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With routine quality tests and annual well inspections, a private well will provide its owner with drinkable running water and save them money in the long run. There are three kinds of modern groundwater wells—driven, drilled, and dug—each of which offers unique advantages. Before you contact a well drilling service, consider which type may be suitable for your property.

What Kinds of Water Wells Are There?  

1. Driven

Driven wells are installed on properties with soft, shallow, water-bearing soil like sand or gravel, and they’re often the most cost-efficient option for homeowners. During installation, a contractor will drive a pipe into the ground. The pipe is equipped with a screen to filter small, rocky particles. Although they’re economical, driven wells have superficial aquifers and depths of only 30 to 50 feet, which may allow surface pollutants to leach into the water supply. This increases the risk of contamination and makes annual well inspections especially important.

2. Drilled

well inspectionIf the water on your property is in deep aquifers, you may not be able to reach it without a high-powered percussion or rotary-drilling machine. Drilled wells often reach depths of 1,000 feet or more, and they utilize a carefully sealed casing to prevent collapse and keep sediment from infiltrating the aquifer. Their extensive depth and continuous casing counteract contamination, but the strenuous labor and need for a pump can make drilled wells a bit more expensive.

3. Dug

When you picture a classic stone-lined pit with a wooden bucket, you’re thinking of a dug well. While they don’t look the same today, they’re still built on the same basic principle. An area with a large diameter is excavated to a depth of 10 to 30 feet, and the remaining hole is lined with stone, brick, or tile. Dug wells can effectively gather water from semi-permeable soils like silt and clay, but like driven wells, their shallowness and lack of continuous casing make them prone to contamination. Because of this, dug wells are best suited for livestock or agricultural use, though they should still receive a thorough well inspection at least once a year.

 

If you want to install a well on your property, contact Marshall Eye Jr. Water Well Drilling & Repair Service in Potosi, MO. Since 1959, the family-owned business has been providing dependable well drilling services to both residential and commercial clients. In addition to installation, they offer professional well inspections, repairs, and maintenance. Call (314) 541-6239 with any questions, or visit them online to learn more about their services.

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