mud pump for dug well factory

The 42-year-old, family-owned American Drilling Services in Florida, relied on homemade drill rigs to complete primarily 2- to 4-inch residential water wells. With demand increasing, they began looking for newer technology in order to complete more mud pump well drilling.

“Technology is always changing. We used to drill galvanized steel with cable drilling. Now we’re exclusively rotary drilling,” said William Diaz, driller, who has been with the company for seven years. “The technology gets better, and things get easier.”

“We used to do one well per day, occasionally two. The DM250 has helped us keep up with the workload by being able to drill quicker,” Diaz said. “The pulldown power of the top head is significantly stronger than our previous rigs. With the mud pump, we can clean out the hole a lot faster, which means less waiting around.”

“We’re not breaking down all the time, which is a huge advantage compared to our older rigs,” Diaz said. “Overall it’s a great rig. I recommend the DM250 to anyone doing 2- to 4-inch wells. It makes me happier because I’ve now got air conditioning, and I love the self-feed carousel. It’s a fast, great rig.”

When choosing a size and type of mud pump for your drilling project, there are several factors to consider. These would include not only cost and size of pump that best fits your drilling rig, but also the diameter, depth and hole conditions you are drilling through. I know that this sounds like a lot to consider, but if you are set up the right way before the job starts, you will thank me later.

Recommended practice is to maintain a minimum of 100 to 150 feet per minute of uphole velocity for drill cuttings. Larger diameter wells for irrigation, agriculture or municipalities may violate this rule, because it may not be economically feasible to pump this much mud for the job. Uphole velocity is determined by the flow rate of the mud system, diameter of the borehole and the diameter of the drill pipe. There are many tools, including handbooks, rule of thumb, slide rule calculators and now apps on your handheld device, to calculate velocity. It is always good to remember the time it takes to get the cuttings off the bottom of the well. If you are drilling at 200 feet, then a 100-foot-per-minute velocity means that it would take two minutes to get the cuttings out of the hole. This is always a good reminder of what you are drilling through and how long ago it was that you drilled it. Ground conditions and rock formations are ever changing as you go deeper. Wouldn’t it be nice if they all remained the same?

Centrifugal-style mud pumps are very popular in our industry due to their size and weight, as well as flow rate capacity for an affordable price. There are many models and brands out there, and most of them are very good value. How does a centrifugal mud pump work? The rotation of the impeller accelerates the fluid into the volute or diffuser chamber. The added energy from the acceleration increases the velocity and pressure of the fluid. These pumps are known to be very inefficient. This means that it takes more energy to increase the flow and pressure of the fluid when compared to a piston-style pump. However, you have a significant advantage in flow rates from a centrifugal pump versus a piston pump. If you are drilling deeper wells with heavier cuttings, you will be forced at some point to use a piston-style mud pump. They have much higher efficiencies in transferring the input energy into flow and pressure, therefore resulting in much higher pressure capabilities.

Piston-style mud pumps utilize a piston or plunger that travels back and forth in a chamber known as a cylinder. These pumps are also called “positive displacement” pumps because they literally push the fluid forward. This fluid builds up pressure and forces a spring-loaded valve to open and allow the fluid to escape into the discharge piping of the pump and then down the borehole. Since the expansion process is much smaller (almost insignificant) compared to a centrifugal pump, there is much lower energy loss. Plunger-style pumps can develop upwards of 15,000 psi for well treatments and hydraulic fracturing. Centrifugal pumps, in comparison, usually operate below 300 psi. If you are comparing most drilling pumps, centrifugal pumps operate from 60 to 125 psi and piston pumps operate around 150 to 300 psi. There are many exceptions and special applications for drilling, but these numbers should cover 80 percent of all equipment operating out there.

The restriction of putting a piston-style mud pump onto drilling rigs has always been the physical size and weight to provide adequate flow and pressure to your drilling fluid. Because of this, the industry needed a new solution to this age-old issue.

Enter Cory Miller of Centerline Manufacturing, who I recently recommended for recognition by the National Ground Water Association (NGWA) for significant contributions to the industry.

As the senior design engineer for Ingersoll-Rand’s Deephole Drilling Business Unit, I had the distinct pleasure of working with him and incorporating his Centerline Mud Pump into our drilling rig platforms.

In the late ’90s — and perhaps even earlier —  Ingersoll-Rand had tried several times to develop a hydraulic-driven mud pump that would last an acceptable life- and duty-cycle for a well drilling contractor. With all of our resources and design wisdom, we were unable to solve this problem. Not only did Miller provide a solution, thus saving the size and weight of a typical gear-driven mud pump, he also provided a new offering — a mono-cylinder mud pump. This double-acting piston pump provided as much mud flow and pressure as a standard 5 X 6 duplex pump with incredible size and weight savings.

The true innovation was providing the well driller a solution for their mud pump requirements that was the right size and weight to integrate into both existing and new drilling rigs. Regardless of drill rig manufacturer and hydraulic system design, Centerline has provided a mud pump integration on hundreds of customer’s drilling rigs. Both mono-cylinder and duplex-cylinder pumps can fit nicely on the deck, across the frame or even be configured for under-deck mounting. This would not be possible with conventional mud pump designs.

The second generation design for the Centerline Mud Pump is expected later this year, and I believe it will be a true game changer for this industry. It also will open up the application to many other industries that require a heavier-duty cycle for a piston pump application.

