Do Deeper Wells Mean More and Better Water?

If you want to have a well installed on your property, you probably have a lot of questions, and that’s good! It’s important to fully understand how wells work and what you can expect depending on your digging and installation decisions.

One common question we get as water well contractors in Monroe, NC is whether deeper wells are better. Many people suspect that having a deeper well automatically means the water will be more plentiful, and of better quality, but that’s not always the case. In fact, the depth of your well should be suited to a variety of factors specific to your land and the patterns of groundwater in your area. Here are a few facts about well depth, as well as some pros and cons for shallow wells versus deep wells.

“Deep” and “shallow” are relative terms

One of the first things you need to know is that “shallow” and “deep” are subjective when it comes to well depth. A well that is termed “shallow” in one part of the country could very easily be termed “deep” in another. It all depends on your particular environment. In other words, it isn’t the factual depth of a well (say, a well that is 50 or even 100 feet underground) that determines its depth, but rather the depth of the well’s casing relative to the water table it is underneath.

For example, if you live in an area with a water table that is just 20 feet below the surface, digging a well that is 25 feet down would be considered shallow. However, if you lived in an area where the water table was 50 feet down, a well depth of 60 feet would be considered deep.

The pros and cons

Digging a shallow well is an economical solution. If groundwater is easy to access, you’ll be able to get plenty of it pumped through your well without tunneling too far—and you can more easily dictate which area you pull water from on your land. However, shallow wells can also be contaminated more easily than deep wells, because they are closer to the surface. If an oil spill occurs in your neighbor’s yard, for example, it could reach your well fairly quickly!

Opting for a deep well means you’ll get a great supply of water, and potential contaminants will not only take longer to reach the water supply, but may also be significantly diluted by the time they get there, which is all good news. On that note, however, the water will be older by the time it gets to you, since it’s been down in the ground longer, and could be more affected by other rocks and soils than shallower well water.

In summary, there are pros and cons for both deep and shallow wells. The best way to decide what’s right for you is to speak with a qualified water well company in Monroe, NC, like Love Well & Pump Supply, LLC. We can help you make the best choice and enjoy fantastic well water for years to come.

Categorised in: Water Well Company, Water Well Contractors

This post was written by Writer