What are the pros and cons of having a well dug on your property and going to well water vs city water? We have a spring that runs year round and hasn't been dry in the 12 years we've lived here and I'm thinking about checking into getting a well put in. I don't know a lot about it but thought maybe someone here had experience good or bad with the costs and overall transition.

It all depends on the quality of water you get from the well. Not many wells are dug today. Most are drilled, deep wells. Mine is 180' deep. It is horrible water, full of iron. When we were using it we had to have a filter system on it that was serviced on a monthly basis. We no longer use our well due to the poor water quality.

I've got water running out of the side of hills all over my place, year round. When they drillled mine he went till he saw green sand, I believe he went through some rock too. Its 200 feet deep . The bacteria and bad stuff need certain substances to help filter it out. I've know of people drinking from spring heads, but I just think of frogs and salamander wrapping in it.

Do you pump it to your house? How is the water quality?

I think well costs are around $15,000. It would take awhile to come out ahead vs city water unless you don't have access to city water. We have a well and it is great. No worries with how much we use. No water bills.

Cons- up front cost, on going maintenance like fiilters, softener etc. At some point the pumps, expansion tank and pressure switches will all need replaced. When that happens you’re out of water until it’s fixed. For me those type things always happen at very inconvenient times- every stinking time! I also I know folks who’s well was great and suddenly it started tasting bad ( iron, sulfur).
Pros- less dependence on outside sources, monthly budget savings, potentially cleaner and more natural water source

Like I said, my water is coming 200 feet below the ground and its good water. There are springs all over my property. I wouldn't drink straight from them. There's the possibilty of contaminants form pesticides, microbio, and other stuff the more shallow you are. We drilled our well in 2008. We're on the third pump. That's added alot of cost. We are 900 feet off the road, so it makes since for us.

I worked in water treatment for Nuke plants for 20 years. You want your water from as far down as you can get it, trust me.

If I had the money to drill a well, I’d rather have city water (if available) and put the $15k (price mentioned above) into solar energy panels or an automatic generator for the house.

I have a spring with a concrete tile in it an and deep well 220 pump . Pumps 800ft to my house and mom’s house . It’s only cold water in kitchen sink at my house an at moms . We have all city water for everything else . Our city water taste like Chlorine. The spring was tested back 20 yrs ago when they ran city water thru here . It was good so we keep using it . No cost except electricity. Might be an option if water in your spring is tested good . The 220 well pump is way to go in spring or well. We would burn up one the 120 volts 3/4 hp pumps in bout a yr. I have crossover lines and cutoff valves under house if city water runs dry I can run spring water thru out house . City water went dry last yr for a week when it was so cold because of busted pipes .

I could see having it as a backup, but worrying about well pump and all the variables is not something I'd want to fool with for my primary house. City water is so nice, easy, and cheap.

And yes, as others have said, drilling a well won't be cheap, even a shallow one. But it'll probably be deeper than you expect.

3rd pump since 2008 is crazy. I am on the original pump from 2004. Other than lightning strikes well pumps usually last a long time. My well is 752 feet deep and ran nonstop for about a year because I had a rusted coupler. Fingers crossed that it lasts a little longer.

How do you make an artesian well?

You don’t.

Test the water, especially if youre around any farm land. I farm and im sure not against it in any way but runoff is a real thing and poisons are used all the time as well as all kinds of nastiness being spread for fertilizer that absolutely is not safe to drink. If the test comes out clean, go for it but i would certainly have it tested now and then. I have a well, we use the water to water plants but i would be afraid of drinking it because of the filth being spread around here.

They are naturally occurring . They are in a low elevation in relation to the surrounding area and groundwater is pushed up via pressure .


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artesian_well

I have thought about that. That is a concern here for sure.

Water wells are great but it’s a “lifestyle” kinda like off grid. You’ll need to learn how to maintain and repair it. Build a large well house and be prepared for the need to treat the water. Unless it’s strictly for outside water use, having to treat it is more likely than not, sand filter would be a must imo also. I have a good friend with well water and he’s got it down pat but it’s work to have GOOD water. Chemicals, filter, the whole nine yards.

It really isn't that big of a deal unless the water has a lot of iron or sulfur. My current well has no filter or water softener and is great. The well where I grew up would stain everything without treatment/filtering.

That being said, I wouldn't spend the money on a well if county water was available. Too much upfront cost to make sense I would build a springhouse if I had a nice one near the house or barn though.