Water is essential for life on this planet but millions of people lack access to clean and decent water. In the United States, it has been estimated that between 40 and 50% of the waters are classified as impaired. This means that the body of water is incapable of supporting at least one of its intended uses such as drinking or swimming or that fish caught in it are inedible. Many people turn to private, residential wells for their drinking water. Nearly 15 million households rely on them for drinking water, according to the Centers for the Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). These wells make up the largest share of water wells in the country. Well specialists at the National Ground Water Association estimate that about 500,000 new residential wells are put in every year.

If you are considering having a well drilled on your property, there are certain things you need to do to make sure the well that is created produces a clean and reliable water supply. While it will not guarantee that the well will produce everything you need from it, following the appropriate steps will help insure you get the best results from your new well.

Find the right spot for the well.

Well specialists can come to your property and find the right spot. This is not a random thing. There are very scientific methods for finding the right spot for a well. When rainwater penetrates the rock and soil underneath the surface it will accumulate in aquifers. Well drilling companies need to puncture the aquifers. Pumps then bring this water to the surface for use by people. It is important to find the right aquifer so that enough water can be extracted. It is not enough to get the drill into any aquifer.

What the well specialists need to do is locate areas where fractured rock can be penetrated. When a well is placed atop one of these zones, it will produce much more water than if you place the well over a non-fractured rock region. Finding the right spots to drill a well is a time consuming and painstaking process that only qualified well specialists can accomplish successfully. The best spots are actually where two fractured zones meet.

Any drilled wells need to be placed least 50 feet from septic tanks and sewers. They need to be 100 feet from any pastures, barnyards or cesspools. They can be no closer than 25 feet from any silo. If the groundwater can get within ten feet of the surface, you should find a different place for the well. These are serious considerations for where you should place your well.

Remember, a well is more than a hole in the ground.

Well specialists do more than just bore a big hole in the ground. You need to create an opening in the aquifer that is large enough in diameter to handle a full wall casing. This is where your pump will be placed. Before you even start drilling your new well, you need to determine how bis your pump will need to be to meet all of your water needs. Your well drilling company will let you know how big they think the hole needs to be but you need to let them know exactly what you are going to need so they can make their calculations accordingly. For example, if you have a six inch casing, you can install a pump that will be able to produce as many as 100 gallons per minute. By contrast, an eight inch casing will give you more than that. Determine how much water you are going to need and the well drilling company can create the right size well for you and your situation.

Having your own residential well drilled is a big undertaking but may be well worth it. The states with the most private wells are (in order) Michigan, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, New York, and Florida. Having a well on your property may give you the peace of mind that your access to clean water will not be interrupted.