need information on driven well

[TomKat]

I am trying to get a better well for my new home. There is an existing dug well on the site, that produces very little water during the summer. I have tried to dig a well, with my backhoe, about 20 feet from the river front on my property. About 4 feet down in very coarse sand and some rocks about fist size the water began to poor in and flooded the hole before I could dig any deeper.
I am wondering if I could drive or lay a couple of well points there and use that as my source of water? Also I would like to know how far to bury the water line to get below the frost line here in Northern New Hampshire, I have been told any where from 18 inches to 4 feet.
Any information will be appreciated.
Thanks TomKat

 

[Speedbump]

Four foot is a very shallow well for home use.

As for the frost line, four feet may be a bit shallow in a very cold winter. Walking and driving the frozen ground also pushes the frost further down. I once steamed a pipe open for a local pub in michigan that was buried 6 feet under the parking lot. It was froze solid.

bob...

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Bob NH]

I suspect that water you are getting is from the nearby lake coming through the porous soil. You could verify that by comparing the water level in the pit with the water level in the lake.

If the water in the lake is higher or the same as in the pit, then you are getting water from the lake.

If the water level in the pit is higher, then it is being fed by a higher elevation source.

If it is lake water you want to be sure that your collector is below the lowest seasonal level of the lake.

If it is lake water, you will be getting untreated water and you may want to consider filtration and disinfection. The filtration effect from 20 ft of porous gravel is not reliable.

 

[Mike Swearingen]

I agree with Bob in that I believe that you're getting lake water.
If it were me, I would just push down ("drive") a new shallow well with your backhoe, which should be no more than 25' from end of point to pump.
You need a 5' well point, three 5' X 1.25" galvanized joints, a Schedule 80 1.25" collar for driving, and several regular galvanized collars, a galv. T and plug, and 1.25" line of your choice (I use PVC, but I'm in NC) from the well pipe T to the surface pump and pump to house.
Screw the heavy-duty black iron collar on the point and push it down with the backhoe. Remove the HD collar, wrap 2-3 flat wraps of teflon tape clockwise only around the threads of the point, screw on a regular galv. collar, and tighten it as much as possible. Then screw in the next joint of pipe (teflon tape on threads), put the HD collar on top, and push it down, etc.
The depth should give you much better ground filtration.
Check out these two excellent tutorials on wells and pumps:
www.peekspump.com
www.jessstryker.com
Good Luck!
Mike

 

[Raucina]

Do you really succeed in pushing 25 feet of pipe into the ground? -without pounding or impact? I have a little 48,000 pound "backhoe" that might push something into the ground 3 or 5 feet on a lucky, wet day, but the next stick would fold up like a coathanger. Or if it were a big enough pipe, stand the machine on end. Also backhoe or excavators dont have any straight line defined up and down motions, so you would have to have a great sense of geometry and fancy hands on the stick. I could only envision the hoe providing down pressure while jetting. If its sand all the way in, why not dig the hole - most extend a hoes will dig 20-28' , drop a 8 or 12" screen and pipe and finish with a high capacity well that will take a submersible pump....

 

[Jadnashua]

Raucina...his hole filled up with water when he was 4' down...kind of hard to dig a hole under those conditions.

 

[Raucina]

Well, if the walls of the hole do not collapse, it just means digging blind and moving a little bit more weight. Not much of a problem really. The water fill should help support the sidewalls . I have done this in a riverbed for an irrigation pick-up scheme.

 

[Speedbump]

I'm not in favor of the backhoe idea either. I just don't see it working. I've banged in a lot of 1-1/4" wells in my younger days and pushing just wouldn't work unless the ground below were nothing but blue clay. But there is no water in clay so what's the use.

bob...

 

[TomKat]

I tried to dig deeper with the back hoe and the walls of the hole kept falling in, because of the water coming into the hole. I think I will drive my point down another 5 feet. That will give me about 11 feet total depth.
Now do you think I will have any problems with 45 degree elbows from the top of the pipe to the pump? Is is possible to lay the driven point on its side horizontally and still draw water? Will I need to put a check valve at the pump or at the well point?
Thanks for all your information so far. It has been a real help.
TomKat

 

[Speedbump]

This sand that is caving in is not water bearing strata that will make for a good supply of water. You will need to go deeper.

bob...