Historically, most drillers dug two pits prior to drilling a well.  A first pit, called a settling pit, received the drilling fluid and cuttings from the drill hole via a short shallow trench.  The cuttings settled down to the bottom of the the settling pit.  A second pit, called a mud pit, was dug nearby and a second trench directed the overflow of the settling pit into the mud pit.  Most of the cuttings settle to the bottom of the settling pit and the drilling fluid in the mud pit has a much higher liquid to cuttings ratio.  In other words, the water in the second pit, the mud pit, is “cleaner.” Drilling fluid from the mud pit is then pumped, by a mud pump, back down the drillpipe.  During the drilling process, cuttings are continuously shoveled from the settling pit so it does not become clogged with cuttings.  Although most of the cuttings settle in the settling pit, it is also necessary to occasionally shovel cuttings from the mud pit as well.

Below is a photograph of mud pits prepared for drilling.  This photograph is from the hydra-jett site.  Hydra-Fab manufacturing http://hydra-jett.com/index.html  sells small and medium sized drilling rigs and is worth looking at if you are considering moving up to a small rig.

As you might imagine, diggining mud pits is a significant undertaking and it makes an even bigger mess of your drilling site.  Modern drillers, being both ingenious and capitalistic souls, have devised a way to avoid this costly, unpleasant step.  They bring portable mud pits to the drill site.  A portable mud pit is simply a container or series of containers that the drilling fluid from the hole is directed to where cuttings settle out prior to the fluid being pumped again down the drillpipe.  Not only does it eliminate the time/money consuming digging but it leaves a cleaner drillsite upon completion of the well.

….but it frequently doesn’t work as well for those of us who have small portable mud pits.  Using real mud pits results in more efficient drilling.  There is no leakage around the guide tube with real mud pits.

Here is an example of a portable mud pit positioned at the back of a commercial drilling rig.  Cuttings from the hole are directed into the settling pit on the right.  Then drilling fluid passes through to the mud pit on the left and it is pumped back down the hole.

There is a wide variety of designs of portable mud pits.  Here are just a few sketches I found to give you an idea of designs that folks have come up with.

So, by now your are probably wondering, where does all that leave us?  We are not going to buy one of those $500 portable mud pits for our $200 project are we?  Absolutely not, in fact you may just be better off digging your pits.   If you are going to dig several wells you might want to consider using a portable mud pit with a mud pump.  I made one out of wood and it works fine.  It is not as efficient as the commercial mud pits but it does the job.  Please take a look at the video below.

As you can see my portable mud pit is just a wooden box with a fitting for the suction line and a minor obstruction to keep the cuttings away from the suction.  You can probably come up with a better design for a portable mud pit that I have.  I probably could but it is already built and I’m not inclined to build another one – but – If I were doing another one, I’d probably build two boxes that fit inside one another for easier travel and storage, and then sat beside each other when drilling.

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Preferred Pump offers the best rewards program in the water well equipment industry. Check out our social media pictures to see what you"ve been missing!

Greetings Tim & Charlott, below is a GPS link and information on the well we just installed in the honor of Tim & Charlott King! Your love and commitment has allowed our Clean Water 4 Life ministry to sink over 500 water wells for those in need here in the Solomon Islands! Here is a link to read my current newsletter with lots of pictures! http://www.rickrupp.com/newsletter.php

Togokoba SSEC Church & Community is approx 58 kilometers east of Honiara. It was a long bumpy drive to this village. I had to walk a long way to get to the place where they lived. They explained that their source of drinking water was the stream. They were so happy when I explained that our CW4L team was going to come sink a well right in their village. I tasted the well water several weeks later after our team had blessed them with a water well. It tasted so good! It was nice clean & cold water! It never ceases to amaze me that there is such a nice water table here in the rural areas of the Guadnacanal plains! I counted 10 houses in this community and the population is approx 80 people. Now they finally have a source of clean drinking water! These people have suffered for many years either drinking from an open hand dug well or from the stream. Togokoba SSEC Church & Community is very grateful to our CW4L sponsors.

Well pumps, especially submersible pumps, are not meant for around-the-clock usage. Continuous usage would cause unnecessary wear on the pumping mechanism and would rack additional electricity costs. The pressure switch and the control box work in conjunction with the pressure tank to measure the water pressure in the well system so that the pump is only used when the water pressure drops below a certain level.

Typical well systems have a water pressure range of 40-60 psi. When the water pressure drops below 40 psi, the pressure switch turns the pump on, bringing the water pressure back up within range. When the water pressure is at an adequate level, the pressure switch turns the pump back off.

Well casing, usually made of carbon steel, stainless steel, or polyvinyl chloride (PVC), is a tube-shaped structure placed in a well to maintain the well opening spanning from the target groundwater to the land surface. The casing prevents dirt from contaminating the water and keeps excess water out of the well. It also keeps out contaminants from less desirable groundwater. Some may use concrete, fiberglass, or asbestos-cement to build well casing. However, the choice of material depends on the geologic formation. For example, steel is used where hard rock lies underground.

Well caps are placed on top well casing to keep out debris, insects, and small animals. They are usually made of aluminum or plastic, and they include a vented screen to equalize the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the well when water is pumped from the well. To prevent overflows from contaminating the well, the cap should extend past flood level.

Well screens are filtering devices attached to the bottom of the well casing to prevent excess sediment from contaminating the well. Continuous slot, slotted pipe, and perforated pipe are the most popular well screens used. Well screens are built to suit the geologic condition with specified openings and holes to match the screen filtering capability. They are also designed to be placed within the saturated portion of the aquifer to prevent damage if the groundwater elevation drops.

