Living in the countryside offers a unique lifestyle, and a crucial part of this is having a well for water. In this blog post, we'll explore the basics of wells, their pros and cons, and dive into the details of our well setup, comparing it with the usual standard well arrangement.
What is well water?
Wells are like secret taps to underground water, especially vital for those living far from city water treatment plants. A special well drilling truck is a sight to be seen, drilling until it finds water, which could be anywhere from a shallow to a deep, mysterious depth. But here's the kicker: well drillers will tell you, nothing is guaranteed.
Benefits of Well Water
Wells come with their own set of perks. You get water straight from nature, filled with natural minerals, giving it a taste that's pure and great. Ownership comes with the territory – water rights! We, for instance, have rights to a whopping 365,000 gallons of water per year, making us the proud owners of a water treasure. We own that water and no one can take that from us or shut our water off. So, knowing that the next great benefit to having well water is having no water bill! Now, there is a bigger upfront cost to get a well and we'll discuss that next.
The Downsides to Well Water
Like I just said, every rose has its thorn. Wells can be costly to install, ranging from $5k to $50k or even more. The expense depends on soil content (rocky or soft) and depth to drill to hit water. And, to hit on an earlier point, there is no guarantee you'll hit water when you drill. There's a potential nightmare too once you have your well and a few things to keep in mind – your well might run dry (however, this is unlikely), and you'll have to drill another somewhere else if you have space and want to take the chance. You also need to be cautious about what you spray or pour outside, as chemicals could sneak into your well water through seepage, rainfall or runoff.
What Does a Standard Well System Look Like?
A standard well setup follows a well-pump-through-pipes-into-the-house routine (see the well diagram above). Filtration systems are the gatekeepers, with sediment and soft water filters doing the heavy lifting. Enter the pressure tank, maintaining consistent water pressure for all your faucets and showers. The pump kicks in when the pressure tank needs refilling and when told by the pressure switch or relay. Then it's hot water heater time, and off the water goes throughout the house.
What Our Well System Looks Like
Now, let's talk about our well setup, which dances to a slightly different beat. We have two pumps but no pressure tank. The first, our trusty well pump, draws water from the earth into our cistern or in-ground holding tank. This 500-gallon marvel has no pressure and relies on a toilet float to signal the well pump when it's thirsty. Underground pipes from the cistern lead to our crawlspace and to our second pump, a suction pump. It pulls water from the holding tank, pressurizes it at a somewhat consistent level, passes through a sediment filter, and then finds its way into our house, and through our tankless water heater as needed.
Living with a well is an adventure. Our setup might be a bit quirky, but it works for us. What's your water story? Leave a comment below, and let's chat wells! Whether you have a well or not, share your experiences.
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