Types of Wells: Ground Water Quick Guide
Types of Water Wells: Ground Water Quick Guide
Know what you're asking and getting for your money.
When doing your research to find the best water well drilling company to drill your water well it is important for you to know the different types of wells available to you in your region that will support your water needs. Investing in a water well is not a decision many take lightly, so take the time to read through this so you know what you’re asking and what you are getting for your money.
Sand Point Water Well
The cheapest route when drilling a water well is often a Sand Point. It is generally an augured hole no deeper than 25ft and is usually very slim casing around 2 inches to 4 inches (outside diameter). The intake beneath the ground is a slotted plastic casing. Dry auger is the most common install and drilling muds are generally not required for such shallow depths. If the hole collapses it can be washed in or it can be redrilled relatively inexpensively
Pros:
Cost of the pump is also cheaper as it uses a jet pump from in the house to pull water up the line from the well. Easy access to replace said pump in the future.
Cons:
Rely upon surface precipitation. Can dry out and can fluctuate with water available based on seasonal changes. Can be easily contaminated by poor water quality at the surface. Can be problematic for small pebbles migrating into the plastic slots and reducing flow over time, can be also problematic for drift (migration) of material that the pump then sucks up. There is generally no filter cake around the annulus of this type of sand point. (no uniform sand filter that is installed around the plastic screens).
Large Diameter Water Well
Large Diameter wells are known as big bore wells that are also fairly close to the surface, generally targeting sand less than 60ft but greater than 20-25ft. A submersible pump is installed into the well and pumped to the house. The borehole is generally 30 inch fiberglass cribbing and requires high quality of sand/fine gravel mix to fill the well annulus (outside of casing). They tend to be slower producing wells but rely upon larger holding capacity to provide water to the household.
Pros:
Pump and materials have easy access to big bore.
This style of well is easier to share with others because multiple pumps can hang inside the wide well cribbing.
Cons:
The pump is more expensive than a jet pump.
The cost of aggregate for the annulus is variable based on region. Some will opt for cheaper material and it has/does affect pump rate. The cost for aggregate can be $900 to $2,000 above the cost of the well.
This style is often classified as a drift formation and it might be variable and difficult to target so often an augured test hole(s) is needed prior. Often it may take a few auger attempts with a separate smaller rig to find a formation that will yield well results.
It is important to search thoroughly before investing money into the cost of the big bore. This additional testing has some extra costs and mileage.
With the aggregate and additional test holes, hidden costs can increase quickly on top of the actual cost of the Large Diameter well.
30-inch cribbing can be dangerous for children and pets. It is important to have a lock on them because children and pets can fall into the well.
Small Diameter Water Well
Small Diameter wells are only similar in concept to a Sand Point, but the materials used are top quality (heavy PVC and stainless steel screens). We use 250 PSI heavy-walled telescopic casing it is important to note that not all water well drilling companies do use top quality materials and stainless steel screens that are 5-inch diameter. Be careful, as some companies cut costs by putting in smaller screens which can affect overall pump rates and create turbulent water at the screens. Turbulent water should be avoided, as it often brings silt/sand and encourages minerals to be build up in the well. 5-inch diameter (larger screen) allows for screens to be placed inside of screens if that ever is needed. They tend to have a long life, as they pull water from deeper sources that are generally less reliant on rainfall to recharge the aquifer. The annulus of this style of well uses either a crushed product or better yet a man-made glass bead that is pre-packaged. The better the sand filter cake the less opportunity for migration of fine particles. A proper annulus should be around 2 inches to 5 inches outside the stainless steel screens. The screens are precision wire-wrapped cages. The wire is triangular shaped and it is designed to help reduce natural material from the aquifer from entering the well itself (unlike sand points or LS wells).
Pros:
Reliability is over better in the long term.
Less opportunity for contamination.
Wider casing and screens allow for lots of possibilities in the event (65 yrs from now) that a well repair is required.
When water options are known to be deeper it is the only cost-effective method to utilize deep formations.
SD wells range provincially 60ft, 80ft, all the way to 1,400ft in the south of the province. 220ft around Humboldt. 500ft near Raymore.
Important Note:
We use large fluid recycling and mud handling that controls all muds and provides cleaner mud.
We run 5 de-silting/de-sanding cones because 1 does okay but 5 does way better.
Con:
Often a driller and companies will be deceptive because that data shared with the government does not ask for ID (inside) or OD (outside) measurements. So in later years when the pit-less adaptor needs a repair the casing dimensions are deceptive.
Drillers will knowingly sell 4.5 diameter casing as 5 inch. (Yet when we order it, it is classified as casing and we order all casing by inside diameter never outside diameter. )
Cost can be comparable to a 50ft LD well.
Pumps costs can be variable based on the draw, push and hydraulic pressure in the aquifer. (Checking the pump curve is very important, so don’t skip this step).
Choosing the contractor that is best suited to drill your water well that will meet the demand of your water requirements can often be a daunting and difficult task. At Wolverine Drilling Inc. we care. We help clients fit their pump and water well properly while striving to ensure the greatest possible results for your investment. Contact us today if you have questions regarding what is the best water well for your needs!
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