Older well systems required that a large pit be dug in order that pipes were placed far enough underground so that they wouldn"t freeze during wintertime. But the pit design has proven to be quite hazardous and prone to contamination.

The modern pitless design allows for the casing to reach all the way up to the ground level. Pitless adapters are connectors that provide a sanitary seal between the well casing and the waterline. They are connected to the well casing below the frost line to divert water horizontally, preventing the water from freezing. A check valve may be fitted below the adapter to prevent water from flowing back into the well.

Visitors to the Peter Wentz Farmstead will occasionally ask the simple question, “How did the families living in the house get their water for everyday chores and drinking?”

The simple answer is, of course, from a well dug outside the house. However, considering that wells in the 1700s or later could reach a depth of 60 feet in southeastern Pennsylvania, the bigger question is how did the families extract the water from the well to pour into buckets or water troughs? The answer was the wood-stock water pump [a solid log bored out to become a pipe].

Prior to mechanical pumps, powered by hydraulics or electricity, families relied upon the principle of vacuum or suction to draw water through pumps from ground water supplies. The central feature for achieving this was the mechanical piston valve of the wood-stock water pump.

The construction of the pump started at the farm well site, usually outside the summer kitchen. Hired craftsmen, known as pump makers, worked onsite due to the sheer weight of the pump material and unforeseen requirements needed to complete each individual pump.

The pump maker started his job by selecting the proper length log of white oak or walnut, due to the water durability of these two hardwoods. Once the log was selected and the outer bark removed, the work of building the pump could begin. Hand planes and draw knives would shape the log into the typical octagonal shape common in the Philadelphia region. Once the log was finished on the exterior, the craftsmen would begin to bore through the log to form the open center. Two men turned the heavy augers to ensure a straight, centered hole. Adding the blacksmith-forged iron handle and side water spout completed the pump construction.

Before placing the finished stock pump over the well opening, the pump maker would shape and bore one or two additional logs to serve as pipes depending upon the depth of the well. These log pipes would be tapered at one end to fit inside each other. Iron bands around each tapered end, added strength to the fittings. The bottom of the lowest log pipe would include a screen filter and often rest on a flat stone placed at the extreme bottom of the well. The screen helped to prevent sediment and dirt from being sucked into the clean extracted water.

A mechanical device called a hoisting gin would lower the water pipes and pump into the well. The pipes would be guided by ropes and pullies to set squarely and firm in the well. With each pump and pipes weighing upwards of two hundred pounds each, the process of placing the pump over the well required both human strength and mechanical accuracy. The finished installed pump demanded straight vertical installment for the water to pump under good pressure. The pump was completed by a wood cap placed on top of the pump. These caps were often decorated with a wood finial or other device. The cap covered the inside parts of the pump and added a decorative touch.

The wood-stock water pump operated on the principle of vacuum. The main mechanical feature of the pump was the piston valve assembly. The piston was a carved wood cylinder, bored out in the center to allow the water to enter. A leather band tacked around the wood piston provided a tight fit inside the well to keep water from falling back down. The piston was attached to a long iron rod, called the piston rod, which was attached to the exterior handle.

Operation of the pump was quite basic. When the operator brought the exterior handle up, the piston rod and attached piston dropped through the pipes into the water. Water pressure below the piston forced the piston to open, allowing water to flow through the hollow piston into the pump chamber. The downstroke on the handle raised the piston with the drawn water. As the downstroke continued, water was increasingly drawn upward through the pump until the volume of water flowed into the side spout and out into a bucket.

By 1860, new technology began replacing the hand-crafted wood pumps with factory mass-produced manufactured pumps. Cast-Iron replaced wood as the preferred pump material. Daniel Halladay’s newly invented windmill in 1854 further led to the decline of the wood pump. The early decades of the 1900s brought rural electrification to the countryside of America. The era of the 18th century wood-stock water pump was over.

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People living in rural or remote communities not hooked up to a centralized water system typically get their water through public or private water wells, or what some people describe as “large holes in the ground that store water.” But as you’ll soon discover in this article, there’s a lot more that goes into a water well’s construction and operation than meets the eye.

Water wells are essential to developing a sustainable society, providing a reliable water supply for drinking, cooking, showering, irrigation, etc., even in areas where surface water is scarce (think deserts). And thanks to much-needed advances in plumbing and technology, modern well systems are far more efficient and reliable than those used in ancient and even recent history.

Homeowners no longer have to dig water wells by hand, turn a hand crank to fetch water from the bottom, and transport it in buckets to wherever they need it. They can now enjoy instant access to clean running water throughout their households hands-free, all while escaping those pesky monthly water bills synonymous with city water. But how is all this possible? Where does well water come from, and how does it get to houses, apartments, farms, or businesses?”

Continue reading this ultimate guide to learn what components make up a well system, the mechanics behind how a well works, and everything else you need to know.

A water well is essentially a structure or excavation created in the ground by digging, drilling, or driving deep enough to access the groundwater for extraction. Traditionally, containers, such as buckets, were used to fetch the water mechanically or by hand. However, modern water wells generally use a pump to retrieve water from underground.

