Shallow Well Questions

denasfarm

Songster
11 Years
Jun 15, 2008
674
21
153
Sweet Home Alabama!!
We found a old well on our property (We moved here about a year ago and are camping on the property) The previous owners did not know anything about it so it was here before them. We tried to pump it empty so we could clean it but after running the pump for 15 min at about 9 gallons a min it did not make a dent in the water level. Actually you could not tell we did anything. The water is SOOO cold and the ground nearby has water bubbling up from the ground (not from the well but from the ground.

SO how do I clean it out, Hook it up and pipe it over to where I am building our house. (so far I have cleared trees)
I am afraid if I report it they might make me seal it off.
 
well.jpg
 
First thing to do is to look REALLY closely at your deed, and see if you have the mineral rights. Then I would get ahold of (pardon the expression) and old person, and ask them how. That is all they used to have. I know it includes a pump, and probably a pumphouse. My dad's is on a seperate electric meter. Sorry I can't be more help, but maybe it's a cheap place to start. Or a plumber.
 
AND if it is on your property, you are liable for anyone or anything that falls in and breaks a leg. You need to block it off, and get some insurance to cover it.
 
We are out in the Woods. We bought this as "hunting property" meaning no utilities and no improvements...So this is a surprise. It has to be pretty old. I dont think anyone will wander into it LOL. They would have to be lost in the woods to find us.

Edited to say: We have been here a year and didnt find it, My 20yo son stumbled on it looking for animal tracks.
 
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When I lived in LongCreek, I found an old hand dug well much similar to yours. Let me tell you I was excited as we had to spend $3,000 for a drilled well.. We built a shed around it, sent a water sample to the local agrigcultural lab, found it fit to drink and used the water for livestock and gardening purposes. Although we never drank the water from that particular well, I had it tested yearly to make sure the bacteria count stayed within the norm. Many years later, after we sold the property, the bored well was condemned, but the ancient hand-dug well continued to pass government standards.
 
First, I would build a small deck of over and cap it properly. It looks to be a dug well using crocks. There will be ready made crock lids available for it. It wasn't dug yesterday, but it isn't THAT old either. I'd say from the 60's or 70's. Many pre-cast lids already have a hole in them to run the pipe through, or a knock out through which you can place your draw pipe.

I'd use an inch and a quarter pipe. A standard, manual, pitcher pump will pump up water from 22' or less. Put a foot valve on the bottom of the pipe and lower it into the well, through the hole in the cap. Attach a pitcher pump and you're ready to go. Having water on the property will be a big, big plus. All this can be purchased at a Tractor Supply, or at a local hardware store in a rural area.

Dug wells were rarely deeper than 20 feet or so, and caught surface water. Have the water tested for purity and contamination. If it is reasonably clean, you can always run the water, as is. I'd dump a gallon of pool chlorine into the well, let it sit for day, and then pump it a good long while.

I wouldn't be the least bit afraid of such a well. They are standard fare across the country as a rural water supply.
 

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