Stupid question about wells

[beelbill]

Ok, stupid question from a city boy who is buying a farm. The property has what looks like an old well which has been filled in with big rocks. How hard is it to open an old well like that? Does anyone have any experience digging old style wells by hand? How deep do they go? Does the water just filter into the holes through the dirt of the sides or do you go down until you hit a water table where water gushes into the well? Are they just dirt sided or do they have rocks all the way down? Are they dependable for all year round? Do they require maintainence?

[just me]

A lot depends on where you are.

We have a hand dug well that is only 35 ft deep and produces year round..... except in a drought. We had a drought several years ago and would run the well dry trying to pump water for the cattle. We hauled water from the city well that year (it was deeper).

I don't know about re-opening an old well - the sides might not be in the best shape and you don't want it caving in on you.

[bbwx]

..and you don't know how deep it is or how far you would have to go down to hit the static water level. You might check with some well drillers in the area and have them take a look at it for you to give you a few ideas.

[Belle]

Also, if you get it cleaned out, and are planning on drinking it, have it tested. We filled ours in because it was tainted. They told me not to even get it on my skin.

[Timex1954]

There is an old well here on this property too. The water is approximately 35-feet from the surface. The water isn't necessarily the kind folks would line up to get bottled because the iron content is too high. However, if TSHTF you can bet it will be better than many other sources.

This well has filled in with sand. I haven't figured out a way to get the sand out without physically entering the well (OMG I am claustrophobic), and I would also worry about the walls of the well collapsing. It would be work, but if I DO need to use this water, there is always the rope and bucket trick. :-D

As far as cleaning the rocks out of your well, you might be able to talk to some of the "old-timers" around there. That's what I will be doing here.

Good luck!

[Indigo]

There may be a very good reason that well had rocks dumped in it so that it couldn't be used. Please do take get it tested, as was already suggested. Having had an old farm, I can attest to the wisdom of getting old wells tested. You also don't where where it is in proximity to an old abandoned septic system. The county offices might have old records if you don't have them.

Indigo