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Steve961
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# Posted: 30 Oct 2011 03:35pm
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I recently got a quote of $3K to drill a new well on my property. The well drillers insist on drilling 75-100 feet so the well can sustain a 50 GPM flow rate, even though the water table is actually much shallower. I tried telling them that I only need about 10 gallons a day at most for my new cabin, but they won't listen.
There was a well and hand pump when I bought the property some 20 years ago, but someone stole the large cast iron pump shortly after that - I'm sure it's a decoration in someones garden right now. I fenced off the area after it was taken and never did anything with it, although I know I should have either capped it or abandoned it properly. It used to have a wooden platform over it and I thought it was a hand dug well and was afraid to work near it. I had my neighbor, who has an excavator, dig around it to make sure it was safe and this is what we found (see pics below).
I would like to try to bring it back to life and was wondering if it was even possible. I would probably just install an Oasis or Simple Pump hand pump. There is water down there - I dropped a pebble and heard a splash. Even if it's not potable, I could use the water for plants, putting out campfires, etc. What do you guys think?
Thanks.
Steve
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steveqvs
Member
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# Posted: 30 Oct 2011 04:29pm
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I only wish I could have something like that on my land... i just read somewhere where you take a measurement then pump the well dry then see how long it takes to fill up. Not sure but maybe then you could have your water tested then. Better ask someone who knows about wells though... I sure don't.
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Just
Member
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# Posted: 30 Oct 2011 08:31pm
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do not drop anything eles down the well .get a cap for it with a lock kids like to drop things and that can very easaly ruin the well !! if you want to check the depth use a good string and a steal 3\4 in. nut., " no lead fishing weights " , get a shallow well pump if the water leval is 20 ft. or less a deep well pump if deeper than 20 ft. !
pump the well for an hour if you can, if the water keeps coming at more than a gallon a min. you have a good well and suitable for most cabins . If the water dose not continue to flow the well can be cleaned by a pro should not cost more than 300$ after establishing it is a good well then it is time to see if it is clean enough to drink .
pump some water and boil it for 5 min. , let it cool and taste it, some well water dose not taste good . if you think your family will drink it it is time to disenfect the well with a gallon of bleech. put it down the well and let it sit for 24 hr. then pump it for a total of 4 hours over the next 4 days . on the fifth take a sample to a good local lab and have it tested . call the lab first and they will give you a staral bottle and directions for taking the sample. do just what they say !! have the well tested yearly there after. good luck
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