Before we discuss how a well works, you should first know where wells get their water. In a nutshell, well water comes from sources beneath the earth’s surface. When rainwater, melted snow, or water from other forms of precipitation falls on land, it soaks into the ground and moves downwards to fill all the possible cracks or spaces in the soil and rock. The water then settles and becomes groundwater, a renewable resource that makes up about 95% of the world’s freshwater supply.

Whether a well is drilled, dug, or bored, it has one purpose: to reach far enough into the aquifer to access and pump out the water. However, because an aquifer’s location and the amount of water it contains are rough estimates, it can be challenging to know where and how deep a well needs to be.

Digging water wells by hand has become outdated in many places due to automated drilling techniques and new plumbing technologies. These developments have almost eliminated the need for manual-labor methods because, let’s face it, who wants to spend all day hacking the ground with a shovel? In most cases, modern wells are drilled by a truck-mounted drill rig, but there are a few other methods to construct a well:

Dug or bored wells used to be constructed by digging a large hole into the ground with a pick, hand shovel, or backhoe below the water table until the incoming water exceeded the digger’s bailing rate. The hole was then lined (or “cased”) with stones, brick, tile, or other material to support the wall and prevent it from collapsing. This lining also blocked surface water from entering the well water supply. The hole was then covered with a cap of wood, stone, or concrete for safety purposes.

Luckily, modern dug wells are dug by power equipment and are usually lined with concrete tiles. These wells usually have large diameters to increase their exposure to the aquifer. They also can go deeper beneath the water table than hand-dug wells.

Modern dug wells can collect water from less-permeable materials, such as clay or sand. However, they are shallow (approximately 10 to 30 feet deep) and lack continuous casing, making them prone to contamination from nearby surface sources. Apart from the high risk of contamination, the low water levels in dug wells mean that if the water table drops below the well bottom, perhaps during a drought, the well may go dry.

Drilled wells are the most common among modern wells. They can be as shallow as 10-60 feet and as deep as 1,000 feet, though industrial drilled wells can exceed depths of 3,000 feet (900 meters).

Drilled wells are constructed using a cable tool (percussion) or air or hydraulic rotary drill rig typically mounted on a trailer, truck, or carriage fitted with powerful drill bits that can drill more than 1,000 feet deep.

During the drilling process, the rotary drill bits chew away at the rock while the percussion bits smash them. However, larger auger bits are used if the wells are penetrating materials consisting of granular materials like sand, clay, and gravel. Still, drilling into such materials requires a casing to prevent collapse and a screen to restrict sediment inflow. The space around the casing is sealed with grouting materials containing neat cement or bentonite clay to prevent contamination from water draining off the surface and down to the casing exterior.

Driven wells are perhaps the most straightforward and most inexpensive wells to construct. These wells are created by driving a small-diameter pipe into the shallow ground. The pipe has a screen or a filter fitted at the bottom to allow water to enter and keep out as much sediment as possible. It also helps keep the water-bearing formation in place.

Usually, driven wells can only be installed in areas with relatively loose soils, such as sand and gravel, and where there’s a shallow water table near the surface. The pipes are driven into the ground or inserted by hand until it reaches the water table. Once the well is deep enough, all the dirt is washed from inside the pipe. A pump is then installed to draw water from the aquifers.

Hand-driven wells are typically about 30 feet deep and 50 feet deep when driven by machine. That means, either way, they are effective in shallow water but can be easily contaminated as they draw water from aquifers near the surface. Worse, they aren’t usually sealed with grout materials.

A modern residential well system is relatively complex. It comprises several components that combine to pump water from underground sources and allow the water to flow to the surface and throughout your home. In case you’re wondering what these components are, we’ve outlined them and explained their functions below.

The well casing is a hollow, large-diameter plastic or steel pipe installed to provide the pathway for the water to travel up from the aquifer to the land surface. It also helps maintain the well opening, forms the well’s shape and structure, and supports the well so that loose rock fragments or unconsolidated sand and gravel through which the well has penetrated do not collapse into the well shaft.

Generally, well casings are made of carbon steel, stainless steel, or polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and have a diameter of about five inches. PVC is lightweight, resistant to corrosion, and relatively easy for contractors to install. However, it’s not as resistant to heat as steel, although steel is susceptible to corrosion and scale buildup and can cost more than PVC.

In any case, the casing – along with grout – prevents dirt from entering the well and polluting the water. It also keeps excess water and contaminants from less desirable groundwater out of the well. The most common materials for well casing are concrete, fiberglass, or asbestos cement. However, the local geology often dictates what type of material can be used.

Well caps are primarily installed to prevent surface pollution, especially bacterial contamination. Bacterial contamination is a common problem that occurs in many private water wells in America. Thankfully, aluminum or thermoplastic well caps provide a water-tight seal to keep debris, insects, small animals, runoff, and other potential contaminants from entering the well system. The cap is usually placed on top of the well casing and includes a vent to control the pressure during well pumping. It also helps prevent overflows from contaminating the well when it’s extended past the flood level.

Think of the well screen as a filter that traps bits of dirt, rock, sand, and other sediments trying to get into the well. This filtering device is often attached to the bottom of the well casing to prevent excess sediment from contaminating the well while allowing water to pass. The most common well screens are continuous slots, slotted pipes, and perforated pipes.

Continuous slot screens are made of wire or plastic wrapped around a series of vertical rods. This configuration provides consistent, regular slot openings that can be engineered to the particle sizes found in the screened zone. Slotted pipe screens usually have the least open area. However, they feature machine-cut slots into steel or plastic casing at set distances. Perforated pipe screens contain holes or slots drilled into the pipe and perforated in place after the casing is installed. This well screen is usually not efficient for groundwater with lots of sand, gravel, and other sediments, due to the wide openings.

