The only way to reduce the risk of your drinking water well going dry during a drought period is to get it deepened, especially if other local wells are pumping from the same water source. In addition, water conservation measures could reduce the likelihood of your well going dry.…
How does a well actually work to supply drinking water?
If you look beneath the surface of the landscape, you will find a complex mixture of rock, gravel, sand or finer-grained material that makes up areas where water can be stored in pore spaces. Gravity causes rainwater or melted snow to move down into the empty spaces in between the soil or cracks in the rock. Eventually the water reaches the saturated zone. In the saturated zone all the void spaces are completely filled with water; the water in the …
Testing Recommendations for Private Drinking Water Wells
While many private water systems provide water that is safe and of good quality, it is not uncommon to have one or more water quality problems. Some such as iron or hydrogen sulfide are quite noticeable. Others, particularly those that are health concerns such as nitrate and pesticides, often require testing to detect.
Unlike public water systems, private well owners in most states are not required to regularly test their wells or correct water quality problems. It is each individual …
Protect your drinking water well from going dry
When dry or drought conditions exist, water conservation measures could reduce the likelihood of your well going dry.
If your drinking water well goes dry, you need to consider local conditions affecting your well. Is there a drought that is worse than usual? Has this happened during other droughts? Are your neighbors experiencing similar problems? Have you observed other changes in your well, such as changes in taste or smell of the water? Is there a new industrial, commercial, or …