How Deep Should You Drill Your Well to Find Water for Residential Use?
Here at Boylan Water Well Service and Supply we often get asked the question “when drilling a water well how deep do you have to go?”
Here are the factors that go into that answer.
How deep you will have to drill for your well depends on many factors. The primary factor is the water levels and geology of where you live. Well drilling contractors like Boylan Water Well Service and Supply use experience, educate guessing, and know what the water levels are like in your area to get a good idea of how deep to drill to hit water in the Santa Fe, NM area.
Because the depth of the well can greatly change the cost of your well. You want to make sure you hire a company that knows what they are doing to give you an accurate estimate.
Water for your well comes from aquifers underground. An aquifer is just our term for pockets of water that are at varying levels underground. Most residential wells are 6 inches in diameter and have a six-inch casing (liner) installed down the hole. The casing is used to prevent surface water and sand from getting into your well. Most drillers will also install a seal where the casing enters the ground, creating a water-proof seal. You will see on top of the ground the casing sticking out about 12 inches.
Water in Santa Fe, NM can be found at around 300 feet. But most of our household wells range from about 100 feet deep to around 500 feet deep. Of course, there are always exceptions where wells can be drilled over 1,000 feet deep.
But—
Since most water well drilling companies charge by the foot when drilling for water. The depth is what determines your basic cost. Now the company drilling your well can give you an idea of how deep you will need to by looking at your property and knowing the average depths of wells in your area. They will take into consideration the geology of your property and many other factors.
If we hit adequate water on the first drill and it flows strong enough to support your family’s needs, we can normally stop the drill and install a pump. If we haven’t found enough water, we will continue to drill deeper until we find water.
Water quality can be another concern, and this also depends on the geology and water table your neighborhood sits on. But to remember, the deeper you water well, the higher chance you will have minerals in your water. Minerals in your water aren’t necessarily a bad thing. It just means that you will most likely need to install a water softener on your well system.
Just like with any plumbing project, when you factor in well drilling. You should budget yourself for a few days to get the work done. It normally takes about a day to drill your well. And another day or two to install your pump.
If you have any questions on water well depth, drilling a water well, or locating a water well. Give Boylan Water Well Service and Supply a call and ask for one of our well water drilling experts.