Old Water Well Pump on Property in Middleton
Hey, we’re in Middleton today on the same property we’ve done other videos on. So I talked to you about an old well on the property; we were hoping to get a pump company to check it out. Today’s that day! I want to share with you what we found and the next steps.
Using a Test Pump to Ensure the Well's Static Level
The pipe has been pulled out of the well, and water is pumping out of the well. So the pump company, Down Right Drilling & Pump Inc., is testing it with an actual test pump to ensure the static level doesn’t draw down too far in the well.
Determining the Water Level and Well Depth
To give you a back story, the pipe they pulled out of the well is a two-inch galvanized pipe. So when the pump company arrived, they pulled up on the well and saw it was galvanized. So we put a tape measure down in the well to determine the water level, about 70 feet, to the bottom of the well is 170 feet. The pipe has a lot of rust on it. Once you hit the water level, it gets a lot more rust; the buildup on it is thick. The rust is probably three-eighths of an inch thick.
Testing the Well Pump with a Generator
The pipe was wrapped in wire to the top of the wellhead. So the pump company got their generator and tested the pump with the generator to see if they could get it turned on; they found that it tried to start, and then it stopped. They don’t know if it’s the pump because the generator blew a fuse. So that issue has been fixed now that they’re using a test pump.
How to Test the Quality of the Water Source
Today, they pulled the pipe out and separated the couplers. So they got it all out of the ground, then went back to their shop and grabbed the test pump. The test pump was lowered in with an inch and a quarter pipe using the boom on their truck. So they screw the test pump to the bottom of the pipe and lower that down piece by piece; each piece is 20-foot. So they’re setting it at a hundred feet. Then, they hooked up their generator to this and are pumping it down to get the water level, static level to pull down and ensure we have a good source of water in the bottom of that well.
Next Step: Determine the Water Source Quality
The next step will be to determine the quality of the water source. The pump company will take the pump back to the shop and determine if the water is bad or not. Based on the fact that we don’t know if that fuse is bad on the generator. And then, from there will be determining if we need a new pump or not. So if we need a new pump, we’ll order that up, and we’ll drop that back down in the hole with the new pipe and new wire.
So the boom has a hook they put on the pipe. It’s like a bracket that will pull up with the strap on and go up with the cable. So, the plan is to let the test pump run for a while. And then, they’ll determine the well’s status, and then we’ll go from there and start getting a new pump in.
Dropping a Camera in the Well to See the Bottom
I didn’t mention that they dropped a camera down to the bottom once they pulled the original pipe out of the well. So, the well company could ensure there was nothing in the bottom of the well that shouldn’t have been there. They could also see perforations on the side of the liner that goes all the way down the well. So we like to see those perforations; we’re able to tell where the water comes in at possibly. On this old well like this, we don’t have the benefit of having a well log where the weld driller said, “Hey, I hit the water at a hundred feet,” or whatever it might be.
Why We Like to See Perforations in the Liner of a Water Well
So we know we have some perforations; we have an idea of where the water’s coming into the well. So this one, we were able to find some at the very bottom and some up off the bottom, just a little ways. And we know that we’re pumping 45 gallons a minute or 35 gallons a minute, and it’s barely drawing it down. So we have an excellent flow of water maintained in this well.
Why a Camera is a Great Idea to Check the Well
They will continue to pump for several hours to ensure it stays consistent, but the water quality is good. But dropping the camera down the well gave us a great idea of what we were dealing with; it helps them make better recommendations regarding the kind of pump we should install or anything else that be of concern. So a camera in a well is a great idea.
Conclusion
The pump company is pumping out water and will be for a few more hours. Then they’ll make a recommendation and move on from there. At this point, we have no idea. So we’ll keep you posted on what ends up happening. Thanks for tuning in. It was great talking to you.
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