Wells - Do they have overflows?

I was wondering if some wells have overflow pipes.

I found a flow of water coming out of some tile pipe about six feet off of the back corner of my house. I thought it was my gutter outlet that had gotten plugged, but since it's been running for days now with no rain, I can rule that out. After digging up two 14" sections of the tile pipe, I found a 1" PVC pipe end sticking out of the next section of pipe. That's the water's source.

I turned my well pump off for a few hours and closed the valve on the well side of my pressure tank with no change.

This pipe is putting out maybe 1qt. per minute and is about 20' away from and coming from the area of the well.

Is this normal? Should I be concerned? All I really know about my well is that it has a Goulds 4" pump.

Thanks all.

Reply to
Artie
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I should add that the well head is buried (there's nothing but grass visible).

Reply to
Artie

Sounds strange. Shouldn't there be something above ground to let air in if the water level draws down while pumping and let that air out when the pump stops? Any idea how far down the normal water level is in the well?

Maybe it is an artisian (flowing) well. Are there any springs nearby? The cottage my parents used to have on Rock River in Wisconsin had an artisian well, and springs in the creek would melt the snow and keep watercres green all winter. I also saw a municipal well in nearby Fort Atkinson when a pump was pulled and water was flowing up and out of the open well casing.

Reply to
David Efflandt

You don't say how deep the well is or anything else, but assuming it's not a hand-dug well or shallow well (25' or so deep), then you likely have a spring or artisian well as another suggested. A properly dug and installed well will not have an overflow in my experience but I'm no expert by any means. Wells have to be deep enough to reach an underground flow of water, but if that flow can reach the surface, then the well's not deep enough because that would mean if water can get out, dirt/germs can get in. Around here they test the pressure and if it's trying to rise in the shaft, they can't pronounce the well to specs. Our paticular well is about

120', most around here are around 90', which is what they quote to most of the time. Are you sure you haven't either uncovered a normal spring or some sort of a drain to bypass part of the house, or someting similar?

My advice, if this is really coming from the well shaft, would be to check with your local people, but don't know who to call. Here, I'd start with a couple of well services, to see what they think.

Pop

six feet off of

outlet that had

with no rain, I

the tile pipe, I

of pipe. That's

valve on the well

about 20' away from

about my well is

Reply to
Pop Rivet

Sounds like a drain tile to drain off (sub)surface water around the well head.

Harry K

Reply to
Harry K

but grass

let air in

out when the

the well?

Why would you want to let air in and out?

Bob

Reply to
Bob

When you pump from a well, it can draw the water level down (faster than it seeps out of the rocks). If you do not let air in, it can create a vacuum in the well. When the pump is off, the water gradually rises back to its static level. Although, I am more familiar with larger municipal wells (part time college job with well driller), so it may not be as much of a factor for small home wells.

There may be no need to let air into a flowing well, if flows more water than being pumped.

Reply to
David Efflandt

I find it strange that water would be redirected from 20' away to just

6' away from the house. Seems abnormal practice to me, unless there's a significant difference in height, so that the water coming out will flow away from the foundation.

I'm not that familiar with wells, but I do know that wells tap natural water sources which can change over time. It may be worthwhile to have an expert take a look and tell you whether you're getting the same amount of water pressure as the system was designed for. If you're getting more, I would be concerned, as the new source of water could be as a result of some sort of construction or changed underground stream, and the water you're getting may not be of the same quality. So have it thoroughly tested at the same time.

Are you in an area where there's new development, especially at a nearby higher elevation?

Reply to
Dan Hartung

Thanks all for the suggestions.

I'll prolly call someone if the flow doesn't subside soon.

Reply to
Artie

Some wells definitely have overflow pipes. I am no expert, but I have seen them used in low-lying areas where the underground water flow is fed from above. There is a small amount of pressure underground on the water as it moves from the higher area to the lower, and with the convenient pressure release that a well provides, the water comes up the pipe. One family I know ran the overflow pipe to their gardens lower in the property and the water runs most (if not all) of the year.

There are some concerns with this system in that ground water could contaminate, but I was told that one just has to build the system properly.

Again, I am no expert and have only seen the system operating, and was told that it had been inspected and tested repeatedly.

Bill

Reply to
Andrea & Bill Lee

Couple of questions: Do you have a basement in your house? Could the water be coming from a sump pump? The clay pipe suggests it's ground water drainage from around your foundation.

Also, where is the well pump controls and pressure tank for the well? Even though the well head may be hidden, the rest of the well equipment has to be somewhere. How about a pressure relieve valve from the well or water heater?

Bob S.

Reply to
Bob S.

to

in

(faster than

create a

rises back

municipal

be as much

more water

A vacuum in a well would just help draw in more water, wouldn't it?

Bob

Reply to
Bob

Yes but the pump won't move much water if there is a negative pressure on its inlet.

Gary Quality Water Associates

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Reply to
Gary Slusser

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