Drilling a water well can seem like a huge undertaking to those who’ve never been through the process, but as long as you work with a competent drilling contractor, there is no reason to be overwhelmed. To help help you understand what’s involved, we’ve put together an overview of the steps involved.
Initial Phase
Once you have decided that you need a water well drilled, the first step is to contact a professional drilling contractor who will set up an on-site meeting to discuss all the preliminary steps needed before proceeding with the project.
Drilling the Well
Once a suitable location has been chosen and all necessary permits have been obtained, your well drilling contractor will come to your site with all the necessary drilling equipment. There are many types of drills that can be used, the most common being the dual rotary drill.
With a rotary drill, a drill bit is attached to the end of a drill string or pipe. The drill string is rotated and the bit cuts into the earth using the same concept as your everyday hand drill. Debris from the drill are flushed upwards out of the drill hole throughout the process.
The well hole is then lined with a casing, usually made from steel, durable plastic pipe, which prevents the well from caving in and protects the well water from any contamination from the surrounding area.
For wells that are drilled into sand or gravel or require high flow rates, often a well screen is placed in the well at the bottom of the casing. The screen keeps the sand and gravel out of the well while still allowing water to enter.
Finally, grout is added to the space between the sides of the drill hole and the casing. This is an important step in keeping contaminants from seeping into the well around the outside of the well casing.
Post Drilling
After a well is drilled, a water pump is installed to draw water from the well into your property’s water system.
In most cases we recommend that a pump test be performed to clear the water, and to establish an accurate flow rate and drawdown test. At this time the well should be thoroughly disinfected to insure there is no bacteria present in the well and in some cases a detailed water analysis is required or recommended. After this your water pump/system is ready to be installed.
Water from your Well
Once your pump is in place and plumbed into your water systems, you may need to install water softeners and/or filters if you water is too hard or carries too many contaminants, but aside from this, when all work is done, you can use and enjoy your own water.
For any questions or information, please contact Cascadian Drilling; we’d be happy to help!
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