Calling all hicks and hayseeds!!

I need some info on dug wells.
Is this a bad thing?
Are they susceptible to freezing in the winter because they aren't that deep?

Anyone have experience with a dug well? Pros? Cons? Anything would be of help.

Many thanks

 

I'd like to help out, but I know nothing about wells. Except some hold water, some hold gas, and some hold oil.

 

He keeps calling everyone Hicks & Hayseeds.. I think we need to kick him out of America.

 

My dad has a well in CT. The depth all depends on the water table. Your company will probally know about how deep you will need to go - from past drillig in the area.

He has never has any problems with freezing. His biggest problem is pressure and filtration. I keep trying to talk him into a booster pump. He does go thru a filter every three weeks or so.

 

Dug wells are suseptable to contamination, as most of comtamination occurs at the top of the water table where you will be drawing water. Any local chemical spill could end up in your water.

Also you have to worry about septic wastes (fecal colliform and such) from your house (if you have septic) and animal wastes (are there any farms nearby?)

Drilled wells are much safer as they draw water from deep into the water table. They have sanitary seals at the top to prevent anything from entering the well.

If you are live way in the boonies, where there are very little civilazation, a dug well might do, but for me, I would drill the well

 

Check on the depth of wells in your area so you will know what to expect when the bill comes. They charge by the foot so they will go much deeper than needed if they can get away with it. A friend knew the wells in his area were 75 feet and the driller went 200 feet. He showed proof of other well depths and paid for 100 feet. The driller was not happy. Check first.

 

I have lived in conditions where I have had both styles of wells. The one that had been dug had to be pumped full every 3-4 months because the spring it was dug on had dried up. The drilled well, had zero problems. Save yourself headache, drill the well and be done with it.

 

What he said.

 

Never had one, but the area I lived in had a lot of them. From what I remeber there wasn't much discussion between dig or drill but more with the depth. I think in order for the well to be used for consumption it had to be a deep well, everyone I heard said it was a lot easier to drill those than dig them. For irrigation you could use a shallow well.

 

Thanks for all the helpful posts.
We are looking at this waterfront area of town, and nearly all the homes there have dug wells, which I found really surprising.

We currently are trying to do a deal on a waterfront that is on full city services because if I have a choice, I would rather not have to stress over a well and septic system, and besides, high speed internet and cable is a nice bonus too.

Will let you know how it unfolds.

Regards

 

Damm son eye is sure glads youin axked us hickes fer "r" pinons on da subjected. Me and granny would never be hooked up to the city fixins likes water or sewers (taxable stuff). youins needs to be drillen a deep well. The water will be much better than that ole city stuff comin thru them dar long azz pipes. Match yer septic as to how many bedrooms yer haves and you will's bees all setes. Mines hases been installeded bout 8 years ago and we have never looked back.... hot damm i wishes you and yuns all the bestes.


signed the Hickes family... down here younder inies the stickes

 

my understanding is that the majority of contamination is from livestock waste.

So make sure there are no farms nearby.

 

That's certainly one of the sources however, you must realize that something as simple as your bonehead neighbor dumping his used oil and old chemicals in a 'low spot' in his backyard can contaminate a drinking water source.

Add to that list underground tanks (fuel oil, gas stations, industrial, etc), surface spills from a nearby highway, septic systems (and the 'stuff' that has been put in them -- ie: chemicals and the typical suspects), a dry cleaner around the corner, any type of industrial setting, past use of the land, landfills in the vacinity........

The sources are endless....

RP

 

So basically I don't want Burt as my next door neighbor, returning his used motor oil back to mother earth, LOL

Hmm, the dilemma is difficult.
There are 2 waterfront properties, one which is 10x nicer, bigger, more beautiful, has a dug well and septic,
The other which is not nearly as nice (but still awesome)
Has full city hook-ups (water, sewer, and high speed cable)

If they both had full hook-ups, I would take the property with the well, hands down, but this dug well business really has me concerned.

 

Habibi, would it possible for you to pay to have the city hookups installed on the nicer property? or perhaps structure it in the deal if you were to buy it?

I don't know anything about the property, but it's just a thought. here in CA it's not difficult nor too costly to get hooked up to city services in most areas. good luck!