The well was drilled in 1970 and used a jet pump. It was abandoned around 20+ years ago when the county forced everyone to switch to municipal water. I know nothing about jet pumps and tried to revive it for use as an irrigation well, as I figured that it would be easier then sinking a sand point and running a shallow well pump, as the municipal water pressure is not good here. I bought a 3/4 hp convertible jet pump and hooked it up, but couldn't get it to flow from the well. I ended up pulling the old well drop pipe ( 1.25" steel pipe, with a ejector/packer/venturi on the end ), out. Unfortunately the PVC pipe ( 1" ? ) on the end broke off and fell back into the well casing. According to the county records, the well is 115' deep, with a 48' deep casing. The water level was listed at 13' deep in 1970. I dropped a hose down and there's water around 42' ish feet. Since I don't know anything about 2" wells, I expected the water level to be much closer to the surface. I'd like to try to get the well working for watering the landscaping, but I don't want to put much more money into it. I was thinking of trying to reuse the old ejector/packer/venturi, if I can get it off the old steel drop pipe. I don't want to use the old steel pipe if PVC will work. I'd need new leathers and a rubber seal, as those are gone. Is that possible and feasible? The reason for wanting the irrigation well is municipal water is expensive here, due to it being tied into the sewer fees and since the county is having issues supplying water due to the crazy growth here, they chlorinate it excessively.
Converting an old 2" Florida water well into an irrigation well
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WorthFlorida
Clinical Trail on a Cancer Drug Started 1/31/24. ☹
With water at around 42 feet deep, a submersible pump would be better. Jet pumps for irrigation is not very efficient, and a pressure tank is not needed for an irrigation system. A jet pump sends about 50% of the water down to the jet to create a venturi effect and then the second pipe is used for the suction. Plenty of info on line how jet pumps works. You cannot draw water more than from 32 feet down unless it is a submersible pump or the jet itself (convertible) is below the water level. Most pumps will have charts on gallons per hour with depth vs pressure.
Problem with this well is you do not know its condition to provide water. The listed water level in 1970 was the hydrostatic level. S. Florida it gets pushed up to about 5'. If you're at 42' now possible the water table has dropped. If you have a water level at 20 feet or less, you can use an above ground irrigation pump. Another is the part that fell down the well. You do not know at what level it is at
Don't throw money around with pumps until you have the well checked out. You'll need to get a well drill company out to do it. Shallow wells with sand points can also be a hit and miss. Usually it may take several points to get the water flow needed. Depending where you are, shallow wells may have a high level of iron and you'll have rust stains. My well in my last home in Palm Beach County, very similar, the casing when about 48 feet then didn't hit water until 83 feet, At that level no iron but it was sulfur water with the stink the the hydro static pressure had water welI above 20 ft. I mainly watered during the night hours. It was less costly than irrigating with city water.
Problem with this well is you do not know its condition to provide water. The listed water level in 1970 was the hydrostatic level. S. Florida it gets pushed up to about 5'. If you're at 42' now possible the water table has dropped. If you have a water level at 20 feet or less, you can use an above ground irrigation pump. Another is the part that fell down the well. You do not know at what level it is at
Don't throw money around with pumps until you have the well checked out. You'll need to get a well drill company out to do it. Shallow wells with sand points can also be a hit and miss. Usually it may take several points to get the water flow needed. Depending where you are, shallow wells may have a high level of iron and you'll have rust stains. My well in my last home in Palm Beach County, very similar, the casing when about 48 feet then didn't hit water until 83 feet, At that level no iron but it was sulfur water with the stink the the hydro static pressure had water welI above 20 ft. I mainly watered during the night hours. It was less costly than irrigating with city water.
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I don't think the water table is too low here ( Sarasota ) because there's a few mosquito ponds close by.
I was under the impression that a 2" submersible pump isn't practical, or do you mean to use it as a lift pump in addition to the new 3/4 hp convertible pump I have now? The well is 2", not a 4" one.
I'm wondering if I should just clean up/sand blast the old ejector/jet unit, try to find new seals for it and drop it down with a new foot valve at the end and see what happens?
WorthFlorida
Clinical Trail on a Cancer Drug Started 1/31/24. ☹
Any kind of pump can be used for irrigation. I worked at my church before retirement and there was a 7.5 HP submersible pump for irrigation. It feed a 3" pipe looped around the 12 acres with 24 zones.
A submersible will not fit in 2" casing. You are limited to a deep well jet pump.
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