the tank with water, compressing the air. When you open a faucet, this compressed air pushes the water out, providing pressure.
• Pressure Switch: This electrical switch senses the pressure in the tank. When pressure drops below a set point (e.g., 40 PSI) because you’ve used water, it tells the pump to turn ON. When the pressure reaches the upper set point (e.g., 60 PSI), it tells the pump to turn OFF. This cycling saves wear and tear on the pump.

Keeping the Poison Out: Well Maintenance & Testing

Okay, here’s the part most people ignore until their water smells like rotten eggs or gives them the screaming shits. Your well isn’t a sealed system forever. Things can go wrong. Regular vigilance is key:

• Well Cap & Seal: Is the cap on top of your well casing secure, unbroken, and properly sealed? This is the first defense against bugs, rodents, snakes, and surface water runoff getting directly into your well. Check it visually at least once a year. Make sure the ground slopes away from the wellhead.
• Regular Water Testing (NON-NEGOTIABLE): You CANNOT tell if water is safe by looking at it or smelling it. Test your well water annually for, at minimum:
  • Total Coliform Bacteria & E. coli: Indicates potential fecal contamination (septic leaks, animal waste). A positive E. coli test means DO NOT DRINK until treated/fixed.
  • Nitrates: High levels often come from agricultural runoff or septic systems and are dangerous, especially for infants.
  • pH: Affects taste and corrosivity.
  • Total Dissolved Solids (TDS): General measure of minerals.
  • Consider testing for Arsenic, Lead, Radon, Uranium, and local contaminants (like pesticides) periodically, especially if you’re near industrial or agricultural areas. Contact your local health department or a certified lab for testing kits and procedures. Don’t guess, TEST.
• Pump & System Check: Listen for unusual noises from the pump. Check the pressure tank’s air charge occasionally (follow manufacturer instructions). Look for leaks in plumbing. If your water pressure cycles rapidly or seems weak, get the system inspected by a qualified well technician.
• Septic System Awareness: Keep your septic tank and drain field well-maintained and located as far from the well as regulations allow. A failing septic system is a direct threat to your well water.
• “Shocking” the Well (Chlorination): If bacteria tests come back positive, or after certain repairs, the well system may need to be “shocked” with a strong chlorine solution to disinfect it. This is a specific procedure best done by (or under the guidance of) a professional.