Shallow Bored Well Murky

[Mendocino View]

I have an 18‘ deep by 4’ wide bored well with concrete rings 1’ high each by 4’ across. Water lever is about 8’ down. The well is shared with neighbor and recovers at a rate around 5gpm. The neighbor’s water comes out of the spigot clear and ours comes out murky. We each have an exterior single speed pump. The neighbors drop pipe goes all the way to the bottom and then curls up 1’ or so towards the middle of well. Our drop pipe goes down the side and inlet is suspended along side of well around 1’ from bottom. The hook at the bottom of neighbors drop pipe is the only difference vs our set-up. Is the j-hook at end standard set-up for this style well. Any though appreciated.

 

[Reach4]

Your pump should have a flow inducer.

Submersible pumps are not normally recommended to be installed upside down.

How about raising your pump a foot or two?

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Bannerman]

We each have an exterior single speed pump.

The neighbors drop pipe goes all the way to the bottom and then curls up 1’ or so towards the middle of well. Our drop pipe goes down the side and inlet is suspended along side of well around 1’ from bottom.

A jet pump (non submersible pump), will not typically utilize a 'J' shaped pickup tube, but will instead utilize a 'foot valve' within the well. A foot valve is a combination of an inlet screen with a check valve (one way valve) built in.

With your pump inlet located directly beside the well casing, perhaps it is too close to where water is entering the well, so your pump maybe drawing-in sediment that enters with the water, but has not had opportunity to precipitate out from the water to settle at the bottom.

Since your neighbor consistently obtains clear water from the center of the 4' diameter well, maybe you might consider installing a metal bracket across the well as a support, then extend your horizontal suction line so your drop pipe will be suspended near the center, thereby causing your pump to also draw from the center of the well.

Brass Foot Valve: