Are you planning to have a well drilled on your property? There are so many benefits that come with having a well, such as lower water bills, safer and cleaner water, and is also a more convenient way of having your own storage that can be easily accessed when you need it.
In places where water can be hard to get or in areas where water is treated like a luxury that should not be abused, some governments may require residential properties to have their own wells. Whether you are required or not, having a well in your property can be daunting, as there are many things you need to know before having one installed to avoid problems. If you already have a contractor or are still searching for one, they will need to do a couple of things before starting the drilling, such as a site inspection. An inspection will help the specialist make the decision in important situations, such as where exactly to drill the well, and sometimes, they can even estimate how deep they will have to drill.
How deep should a well be drilled to get water?
As mentioned above, some well contractors are said to be able to estimate how deep they need to drill before finding water, but the keyword here is “estimate.” No matter how experienced a contractor is, they will often need to drill deeper and deeper into the ground until they are satisfied with the water they found.
Generally, most residential wells are drilled around 100 feet to 800 feet which is usually enough to get ample amounts of water for daily use, though in particular areas, they may need to be drilled at a much lower depth, especially if they will be used for farming or for industrial purposes.
Some property owners would want to know the exact depth of the well that contractors will dig, as these experts usually charge by the foot. However, this is often not possible, as there are certain factors that will affect how deep the well should be drilled, such as:
- Your local municipality’s guidelines
Due to some reasons, a local government may implement necessary guidelines and rules concerning your well, such as the location of your well and how deep should it be drilled. This is because the drilling of your well may affect other people in the community, as there is a possibility of contaminating the local’s water supply if your well was not properly drilled.
Even though the well will be placed on your residential property, you should not expect the government not to interfere even though you are having one installed for private use, as it can put the local’s health in danger. In some cities, you may have to ask for a permit before drilling a well on your property so that proper sanitation will be observed.
- The source of the water supply
The water from wells comes from different sources. Depending on your location, your well’s water supply may come from a lake, spring, or river near you. When a contractor is drilling, they will look for aquifers – which are the layer of water-bearing rocks that will help supply your well’s water needs. In some situations, only one aquifer may be present in your location, and your contractor will not need to drill deeper.
However, if there is another layer of aquifer at the bottom part of your ground, your contractor would want to use the next layer of aquifer, as the water taken from this layer will be safer and cleaner. If this is the case, the depth of the hole will be deeper. The reason why the lower level aquifers are more preferred by the well specialist drilling your well is that using the uppermost layer of aquifer has a higher chance of being contaminated by pollution, and it can also easily dry out.
- Your preferred location
Most of the time, there are many clients who are surprised when they come to terms with the fact that they will not be the ones to decide about the area where the well will be exactly drilled, as this will ultimately be decided by the contractor. This is in order for the well to be able to function properly. However, it is possible for the well’s location to be adjusted, as long as it will still be able to access the groundwater supply.
When you want to move the well a little bit from the contractor’s suggested area to drill, expect that they may need to dig a little deeper. This is because there is a reason why the contractor assigned a designated area for the drilling, such as the area is close in proximity to the water supply or the aquifer. If you really insist on your preferred location, it can be more difficult to find a reliable supply and the contractor will drill deeper to find it.
- Your estimated water usage
One factor that will influence the depth of the hole will be the estimated water usage of your family. For example, if your home only uses a regular amount of water for your whole family’s needs, it will be possible for your contractor to only drill a shallow well. However, if your family’s usage exceeds the normal amount of water that can be provided by a shallow well, your contractor will usually need to drill deeper for the well to be able to accommodate your needs.
Is a deeper well equivalent to cleaner water?
Most of the time, the answer to this question is yes. As mentioned above, if your well is drilled deep, it can access water from aquifers that have a lesser risk of being contaminated with bacteria. However, in some cases, it is also possible that the water taken from deeper wells can be dirtier, which is why a water inspection is necessary.