But generally, well screens are built to suit the local geography of the well’s installation site and have specified openings and holes to match the screen filtering capacity. They’re also designed to be placed within the aquifer’s saturated portion to prevent damage if the groundwater elevation drops.

Pitless adapters are connectors that provide a sanitary and frost-proof seal between the well casing and the waterline. These adapters are connected to the well casing below the frost line to divert water through the side of the adapter to prevent the water from freezing. A check valve is sometimes fitted below the adapter to prevent water from flowing back into the well.

The well pump is the central component of the well system. It’s responsible for pumping water upward from the aquifer and into the household or designated water system. The two most popular types of well pumps are jet pumps and submersible pumps. Both pumps use a centrifugal force created by spinning rotors, known as impellers, to force the water upwards. The rotors create a vacuum that forces the water upward through the well casing and into the distribution system. The type of pump required for a well system depends on how deep the well is and the amount of water the household requires.

Jet pumps are the most commonly used pumps for shallow wells 25 feet deep or less. This type of pump is mounted above ground and uses a suction pipe to draw water from the well. The suction pipe creates a vacuum with an impeller that drives water through a small nozzle. Because jet pumps use water to pump water, they first need to be primed with flowing water. Shallow well jet pumps are used for wells with a depth of 25 feet, while deep well jet pumps typically go down 150 feet. Deeper wells would require a submersible pump.

Submersible pumps can be used for private wells as deep as 400 feet or more. They are quickly replacing jet pumps because they dedicate most of their energy toward pushing water upward than drawing water from the well to the pump, as is the case with jet pumps. Jet pumps are also less efficient and noisier than submersible pumps. As the name suggests, submersible pumps are submerged deep in the well just under the water level. They have a cylindrical shape, housing the pump motor and a series of impellers that force water up the pump into the drop pipe. Most modern well systems use submersible pumps over other types because of their durability, versatility, and efficiency.

The pressure tank is a crucial component of a well system. It is used to maintain water pressure throughout the system and acts as a reservoir to allow water to be drawn from the tank without the pump cycling on and off every time the water is on. Pressure tank sizes can range from around 40 gallons for domestic use to 21,000 gallons or more for industrial use.

In standard pressure tanks, the pressure is created by pumping water into the tank until the air in the tank is compressed to 40, 50, or 60 psi (pounds per square inch). An air compressor is fitted to maintain an ideal air pressure. When the valve is opened via a faucet, the air pressure in the tank forces water out of the tank and into the pipes for distribution to your shower, kitchen faucet, water heater, dishwasher, and any other water outlet or water-using appliance in your house.

Well pumps aren’t designed for non-stop operation. This is especially true for submersible pumps because continuous usage would likely cause unnecessary wear on the pumping mechanism and hike up electricity costs. Luckily, the pressure switch and control box work together with the pressure tank to measure the well system’s water pressure. This ensures the pump only kicks in when the water pressure drops below a specific level.

Conventional well systems have a water pressure range of 60 psi. When the water pressure falls below the minimum range of 40 psi, the pressure switch signals the pump to turn on to bring the water pressure back within range. Once the water pressure is at an ideal level, the pressure switch turns the pump back off.

A well system is designed to draw water from the ground and deliver it into the household or a specific water system. Let’s use an example to depict how the system can achieve this.

Example: Your home is connected to a drilled well with a submersible pump in a pitless adapter set up with a pressure tank and pressure switch inside the house.

When you turn on any faucet or water-using appliance in the house, the water from the pressure tank is pumped to wherever the water is being used, whether the sink, dishwasher, washing machine, or shower. As the water flows throughout the house, the water pressure in the tank naturally drops.

If the water pressure drops below the minimum 40 psi (indicated by the pressure gauge), the pressure switch signals the pump to turn on. (Most pressure tanks have a pressure range of 40 psi to 60 psi.)

Impellers in the submersible pump (about 200 feet or so underground) begin to spin rapidly, forcing the water upward through the casing and the pitless adapter.

As the water is pushed through the waterline and into the house, the pressure tank fills gradually, as shown on the pressure gauge. But before the water enters the tank, there’s a check valve sitting before the pressure gauge to prevent the water from back-flowing.

Once the pressure tank reaches a maximum of 60 psi, the pressure switch signals the pump to turn off, halting the water flow into the system. The pressure remains at this level until more water is used and eventually drops. Once it drops below 40 psi, the pump kicks on again, and the cycle starts over.

If you’re thinking about constructing a well system for your home, there are a few key considerations you need to know before getting started. Following these tips will help you create a good-working well that can provide clean, refreshing water for years to come.

Whether you’re purchasing a home with a well system installed or scouting the area for a place to build, you should familiarize yourself with the land beforehand. You can start by asking well owners in the area about whether they’ve had success or trouble with their systems. The local authorities can also provide detailed information about the groundwater’s condition in the area, how deep they expect a well needs to be drilled, and whether the water level is known to be particularly low at certain times of the year. You’ll also want to ask about the climate because snow, rainfall, flooding, and other elements may cause problems. Another crucial thing to be aware of is nearby factories and other factors that may pose a contamination risk.

