Well or City Water?

[MEKer]

1.What are the pros and cons?
2.Minimum acceptable well flow?
3.Dangers vs benefits (other than obvious dry well)?
4.Tips on well usage?

Looking at a great house but its on a well. Scares me a bit. Yes, I'll contact prior owner.

[Diogenes]

I had a well when I lived in Georgia. I liked the taste of the water and the fact that it wasn't tainted with chlorine and flouride.

On the downside I had to test my water several times a year to make sure nothing was leaching into it... the drillers used a diviner and they tapped into a gushing vein at ~100ft, very close to the surface and there was a working cattle farm next door. Also because of the flow rate I had to install a large sediment filter/trap. I would trap about 3 lbs of sediment a month.

I'm now living in the city and rely on city water. I don't like it as much as well water even although I have a dedicated tap for drinking/cooking water that runs through activated charcoal filters.

[NS2A]

It'll darken or orange your hair a bit.

[ryano]

I'm certainly no expert but I can throw out some of my experiences.

I bought a house with well about 8 years ago. My first well.

Some of the cons:

No electricity, no water. This was one of the main reasons I picked up a generator.

Poor water quality can be an issue, you'll need to have it tested regularly especially if you're going to drink it. Some people have all kinds of issues and have to spend big bucks on systems to make the water usable. I just replaced my hot water coil due to calcium build up, ouch.

The system is all yours (can be a pro, maybe). So when something goes wrong you get to pay for the repair :-). I had my electrical wire to the pump short out, not cheap to fix.

Like you said pressure can be a problem but they have systems for that too ($$). I'm not positive here but 5 gallons per minute is around the low end me thinks. Obviously more is better.

A dry well scares me too. I know I stopped using my sprinklers when I figured out how much water I was really using and I let pee hang out in the toilet for a few rounds before flushing :-).

Of course I may be sharing the same under ground supply as my neighbors (I think it is unlikely, but...) who use lots O water. So my efforts may be in vain. I've heard of wells going dry but it seems pretty uncommon.

All in all, water just wasn't something I worried about until I got a well. Now it is a concern. I'm not overly worried but it is one more system you have to maintain.

Personally, I wouldn't let the well be a deal breaker if you really want the house. Provided there are no glaring issues.

Good luck and hth.

Originally Posted by MEKer

1.What are the pros and cons?
2.Minimum acceptable well flow?
3.Dangers vs benefits (other than obvious dry well)?
4.Tips on well usage?

Looking at a great house but its on a well. Scares me a bit. Yes, I'll contact prior owner.

[rhino333]

I lived in the city most of my life but for the past 12 years in the country and use well water.

• As stated by others, I, too, prefer the taste of well water. No flouride, chlorine, etc.
• Depending on the water, you many need to adjust for hardness/softness. I have very hard water (lots of iron), so I put in water filtration system. Mine is Culligan, but there are many to choose from.
• Water with lots of iron in it WILL turn things orange. Another reason for a water filtration system.
• The flow from my well is 30 PSI which I find acceptable (not eceptional) for my needs.
• No water bill to pay is a plus.
• Monitoring and maintaining the filtration system is not bad. You can do it or pay for a service to do it.

I work in the city and just can't drink the water here anymore. I taste the difference.

[Diogenes]

ryano has several valid points concerning well water. Something that I installed was a captive air water tank... I think mine was about 90 gallons. It helped store water under pressure so that there were minimal fluctuations in pressure when more than one water source was on (such as taking a shower while the washing machine was on) and even if the electricity went out, I still had some water at my disposal if it was really needed.

[ryano]

Originally Posted by rhino333

[*]No water bill to pay is a plus.

Good pro, I forgot about this. I lived in a condo prior to buying the house so the water was covered in the condo fees.

Depending where you live people pay some bucks for water. I was shocked when people told me what they pay for water.

[MEKer]

wow------lots of good info---as usual on TB! Thanks for the replies so far. I now know to ask about several more things on the well. Muchas Gracias.

[Chebass88]

I worked in water treatment in my previous job, making household water filter systems. Here are a couple of thoughts:

1. Pressure - it is only as good as your well pump. Sizing a pump is a problem of flow rate and desired pressure. In general, bigger pumps (more flow rate and/or pressure) mean higher energy consumption.

Most residential treatment products (under the sink filters, in-line filter units, etc.) are designed for a pressure drop (the difference between the inlet pressure and outlet pressure) of 15psi or less. So, make sure you have more than 15psi. Also, if you string a couple of filters together, you might lose pressure and require a pump with greater capacity.

