[nates90]

Hello,
I live in Iowa were the past 2 years have been pretty dry. I went up to the well last night and turned it on to start filling up the cistern. I normally can start hearing water going in after a few seconds, but I didnt hear anything. I put my hand on the PVC coming out of the well and noticed that you could feel the vibration of the well motor. I checked to see if it was getting the full 240V and it was. So I decided to pull the well pump up about 6" and stick my garden hose down to see if the well pump will pump that water back up. I let it sit for about 30 seconds or so and the pump started bringing the garden hose water back up. So, my best guess is the well went dry. This farm has been in the family for 100 plus years and my grandma said the orginally well was put in the 1930s. I also dropped a small rock down the well and heard a splash sound....So, I dont know what the deal is. Any help would be great. Thanks.

 

[md2lgyk]

If you heard a splash when you dropped the rock, the well isn't dry. The water level has probably just sunk below the level of the pump. How deep is the well? How far down is the pump? You may be able to lower the pump if it isn't already too close to the bottom of the well.

 

[nates90]

It took roughly 4.5 secounds for the rock to drop and hit the water. So from my calculations, it is 200-250 feet

 

[DexterII]

It could be something as simple as a worn out impeller, a broken coupler between the pump and motor, or a hole in the drop pipe. Regardless, it's probably deeper than you want to pull without a rig, so it's probably time to call a local well driller.

 

[nates90]

I know it isnt the pump or impeller or the pipe because i put water down the well with a garden hose and it pumped that water back up.

 

[Bondo]

I know it isnt the pump or impeller or the pipe because i put water down the well with a garden hose and it pumped that water back up.

Ayuh,.... You raised the pump 6"s, so try lowerin' it...

 

[nates90]

I was looking around on the web, do any of you think I could have a bacteria problem in my well. I know there hasnt been bleech dumped down it in ages. I know my water yield isnt the best either before all this happened.

 

[DexterII]

I know it isnt the pump or impeller or the pipe because i put water down the well with a garden hose and it pumped that water back up.

Yeah, sorry about that; I did read what you said about it pumping the water from your hose back up, but then forgot. Another thought comes to mind in regard to that though; wondering if maybe the sceen is plugged, and if maybe you washed some of the grit away when you raised the pump and ran water down there.

In regard to bacteria, I suppose that anything is possible, but I have never seen or heard of that alone preventing a pump from operating.

 

[md2lgyk]

Do you know the recharge rate of your well? Perhaps you simply ran it dry and it will eventually recover. Your local Health Department should have all the paperwork filed when the well was drilled (at least that's the way it works where I live). As for bacteria, most locations require a new well to at least be tested for E-Coli. That should be on file also.

 

[natspawpaw]

It took roughly 4.5 secounds for the rock to drop and hit the water. So from my calculations, it is 200-250 feet

Tie a heavy washer to string and drop into well. When string goes slack you have reached the bottom of the well. Pull string out and measure the length of wet string and you will know how deep the water level in your well is. Cotton string works best or you can use "chalk line" on the end of your string.

 

[nates90]

I took the well out and the well goes down 87'. The pump was at 85' and the water level is at 67 feet. I talked to an old well driller from the area and he said that the old steel casing that they put in back then didnt have perferations in the casing, it was just open in the bottom. So he said most likely the pump is just worn out. He also said not to get it cleaned because the casing could be on its last leg and fall apart.

 

[DangerMouse]

It could also be as simple as a leaking check valve. Much more common than you might think!

DM