Choosing the best location for the well site is one of the most crucial decisions you can make before constructing a well system. This particular location not only provides the most water yield but has the least contamination risk. Although finding the location can only be achieved by estimating, a general rule is to make sure it has a high elevation. In areas with heavy rainfall, the rainwater from the higher ground level tends to leach contaminants to the lower ground floor as the water flows downhill. If the well site is in a low-basin area where rainwater collects, there is a high risk of contaminants entering the groundwater through the well.

If your home has a septic tank, ensure the well site is on a higher ground level than the septic tank and at a far distance. Septic tanks are almost always susceptible to leaks, so the contaminants should move away from the well site than towards it. Overall, try to choose a location away from objects and places that can potentially disrupt or contaminate the well, such as barns, streams or creeks, septic tanks, and livestock pens.

Well permits are almost always required before constructing all new wells and the repair, modification, and abandonment of an existing well, regardless of its size. Each state or locality has specific permits that you’ll need to acquire before the well construction can begin. So, do your research and ensure you have all of them. Typically, contractors won’t begin construction without all the necessary permits.

Every household uses different amounts of water, so there’s no one-size-fits-all for well pumps and the amount of water they can comfortably deliver within a specific time. Estimating your household’s water usage will make it easier to determine the type of set you’ll need. To provide some context, the average American family uses more than 300 gallons of water per day. Because well pumps vary in efficiency, calculating the average amount of water your household will use can help determine the best type of well pump and pressure tank for your well system.

Proper well system maintenance is crucial to ensuring a safe and reliable water source and preventing costly and inconvenient breakdowns. Well owners should keep a log that contains the details of their water well system, including the depth of the well, current water level, and equipment information. These details will come in handy if a contractor needs to respond to a service call.

We recommend an annual well maintenance check and a bacterial test to keep the well system performing at its best. The annual checkup should involve a visual inspection of the wellhead, the well system components, and other equipment to discover issues that could affect water quality. The water should also be inspected if there is a change in taste, smell, and appearance.

You may need to clean the well if the water is cloudy or contaminated with any suspended matter or if the water has developed an odor or taste problem. A positive test for biological activity or a decrease in the well’s capacity will also require the well to be cleaned.

Well water contains high quantities of healthy minerals, such as calcium, magnesium, and sodium. However, a well can be easily contaminated if it is not constructed correctly or toxic pollutants leach into it.

Harmful materials spilled or dumped near a well site can enter the aquifer and contaminate the groundwater drawn from that well. Whenever it rains or when large amounts of snow or ice melt, the water can pick up any loose liquids and contaminants it passes along the way and wash them down into aquifers containing large groundwater deposits.

Natural sources: Some substances found naturally in rocks and soils, such as arsenic, iron, chlorides, sulfates, fluoride, or radionuclides, can dissolve in groundwater. Other naturally-occurring substances, such as decaying organic matter, can move in groundwater as particles. Some of these contaminants may accumulate in excess quantities, posing a health threat if consumed. Others may produce an unpleasant odor, taste, or color. Groundwater containing these materials needs to be treated before it is used for domestic uses.

Saltwater: When aquifers near the coast are over-pumped, there’s a risk of creating a vacuum that can quickly be filled with salty seawater. Saltwater is undrinkable and unsuitable for irrigation, decreasing the availability of the already scarce freshwater. Saltwater contamination is a significant concern for many coastal communities that depend on wells for drinking water.

Improper disposal of hazardous waste: Many of us don’t realize that the way we dispose of waste can impact the quality of the same groundwater we use. When we improperly dispose of materials such as cooking and motor oils, lawn and garden chemicals, paints and paint thinners, medicines, disinfectants, etc., they usually end up in groundwater wells. Besides, many substances used in the industrial process should not be disposed of in drains at the workplace because they could contaminate a drinking water source. Pouring the wrong chemicals down the drain or neglecting to discard medication properly can harm your groundwater sources and, ultimately, your health and possibly that of the people living in your household.

Contaminated wells used to obtain drinking water are especially dangerous. Drinking contaminated groundwater can have severe health effects. Dangerous illnesses, such as cholera, dysentery, and hepatitis, may be caused by contamination from septic tank waste. Poisoning may occur from toxins that have leached into well water supplies. Often, the contaminants that cause these illnesses go unnoticed for long periods while silently affecting large communities. When congenital disabilities, various types of cancers, and other symptoms appear, the effects of contaminated groundwater are reported. Poor water quality can also harm any industry linked to groundwater use. For example, anglers suffer when their catch becomes infected with various chemicals released into groundwater or when it dies prematurely as a result.

If your water comes from a private well, you are solely responsible for ensuring its quality. That’s because the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) doesn’t monitor or regulate private wells, nor does it provide recommended criteria or standards for them.

The most reliable way to tackle potential contaminants in your well water is to install a water filtration system. Even if your well water isn’t polluted, it’s always better to prepare for the unknown. Generally, water filtration systems are designed to eliminate various hazardous pollutants from water, including heavy metals, pesticides, organic and inorganic waste materials, microbes, and many more.

If you decide to go this route (which we highly recommend), your best filtration option is either a whole-house filtration system or reverse osmosis (RO) filter. The Springwell WS1 Whole-House Well Water System is the perfect solution for private wells.

The WS1 uses the latest and most innovative water filtration technologies to efficiently remove iron (known for causing orange hair), pesticides, sulfur (causes rotten egg odor), and manganese, all of which are contaminants often found in well water. Plus, it’s more economical and environmentally-friendly than most other well water filtering systems on the market.

