Why Over Pumping Your Water Well Is Harmful

 
 

How it works.

The average well has long since been a simple structure with not many groundbreaking improvements to the basic function and design for many years. In normal conditions, these simple structured wells have provided past generations with continued fresh, clean water.

Over the years, technology has provided upgrades in ability to provide more options for the well driller: much larger depths, longer-lasting designs and structures. These wells, however, improved from our ancestor’s hang dug wells, can also come with complications, as noted below. These complications can lead to reduced well water production over time. Up until recently, technology has not advanced enough to provide a high tech solution to the problem associated with a low yield well.

Cone Of DepressionAquiferDrawdownWater TableWell

Groundwater is found in the rock and soil below the water table. In cases of a shallow aquifer, and considering if the ground is permeable to allow the rapid flow of water, a well driller can drill a well and successfully withdraw water at a rate sufficient for the end-user(s).

Pumping the well lowers the water table as the well siphons water from the water table near the well. This area is called the cone of depression. There are many factors that can inhibit the success of groundwater flow toward the well and into the cone of depression, even considering the advancements of well design and structure of our time. The water table can change due to many factors including: weather, climate changes, human factors ( building, industry, pavements, too many area wells, etc. ), geological, and well operations ( over-pumping).

In the case of a low producing well, many are left to ask…why? Records may indicate at the time the well was drilled there was sufficient water, only years later to find out the well is coming up short in providing for the user needs. What may have happened?

Over pumping is a common factor with the low water well. A well is over-pumped if the water is withdrawn at a faster rate than the well was designed for or the aquifer is able to produce. Over-pumping is the most common well problem that leads to premature well failure. Over-pumping not only depletes the groundwater aquifer (or source), but it rapidly increases the rate of corrosion, incrustation, and biofouling related problems. Over-pumping also increases the rate of sediment particles moving toward the well, causing plugging of the perforated area where water flows into the well. It can also cause the aquifer to settle and compact which further restricts water flow to the well.

In the case of the low water levels in the well, possibly due to the many factors listed above, the cone of depression can cover a much larger area and continue to grow in size as the need for water is greater than the supply at which the water table can provide. This can have negatives effects.

Problems with over-pumping a well.

 

Perforation Plugging

As the cone of depression increases, and the distance at which the water is being pulled through the ground to the well increases, the chances of debris being pulled with the water also increases. As the loose debris is pulled with the water it can get caught and stuck in the perforations of the ground. This can plug up those perforations so that the water can no longer flow through. If this continues, the more the debris get pulled toward the well pump the worse the production of the well becomes.

Mineral Incrustation

A common problem that can occur in wells is called mineral incrustation. This can happen especially in the cases of shallow water table aquifers that have an abundance of minerals in the water. In a non-controlled environment, pumping can cause changes in the pressure and temperature. This can cause minerals to form incrustation on the casing, liner, and screens. This can slow down the rate at which water can flow through the fine capillaries of the aquifer.

Epp Well Solution system slows down and elongates the water pumping in a timed, consistent manner. This will keep the water table at a steady height, without over pumping, to help avoid the problem of mineral incrustation.

Biofouling

Over pumping of a well can increase the oxygen in the well and aquifer. This can give life to bacteria and living organisms to be able to thrive in these conditions. Over time, this can cause a sort of biofilm to develop. A gelatinous film that, as the water flow and with it brings sediments, minerals, and earth which can attach itself to the film. This creates a biofilm that can reduce flow in the arterial water pathways from draining into the well, eventually causing a reduced water yield.

The Outcome.

Over-pumping a well causes many issues as noted above, and it can only get worse over time.

To solve the problem of over-pumping a well, as much water as possible needs to be left in the well to help protect the health of the well, in the meantime, drawing enough water to fulfill a household’s needs. No matter how much water a well is producing, it is never a good idea to over pump the well. The solution is to invest in a system that will help protect the well from ever being overdrawn.

Finding the best solution.

 

Hydrofracturing

Hydrofracturing uses high water pressure to attempt to remove any blockages in a low producing well. It requires the well pump and piping to be removed, and a rubber ballon to be inflated into the well. High-pressure water is then forced down into the well below the balloon to try and clear any blockages in the pores in the ground.

There are issues with this method and some considerations to think about beforehand:

  • Hydrofracturing only works with bedrock wells, so that the pressure can eliminate debris in the cracks of the bedrock.

  • Permits may be necessary for hydrofracturing.

  • Hydrofracturing has the possibility of affecting any neighboring wells’ water levels.

  • Hydrofracturing can cause cloudy water with sedimentation to come out of the well for a few days afterward.

  • It is expensive and there are no guarantees of hydrofracturing solving low-yield issues.

  • It is not environmentally friendly.

  • Creates a higher chance of water contamination.

Drilling a new well

When the well isn’t producing enough water, another option is to have a second well drilled in a different location.

These are some considerations with this option:

  • Drilling a well is expensive, especially if the well needs to be drilled deep.

  • There is no guarantee that the new well will have any more water than the last, or even worse.

  • Permits are required to drill a new well.

  • There is no guarantee that the new well will have the same or better water quality than the last.

Our system

Our Well Harvester™ is the best choice for solving low yield well complications. The Well Harvester automatically harvests the water in the well while preventing the well from over-pumping itself. The harvested water is then pumped from our system to pressurize the house. Our system is compact to fit in most garages or well houses and is able to harvest and store 215 gallons (or more with additional tanks) for use throughout the day. Unlike these other low producing well options, when using the Well Harvester there will be predetermined results. By knowing the well output we can calculate how much water can be harvested and used each day. Contact us today to learn more about our system!

 
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Let us help you.

Here at Epp Well Solutions, we have spent many years developing our Well Harvester to overcome the difficulty many homeowners and businesses have found themselves in with regards to a low yield well. The Well Harvester has been designed to provide ample water while not requiring the user to monitor the system. It is the first of its kind smart tech system that provides a solution without an intrusive monitor. Set it up and let it do its job of keeping the water flowing. It is as simple as that!

Order your Well Harvester today!

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