2. Hardness - you may (or may not) require a softener. Be wary of the water "dealers" and their pitches. Their primary goal is to convince you to purchase the biggest softener there is - you might not need it.

3. Ground water contaminants - HAVE YOUR WATER TESTED FOR HEAVY METALS!!!. Specifically, arsenic and lead (and other ones). There are treatment methods to remove these contaminants. Most are sorbent-based technologies, with some ion-exchange techniques also. Plenty of information about arsenic & lead poisoning and treatment methods.

Best of luck!

Chebass88

[Jonyak]

I love my well.

We have an iron remover, a water softener and a pressure tank.

The water tastes so good, much better than city water.

We do get it tested once a year.

We have no sediment in ours which is nice.

As other have said, it takes a little more upkeep, but you are not paying for water services.

Ours has never gone dry, not once. in fact it overflowed a couple times.

Also... no power no water, well you will have water until your pressure tank drains. So for us, we end up having a few gallons once the power has gone off.


I like the fact that I am self sufficient for water.

[Phalex]

Depending on where you live city water can be a good thing. (I live within easy driving distance of 20% of the earths fresh surface water.) I'd rate the city of Grand Rapids MI city water as excellent. Oddly enough, on the other side of the state, the city of Flint's water is horrible.

Likewise, I know people with well water that is awesome. I also know people with well water that smells like sulfur when you take a shower. (Maybe it's just better at washing the evil off?)

[Skitch it!]

Wales has a good record for water, this I found v. interesting, it's got to be the way forward if you can do it surely.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8387449.stm

[Relic]

We bought a house with well-water. I'd rather have public to be honest...less of a pain in the arse, but all things considered, it's a trade off. I'd rather have a nice house supplied by well water, than a crappy house with public water.

[Jonyak]

Originally Posted by Relic

We bought a house with well-water. I'd rather have public to be honest...less of a pain in the arse, but all things considered, it's a trade off. I'd rather have a nice house supplied by well water, than a crappy house with public water.

I always hear people tell me its a pain to have a well.

but in the last three years, the only things I have had to do with my well are, refill the watersofteners salt, and get the water tested.

[Relic]

Originally Posted by Jonyak

I always hear people tell me its a pain to have a well.

but in the last three years, the only things I have had to do with my well are, refill the watersofteners salt, and get the water tested.

Well there's the whole lose power/no toilets or sink water, there's the fact that your well may go dry looming in the background (especially if you have a large family and a swimming pool...), there's the fact that if you lose your pump you're screwed.. nothing insurmountable at all, just a lot of stuff that you wouldn't have to worry about with public water. (not that public water is worry-free either, it's just easier to deal with IMO)

[iamlowsound]

If your well is deep enough, there is very little chance that it will ever go dry. Underground water levels are very consistent and refill quickly.

lowsound

[Relic]

Originally Posted by iamlowsound

If your well is deep enough, there is very little chance that it will ever go dry. Underground water levels are very consistent and refill quickly.

lowsound

If a well could go dry, it would be my wife that could do so....

On a serious note though - my next door neighbor's well went dry about 2 months ago and that has kind of got me nervous. It may just be that theirs was not deep enough but it still sits in the back of my mind. (especially with the wife's 20 min + showers..)

[bigblondeafro87]

Has anyone dug and installed their own well? I am interested in learning how to do this once my lease runs out on my current house. The idea that city water contains chemicals which aren't normal in water really puts me off.

How do you find the underground flows? Someone mentioned divining, is that similar to dowsing?

[Phalex]

Originally Posted by bigblondeafro87

Has anyone dug and installed their own well? I am interested in learning how to do this once my lease runs out on my current house. The idea that city water contains chemicals which aren't normal in water really puts me off.

How do you find the underground flows? Someone mentioned divining, is that similar to dowsing?

If you are in an urban type setting, your groundwater is probably contaminated.

[RonGillman3]

Originally Posted by iamlowsound

If your well is deep enough, there is very little chance that it will ever go dry. Underground water levels are very consistent and refill quickly.

lowsound

My parents place has their well 250 ft. below. There is also a lake nearby that is filled with water from Grand Lake and an underground spring that goes right by us, they use a lot of water and haven't run out yet.

Back on topic,
Pros: No need to pay for Water, better tasting (depending if hard or soft), less chemicals (more natural), and not a lot of maintenance.
Cons: If electricity is down no more pump and water pressure, and expensive maintenance.

Thats all I got, I know I probably missed some Cons but I haven't seen many Cons with well water and well equipment.