But if you are looking for a smaller, more compact unit that only treats water at specific taps in your home, a reverse osmosis system would be ideal.

Reverse osmosis is one of the most effective water treatment methods for eliminating well water contaminants. Our Springwell SWRO under-counter reverse osmosis systems are robust, efficient, and highly affordable point-of-use RO systems designed to remove all kinds of contaminants from well water. Their four-stage filtering process eliminates pollutants such as sediments, arsenic, nitrates, pesticides, lead, iron, sulfur, fluoride, etc.

Contact us today to learn more about how each of these high-performance units can help protect your well system and keep you and your family safe. We’ll be more than happy to help you find the system that best suits your budget and needs.

Wells are a worthwhile investment for many homeowners, especially those living in rural and remote communities. These systems have come a long way from ancient history. They are still being used today – with newer plumbing technology and increased efficiency – to provide a reliable supply of healthy mineralized water for consumption. While setting up a well system these days can be costly, time-consuming, and will require much inquiry on the owner’s part, the long-term benefits of well ownership are undeniable. As long as you know the components of a standard well system and how they work together to supply water to a home, it becomes much easier to maintain your well system. But always remember that because wells are susceptible to contamination, you’ll need to take steps to keep out potentially harmful pollutants. Oh wait, we’ve already provided some effective methods to keep you and your family safe.

Dug/Bored wellsare holes in the ground dug by shovel or backhoe. They are lined (cased) with stones, brick, tile, or other material to prevent collapse. Dug wells have a large diameter, are shallow (approximately 10 to 30 feet deep) and are not cased continuously.

Driven wells are constructed by driving pipe into the ground. Driven wells are cased continuously and shallow (approximately 30 to 50 feet deep). Though driven wells are cased, they can be contaminated easily because they draw water from aquifers near the surface. These wells draw water from aquifers near the surface.

Drilled wells are constructed by percussion or rotary-drilling machines. Drilled wells can be thousands of feet deep and require the installation of casing. Drilled wells have a lower risk of contamination due to their depth and use of continuous casing.

Well Casing is the tube-shaped structure placed in the well to maintain the well opening from the target ground water to the surface. Along with grout, the casing keeps dirt and excess water out of the well. This helps prevent contaminants from less desirable groundwater from entering the well and mixing with the drinking water. Some states and local governing agencies have laws that require minimum lengths for casing. The most common materials for well casing are carbon steel, plastic, and stainless steel. Local geology often dictates what type of casing can be used.

Well Caps are placed on top of the well casing to prevent debris, insects, or small animals from getting into the well. Well caps are usually made of aluminum or plastic. They include a vent to control pressure during well pumping.

Well Screens are attached to the bottom of the casing to prevent too much sediment from entering the well. The most common well screens are continuous slot, slotted pipe, and perforated pipe.

Jet Pumps are the most commonly used pumps for shallow wells (depth of 25 feet or less). Jet pumps are mounted above ground and use suction to draw water from the well.

Submersible Pumps are the most commonly used pumps for deep private wells. The pumping unit is placed inside the well casing and connected to a power source on the surface.

Proper well location and construction are key to the safety of your well water. The well should be located so rainwater flows away from it. Rainwater can pick up harmful bacteria and chemicals on the land’s surface. If this water pools near your well, it can seep into it and potentially cause health problems. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has an excellent web page on well siting.

Appropriate well construction depends on local geologic and groundwater conditions. Your state water-well contractor licensing agency, your local health department, or a local water system professional can provide information on proper well construction. The National Ground Water Association (NGWA) provides a guide for hiring a water system professional that covers key considerations.

Make sure any water-well drillers and pump-well installers you work with are bonded and insured. If required in your state, make sure your ground water contractor is licensed and certified. Visit the National Ground Water Association  to find certified water well contractors near you. The NGWA operates its own voluntary certification program for contractors . This allows drillers, and well pump installers can receive national training certification on top of state requirements. Some states actually use the Association’s exams as their test for licensing.

Ha! I must have made a poorly worded statement. I only need to dig a hole that will be used for a holding "tank" for the koi while I put the liner in. About 1/3down the length of this pond is where I need to add some dirt to bring this area up to the same height as the rest of the pond. If I do this I can keep the entire pond on my lot. If I leave this slightly lower area the pond will encroach onto a neighboring lot about 15". If I dig this spot for the holding tank I can simply throw the dirt onto the neighboring lot which is fine with the owners of this lot. I candrain the pond 90%, have this area be high and, hopefully somewhat dry and the remaining 10% that still has water laying it it is the far end where it is the deepest and that is where the fish will be as I prepare a temporary spot for them. It would be impossible for me to dig the entire bottom out even if it was 6" I was removing. As I mentioned earlier I think it would end up being 3-4 cubic yards. Lucky for me I have always excelled at manual labor and at 55 I am blessed to be able to take on projects that require just about any type of labor I could handle when I was in my teens. Needless to say I no longer treat tasks that require manual labor as a competition as I once did. That being said I still may look into a machine. The unexpected pressure washer breakdown is not going to help the budget. Perhaps that is why my back is still allowing me to function. My wallet is always feather light.

