Well Not Producing Water After Tank Installation

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Tuck

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We just bought a home on a low-flow well. The previous owners said they got about 1 gallon/minute out of the well, so we arranged for storage tanks to be installed so we could use water normally. When we moved in, the pressure gauge on our pressure tank read about 60 psi. We could shower, run the washing machine, etc. We did find we couldn't fill the tub and run the washing machine at the same time, as the water shut off while filling the tub. However, we stopped everything, and about an hour later, we were able to re-fill the tub just fine.

A few days later, a plumber came to install the storage tanks, and during the installation, he told us there was an issue, and our pressure was dropping, and not recovering. He had put about 40-50 gallons of water into the storage tanks, but our pressure dropped to about 20 psi. We were told to shut off the well pump, and that the well likely needed to recharge. In the morning we turned back on the pump, and it briefly rose to 40 psi, and we were able to use water normally in the morning, but by the afternoon the pressure gauge read below 10 psi, and our faucets wouldn't work.

We've tried adjusting the pressure tank bladder to a lower PSI to ease water flow, we tried keeping the pump off for up to 2 days, and other things suggested by the plumber. The PSI has never rose above 25 psi, and we have not had a consistent water flow since, and it has been almost 2 weeks. What can we do to get our water back?!
 

LLigetfa

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Describe the well and the pump. Is the pump in the well? Size of well casing? Depth to the water surface?
 

Tuck

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Describe the well and the pump. Is the pump in the well? Size of well casing? Depth to the water surface?

Yes, the pump is in the well. 4" well casing. The depth is about 55-60 feet.

The well was built in 1996, but we were told the pump was replaced last year.
 

LLigetfa

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The depth is about 55-60 feet.
Is that the total depth of the well, the depth the pump is set at or the depth to the water surface? Knowing those three numbers, we can calculate how much water is stored in the well casing.

Is there any form of run-dry protection for the pump?

There are a few possible explanations for the low pressure. One is that there is a leak in the pipe. Another is the water level is dropping close to the dead head depth.
 

Reach4

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A few days later, a plumber came to install the storage tanks, and during the installation, he told us there was an issue, and our pressure was dropping, and not recovering.
Are your storage tanks non-pressurized, and you have an above-ground pump to provide water pressure to the house?

Maybe post a photo showing the pipe from the well to the tanks, and the water pipe to the house, and the stuff in between.
 

Tuck

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Is that the total depth of the well, the depth the pump is set at or the depth to the water surface? Knowing those three numbers, we can calculate how much water is stored in the well casing.

Is there any form of run-dry protection for the pump?

There are a few possible explanations for the low pressure. One is that there is a leak in the pipe. Another is the water level is dropping close to the dead head depth.

Yes, that's the total depth of the well. I don't know the other depths unfortunately.

There's no form of run dry protection, it was going to be installed after the tanks were set up but they never got that far.
 

Tuck

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Are your storage tanks non-pressurized, and you have an above-ground pump to provide water pressure to the house?

Maybe post a photo showing the pipe from the well to the tanks, and the water pipe to the house, and the stuff in between.

The installation of the storage tanks was not finished. They're non-pressurized, and another pump was going to be installed to fill them. However, they didn't even finish fully attaching the tanks to the plumbing. He was filling the tanks with a hose from the bib near the pressure tank.

I can provide pictures when we are back at the property. We have a 2 year old so we are staying elsewhere until this is fixed.
 
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