What can I do with an old well?
If you know there is an old well on your property, or have discovered something you think might be an old well, it is important to call a licensed well professional to ensure it is properly sealed. In most states, property owners are required to disclose the presence of an abandoned well before the sale of a home.
How does an old water well work?
To retrieve the water, old wells used simple buckets on ropes. More modern wells use pumps that suck the water up the hole. Pumps can be driven manually by hand action, by an attached windmill, or by an electric motor.
How do you tell if you have an old well?
Clues to the location of these wells include:
- Pipes sticking out of the ground.
- Small buildings that may have been a well house.
- Depressions in the ground.
- The presence of concrete vaults or pits (perhaps covered by lumber or metal plates)
- Out-of-use windmills (windpumps) are likely to be located near an old well.
How do I tell what kind of well I have?
You may be able to determine the type of well you have by looking at the outer casing and cover of the well. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), there are three basic types of private drinking wells dug, drilled, and driven .
What happens to an unused well?
Wells that are no longer used may be buried or forgotten. Often they have not been sealed properly. Sealing is the process of clearing an unused well of debris and filling the well with a special material called grout. The sealing must be done by a licensed contractor.
Can you use an abandoned well?
All abandoned wells should be properly closed to protect groundwater and community health and safety. In fact, landowners are required under the state well code to plug their abandoned wells. Common materials used to properly close wells include bentonite clay, neat cement or concrete grout.
Is a old well safe to use?
Regardless of the condition of the water, an old well that sits unused for over a year or an unknown time needs a shock treatment before use. New wells also need shocking, along with any well that is unused for more than a few months.
How long does water well last?
30–50 years
The average lifespan for a well is 30–50 years. 2. How deep is the well? Drilled wells typically go down 100 feet or more.
How do you deal with abandoned wells?
The only way to safely deal with an abandoned well, new or old, is to seal it properly. Well seal- ing is a process of permanently and completely filling the well with an approved material, called grout.
Is it safe to use an old well?
If you remove your well cap or if it is damaged or outdated, your well could become exposed to bacteria, insects and vermin such as rodents and if the cap is removed all together, it poses a safety risk to children and small animals.
How do you fill an abandoned well?
Well-plugging steps
- Measure the dimensions of the well.
- Remove all obstructing materials from the well.
- Disinfect the well by adding household bleach.
- Fill the well with plugging materials.
- Remove the upper 3 feet of the well casing.
- Fill the final 3 feet with topsoil and mound.
Can a well last 100 years?
The average lifespan for a well is 30–50 years. 2. How deep is the well? Drilled wells typically go down 100 feet or more.