The Process of Drilling a Domestic Water Well— A Step-by-Step Guide

So you’re thinking about getting a water well drilled on your property? Smart move! Having access to your own water supply just steps from your home offers a ton of benefits. Water well drilling is complicated.

But where do you start?

Chances are, you have a bazillion questions about the process racing through your mind right now:

• How do I know where to drill the well?
• What kind of equipment is needed?
• How long does it take?
• What’s involved in getting the water to my house?

Totally understandable! Drilling a well is complicated business.

That’s why I’m breaking down the full process for you step-by-step in this post. Let’s dive in!

Step 1: Pick the Perfect Spot

The first step seems simple enough: just go outside and pick where you want the well, right?

Not so fast. Choosing the site for your well involves a bit more thought.

You’ll need to consider three key factors:

Finding a Good Water Source

First things first—you gotta locate water!

An experienced well driller will survey your land using special techniques to find aquifers (regions of soil and rock saturated with groundwater).

They’ll look for an area with plenty of water flowing through to supply your household. No one wants a trickle when they turn on the faucet!

Following the Local Rules

Like most projects, there are usually rules about building a well. (I know, bummer.)

But the regulations exist for good reason—to keep your family and neighbors safe and healthy!

Your area may have laws about:

• How far away your well should be from septic tanks, farms, fuel tanks, etc. Gotta avoid contamination!
• Minimum distance from your own and neighboring properties. Let’s play nice with the Joneses!
• Required well depth and construction methods. Varies depending on location.

Leave it to the pros to handle the permits and red tape for you.

Picking an Accessible Spot

When selecting the exact location, try to find a spot that’s:

• In your yard reasonably close to your home
• On relatively flat ground that heavy equipment can drive on
• Free of trees and bushes that need clearing

Your driller will help pick a location that checks all the boxes—legal, accessible, and promising solid water flow.

Step 2: Clear the Area and Get Ready

You’ve got your prime drill site locked down. What’s next?

Time to prep the space so that when the well drilling team shows up, it’s smooth sailing.

Here’s what needs to happen:

Clear the Space

Designate a wide open work area, roughly 20×20 feet surrounding where the hole will be drilled.

Remove any trees, structures, fences or other obstacles so the pros have room to work safely when maneuvering heavy machinery and pipe.

Assemble Equipment and Gear

Drilling a well requires some heavy-duty specialized equipment, like:

• One big drilling rig to dig the actual hole in the ground
• Strong drill pipe to connect and drive into the earth
• Pumps and other tools to penetrate the surface
• Steel or PVC casing to line the inside of the well opening
• Trucks to haul it all in!

Let the company you hired handle delivering the pro-grade materials and tools needed to get the job done right.

Step 3: Start Drilling!

The fun part! (Well, fun might be a stretch—more like loud, grinding work.)

Your contractor will use the rig to start drilling straight down into the ground at your selected spot.

There are different methods they might use to dig the hole, such as:

• Rotary drilling: A fast approach using a rotating drill bit to chew through rock.
• Cable tool drilling: Lifting and dropping a heavy chisel tool to steadily chip away at the earth.

Either way, it takes patience and experience to carefully drill down hundreds of feet through all the layers of soil, clay, and bedrock until they hit the sweet spot: the water source.

Step 4: Install the Well Casing

Once they’ve drilled down deep enough to access the aquifer with good water flow, it’s time to insert the well casing.

This casing provides structure so the hole doesn’t collapse in on itself. Kind of important!

It also prevents contaminants from seeping into your water supply.

The casing is made up of stainless steel or plastic piping, lowered down the open well hole in sections and joined together to line the inside from top to bottom.

At the very bottom, a screened portion lets water flow in while keeping out sediment and grit. This keeps your water clear and pleasant to drink. Ah, refreshing!

Step 5: Develop the Well

Almost there! Now that the casing is fully in place, the well needs to be “developed.”

Developing a well involves circulating water to flush out fine sediment. This loosens any particles stuck in the well or surrounding gravel pack so you end up with nice and clean water flow.

Your contractor may develop the well using methods like:

• Surging: Quickly raising and lowering a plunger inside the well casing to agitate stuff.
• Pumping: Extracting water rapidly to whisk away debris.
• Airlift swabbing: Blasting air bubbles to stir and lift particles to the surface.

After some TLC, you’ll have a smoothly functioning well!

Step 6: Install the Pump and Piping

Moving along! The final step is connecting your shiny new well to your home’s plumbing system.

Your contractor will take care of selecting, sizing, and installing the right pump model and electrical equipment to match your water usage needs.

Choices usually include:

• Submersible pump: Installed underwater inside the well. Good for deep wells.
• Jet pump: Located above ground and uses pressure to draw water up. Best for shallow wells.

Discharge pipes carry water from the wellhead into your home’s existing water lines and pressure tank. And voila, water on demand!

Step 7: Test and Disinfect the Well

Before enjoying a nice cold glass of well water, there are two very important tasks left:

Disinfect the Well

It’s critical to sanitize the well before using to eliminate nasty bacteria. Your contractor will handle properly disinfecting it for you.

After a solid sanitizing, they’ll flush it out good to prevent any unpleasant tastes.

Test the Water

Finally, have a certified lab run detailed tests on the water quality. This confirms it’s safe for your family to drink, bathe in, and enjoy.

Tests check for common contaminants, minerals, bacteria and more. Peace of mind in every drop!

Step 8: Maintain Your Well

Congratulations—your very own water well is complete! Time to reap the benefits of an ultra-convenient water source.

To keep your well running strong for many years, be sure to:

• Have a pro inspect it annually to catch any issues early.
• Avoid potential contaminants like chemicals/waste near the well. Safety first!
• Retest the water quality every year or so. Just to be super sure all is well (see what I did there?).

With proper care and maintenance, you’ll stay high and dry with fresh water on tap!

Let the Water Flow

Well, there you have it—the full scoop from start to finish on what it takes to drill your own domestic water well.

As you can see, the process involves careful planning, heavy-duty equipment, and professional expertise (best left to the pros!).

But the investment is totally worthwhile for the convenience and security of having your own private well.

Ready to get the ball rolling on your new water supply? Reach out to reputable well drilling companies in your area to discuss options and request quotes.