Community Well for one house question.

[Christi S]

We just bought this house a couple years ago and at the time there were 4 houses all sharing a well. Since then, due to constant flooding from the river, fema has purchased all but our home. They cut the water, tore down the homes and donated them to the park district who wants nothing to do with the well. We came home from work shortly after they tore down the first home to find our lines have sprung a leak somewhere between the well and our home. Never could figure out if it was simply coincidence or they damaged it somehow during the demolition of the home but we hired a digger to come out, locate and repair the break. Since then, we've been chasing leaks in the pluming pretty regularly. Our digger gave up on us after the 5th repair and told us to get a pump man. We're clueless on how to go about doing that, one would think a digger would need a pump man and vice-versa.

My question, if this pumps set to deliver water to 4 houses within a 1 block span and now it's only delivering water to 1 house... is it possible the pressure's set too high? Keep in mind, prior to the other home's being leveled we had the worst water pressure possible. Now, I can barely hold the hose if I'm watering my plants. Also, the pumps constantly running, but I'm told this is likely because of the leak.

Any help would be appreciated and what kind of professional do I hire to repair it?

 

[Reach4]

Are you only looking for what kind of pro to get?

You might want to consider providing some more info. These come to mind.

1. Who owns the well now?
2. How does power get to the well?
3. How far is the well from your house?
4. What is the water pressure at your house? You can get a pressure gauge with a garden hose thread pretty inexpensively.
5. Any thought of doing part of this yourself? For example, if the pressure is high, that may be easy to turn down.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Christi S]

Are you only looking for what kind of pro to get?

You might want to consider providing some more info. These come to mind.

1. Who owns the well now?
2. How does power get to the well?
3. How far is the well from your house?
4. What is the water pressure at your house? You can get a pressure gauge with a garden hose thread pretty inexpensively.
5. Any thought of doing part of this yourself? For example, if the pressure is high, that may be easy to turn down.

I'd do all of it if I knew how.

As for "who owns it"? I assume it's still owned by the community. I know I put a healthy chunk of money in it replacing the tank last year. The power's being paid for by us alone. It's still on a business acct, but I hope to have an electrician run the line directly to our home. We've always been the closest home to the pump (hence the reason we never understood why we got the worst pressure) but the well is actually located on an adjacent lot. I suppose I've always assumed there's some sort of easement allowing us access to the well since it's been community owned for a very long time now.

I can't remember what the pressure is exactly but my husband said he thought our digger said it's at 100 or higher.

 

[Christi S]

... oh, and it's rare I can afford a pro so if I can figure it out on my own I'm willing to try.

 

[Reach4]

Do you have access to the pump house? If so, post a photo that includes the pressure switch, the pressure tank, and the pressure gauge.

If you don't have access, what would it take to get access?

Also, how far is it from your house to the pump house?

Running a new polyethylene pipe may be the best way to get water to your house leak-free. That could probably done together to running power.

 

[Christi S]

I'll try to get a picture of it tomorrow when it's daylight. I could guess maybe 100 ft to get there. I always have access to the lot, it's kind of like a big park over here. No fencing or anything. I think it was the pressure switch we just had to replace. The guy who repaired the last leak did that, then felt bad it didn't fix it. The tubing he's replacing it with looks a bit flimsy to me. I would have thought it'd be pretty solid, like PVC but it looks a bit rubbery to me. Or at least the replacement or patch thing did.

 

[Reach4]

Also take a picture of the label on the control box. I expect there is one.

Also, don't forget to get a pressure gauge.

https://www.menards.com/main/outdoo...essure-gauge/91130/p-1444450344520-c-8652.htm

 

[Christi S]

My husband told me that we can't get you a picture of the pressure tank because it's about 10 feet in the ground. We've got a well head and a electrical pump box and that's it. The electric comes off a pole on the eastern side of the empty lot where the well is, our home's on the south side of the lot directly adjacent to the well. The distance to my house and the pole where the electric is fairly equal. He'll get a picture for me to post and message it over to me.

 

[Valveman]

it's about 10 feet in the ground.

Where is your pressure switch and what pressure does it start and stop the pump?

 

[Christi S]

He told me they said the pressure switch was in the well. This is the only thing we know of, so I'm posting what we can see.

I hope this works

 

[Christi S]

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1nprjN3ysZ-PoM10BvUNzceEhyijchmf7/view?usp=sharing https://drive.google.com/file/d/1kfx7_kDjA6CCrZmI1CcjJWmmtia2Ly0u/view?usp=sharing

Since that didn't work I put them on my google drive. Try this

 

[Reach4]

I see the photos of your casing and control box. The control box may have some label that would indicate the horsepower of the pump motor. Your well has a pitless adapter that is below the frost line.

Look around for an access cover of some sort. There could be a pit that is covered.

On the other hand, the pressure tank could be buried in sand and dirt, and the pressure switch could be in the casing.

Pressure gauge?

 

[Valveman]

Put a test pressure gauge on that frost free hydrant and make note of the on and off pressure settings.

 

[Christi S]

Sorry, I'm having internet issues. They said they're upgrading.

The pressure tank is definitely buried. We watched them dig it up last year to replace it. It's under dirt. My husband posted the only things that are above ground. It was my understanding that helped to insulate it. He said he'd try to take the cover off the box tomorrow and get you pictures inside that little box out there. Maybe this pressure on/off settings are inside there.

 

[Reach4]

The pressure settings are not in the box. The pressure indications are on the gauge that you are going to buy. Probably in stock at Menards.
https://www.menards.com/main/outdoo...20-c-8652.htm?tid=5666467971204661153&ipos=14