Deep well jet pumps were developed to overcome the limitations that only allow standard jet pumps to suck water from shallow wells. Deep well jet pumps have two pipes that go down into the well and are capable of pulling water up from depths of several hundred feet. Deep well jet pumps do this by recirculating a large quantity of water back down the well to a jet assembly that has been installed at the bottom of the two pipes in the well. The jet assembly has a water intake on the bottom and a nozzle and diffuser that the recirculated water is force through to create a vacuum to suck water in from the suction intake. This water is mixed with the recirculated water from the top and is then pushed to the surface.

Hands down submersible well pumps win the efficiency contest. EVERY SINGLE TIME. Why? There are several reasons. The water recirculated by jet pumps to extract water from deeper wells uses a significant amount of additional energy and there is much more resistance to water flow, or friction losses, because of the additional length of pipe required in this type of system. (Remember, two pipes are required one for the water going down to the jet assembly and another, larger pipe, to bring the recirculated and the additional sucked up water back up the well.) This recirculated water and additional friction loss require energy that is simply lost to the environment. Submersible pumps are installed in the water down in the well so the limitations on sucking water do not apply and recirculation is not necessary. Every gallon (or liter) pumped by a submersible well pump comes out of your faucet while a deep well jet pump may need to pump and recirculate 3 or 4 gallons of water for every gallon that comes out of your faucet!

All things being equal, submersible well pumps use significantly less electricity to do the same job as a jet pump does. The more water you use, the more significant this difference will become. With energy prices and demand increasing, a correctly selected submersible well pump is a long term investment that will save money!

Submersible well pumps are underground by tens or even hundreds of feet and make very little noise. These two factors combined mean that there is very little or almost no noise. Jet pumps are mounted on the surface and, while not exceptionally noisy, they are easily heard with combined sounds of the motor and hiss of water recirculation within the pump.

Centrifugal type water pumps are not designed to pump air and if there is air in the suction or supply pipes the pump will not pump any water. “Priming” refers to ensuring that the pump and the pipes supplying the pump are full of water so that they operate properly. Jet pumps and deep well jet pumps must be filled with water before they can operate. Submersible pumps do not require priming because they are submersed in water! Jet pumps often loose prime if there is a small leak/they have been shut off for a period of time due to lack of use or a power outage. While priming a centrifugal pump is not a difficult process and takes about 5-10 minutes with the correct tools, it is a bit of a hassle that most people do not want. In most cases it involves getting a wrench, removing a pipe plug and using a funnel and bucket of water to fill the pump/pipes, then reinstalling the pipe plug that was removed. Most people find that they have to prime their jet pump at the most inopportune times. In the morning when they wake up and want a shower or when they get back from a trip late in the evening and need to use the water. In some cases, jet pumps are damaged when they ‘loose prime’ because they need the water for lubrication and cooling and may run ‘dry’ if they don’t have the proper protective devices installed to turn them off when there is a loss of prime. If jet pumps turn on and run without water in them damage to shaft seals and other components can results. Submersible pumps don’t need this type of babysitting/priming because they are immersed in water! (Low water protection is a good idea even for a submersible well pump to ensure it is not damaged if the water level in the well drops for some reason.)

Shallow well jet pumps and submersible pumps are both simple and straight forward installations with a single pipe going down the well. Deep well jet pumps get a bit more complex dealing with two pipes. Most pump installers are not fans of servicing or installing deep well jet pumps for this reason. Cost of Installation for Shallow well jet pumps and submersible pumps are roughly equivalent, but two-pipe deep well jet pumps can cost significantly more for installation as they require a second pipe, the jet assembly and significantly more time to install and commission.

While submersible pumps are maintenance free, if there is a problem with the pump or motor, they must be removed from the bottom of the well for service. The pump and motor are generally sealed at the factory and not considered serviceable. Old, worn out submersible pumps and motors are typically sent to be recycled and new units are installed when there is a problem. Jet pumps are on the surface so they can be more easily repaired or replaced without having to remove equipment from the well. Jet pumps use serviceable motors that can easily have start switches and bearing replaced as needed. It is recommended, however, that the pipe and jet assembly are inspected when a deeps well jet pump is serviced. The jet assembly may have mineral deposits or corrosion and the piping needs to be inspected for corrosion or plugging with mineral deposits. With these considerations in the comparison, submersible pumps are faster/easier to remove and install and will likely cost less in overall maintenance than a deep well jet pump.

For pumping from a well, submersible well pumps are definitely a cost effective, simple and efficient choice! If you want to pump water from a storage tank, using a submersible pump is and option, but centrifugal pumps should certainly be considered in these cases as they are easily maintained and don’t have some of the constraints that submersible pumps do! When pumping from a tank, centrifugal pumps don’t have priming issues or need to recirculate water so they don’t have the efficiency losses that are associated with pumping from a well. Manufacturers of submersible pumps frequently require that they are oriented vertically and installed in a flow sleeve to ensure proper cooling/operation! This may mean that you loose the bottom few feet of storage tank capacity! In a well this isn’t a big deal, but with a storage tank this can often represent a thousand gallons or more of lost capacity. A centrifugal pump will allow you to use all the water from the storage tank without a problem.

Submersible well pumps are the efficient and simple choice for most well applications while centrifugal/jet pumps are great if you want to pump water from a storage tank! If you are trying to look at pumps online and sort out some of the confusion, you might check out this article. If you are trying to select the best/most efficient pump for your well application, check out our blog on this topic here.

Our team at Oakville Pump Service is comprised of an amazing team of qualified water system designers and installers that can help you with your submersible well pump equipment, water tank or other water needs. Contact us today!

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