Sometimes, after you’ve been living in your home for a while, your well may begin to produce less water, or even fail to produce at all. While it’s a concern, it is not always necessary to abandon the well and install a new one. A professional contractor can often perform well rehabilitation to restore the water flow to provide more than enough safe water for the needs of the household.

A contractor will examine several factors to determine if well rehabilitation is a possibility. These include the ground formation that the well is drilled into, the well’s construction as well as the problem that caused the restricted flow. Sometimes the water table has simply dropped due to drought or changes in the underlying geology. Drilling deeper into the existing well can provide the fix.

Answers to Questions on Well Rehabilitation

How can you determine if well rehabilitation can work?

Skillings & Sons will do tests to determine if rehabilitation is an option. The well will be shut down for 24 – 48 hours to determine if water levels return or get near to normal. If so, well rehabilitation may be an option. Your contractor may also lower a camera into your well to see if there are any other concerns.

What are some reasons for lower water supply?

Along with reduced water tables due to drought or other weather conditions, there can be other reasons. Clogging of holes along the well’s casing, or buildup forming on the well screens are two of the most common problems. Calcium carbonate, silt, bacteria, clay or sediment deposits can clog your well.

What methods are used for well rehabilitation?

There are two methods typically employed. The first uses chemicals to dissolve and encrusting materials forming on the screens, which are then pumped from the well. The second consists of cleaning the well with a brush attached to a drilling rig. A new option consists of high-pressure jetting, hydrofracking and surging, which are methods of injecting high-pressure water into the well. Contractors will often use some combination of these methods.

What are high-pressure jetting, hydrofracking and well surging?

High-pressure jetting uses a tool with an adjustable multi-head water jet that lowers into the well dislodging debris.

Hydrofracking uses high-pressure water sent into the full well. The water not only removes debris but can also open new fissures allowing new water sources to replenish your well. Surging is pretty much what it sounds like. Water is repeatedly injected into the well and the flushed out. With repeated applications, the debris is washed away.

What chemicals are used to improve well water flow and are they safe?

For slime and iron bacteria, a liquid bacteria acid is added and proven effective. For clogs caused by scale, sulfamic acids are used with inhibitors and modifiers. If the bacteria problem persists, stronger chemicals like muriatic acid are introduced. These chemicals are placed in the well and agitated for 24 to 72 hours. The well is then pumped and tested to ensure the safe removal of the chemical agents.

Well rehabilitation is a possible solution that will save you money over drilling a new well. If you have a low flow problem, call us. The water well experts at Skillings & Sons will help you to diagnose if well rehabilitation is a possibility and can do the work to get your water supply back to normal. If you are having issues with low water flow, we can arrange an inspection to determine the cause and outline a solution for you. Your family’s health and safety depend on your water supply.