Quincy WA and Chelan Home Inspections- Private Wells

Quincy WA and Chelan Home Inspections- Private Wells

When performing a home inspection in more rural areas quite often the home will be served by a private well.  Private well are not governed by EPA like a municipal water system. The home owner is responsible for the maintenance and function of their well.

Forty-seven percent of the U.S. population depends on ground water for its drinking water supply.

If you have never been on a private well there are some things you know. As a home inspection service I do not test wells. I recommend to my clients to have a well drilling service inspect the well and test for bacteria and other contaminants.

There are three basic well types, Drilled, Driven and Dug.

Drilled wells. Drilled wells are constructed by either cable tool (percussion) or rotary-drilling machines. Drilled wells that penetrate unconsolidated material require installation of casing and a screen to prevent inflow of sediment and collapse. They can be drilled more than 1,000 feet deep.

Driven wells. Driven wells are constructed by driving a small-diameter pipe into shallow water-bearing sand or gravel. Usually a screened well point is attached to the bottom of the casing before driving. These wells are relatively simple and economical to construct, but they can tap only shallow water and are easily contaminated from nearby surface sources because they are not sealed with grouting material. Hand-driven wells usually are only around 30 feet deep; machine-driven wells can be 50 feet deep or more.

Dug wells. Historically, dug wells were excavated by hand shovel to below the water table until incoming water exceeded the digger’s bailing rate. The well was lined with stones, bricks, tile, or other material to prevent collapse, and was covered with a cap of wood, stone, or concrete tile. Because of the type of construction, bored wells can go deeper beneath the water table than can hand-dug wells. Dug and bored wells have a large diameter and expose a large area to the aquifer. These wells are able to obtain water from less-permeable materials such as very fine sand, silt, or clay. Disadvantages of this type of well are that they are shallow and lack continuous casing and grouting, making them subject to contamination from nearby surface sources, and they go dry during periods of drought if the water table drops below the well bottom.

You should get all the information pertaining to that well. Well depth, construction, output, static water level etc…

Wells need to be protected from surface contamination. The casing should extend above the ground and be located so rainwater flows away from it. Rainwater can pick up harmful bacteria and chemicals on the land’s surface. If this water pools near your well, it can seep into it, potentially causing health problems.

In addition to keep your well safe you want be sure all possible sources of contamination are not close to the well. States and counties may have their own regulations on setbacks and how close potential contamination sources can be but a good rule is 100 feet of circumference.

It is a good idea to fully evaluate where the well is and areas of potential contamination.

Information on private wells:

EPA              CDC                     American Groundwater Trust             Well Owner.org

Quincy WA and Chelan Home Inspections- Private Wells

NCW Home Inspections, LLC  is located in Wenatchee Washington serving Chelan County, Douglas County, Kittitas County, Okanogan County and Grant County Washington and the cities of Wenatchee, Leavenworth, Cashmere, Orville, Cle Elum, East Wenatchee, Quincy and many more…                             

NCW Home Inspections LLC-509-670-9572