Why is there not enough water in the well? What to do if there is no water in the well: causes of the problem and possible solutions There is little water in the well what to do

The range of pumping devices is huge, and many of the devices are similar both in terms of the specifics of operation, and in terms of basic characteristics and even appearance. In this case, when solving the problem of obtaining water from a well, when its level is minimal, models with a side branch pipe are of interest.

What is the peculiarity of the Italian brand of the SB AW series, which belongs to the "well pump" category?

The suction pipe of the device is located on the side, in the lower part of the housing. But the liquid enters it through a flexible hose, the end of which floats at the level of the "mirror" of water due to the float fixed on it. That is, it turns out that in fact this is a device with an upper fence. How the problem of lowering the column is solved is understandable.

The filter through which the liquid is sucked in reacts to all its fluctuations in the well, that is, it falls (or rises) with it. Consequently, the water supply, regardless of the degree of fullness of the source, will not be interrupted. Unless it's completely empty. But this is another matter, especially since this does not happen so often; zero debit is an extreme case.

For areas where a well is the only source of water, a decrease in its level is more than an unpleasant event. The design itself is simple, durable, you can build it yourself, but it also has a significant drawback - it is impossible to guarantee uninterrupted water supply. The presence and amount of water in the well depends on many factors: the season, the saturation of the aquifer, the number of hydraulic structures that feed from it. Why is there not enough water in the well and what to do?

Why is there not enough water in the well?

If there is little water in a new well, then very often this is due either to errors in design, construction, or to the wrong time for digging. In the second case, the decrease in water level may be a temporary phenomenon. The height of the water column can vary seasonally within 2 m: in summer it is low, and in spring after the snow melts it is the highest.

The filling of the well depends on the depth of the aquifer, the permeability of the soil, the height of the water column. These characteristics are greatly influenced by the climatic features of the region and the geological conditions of the area.

Even if the well is properly equipped, it is impossible to ensure its stable operation, because. water can disappear not only due to summer fluctuations in the horizon, but also due to a change in the direction of movement of groundwater routes. Another common reason for a decrease in the water level in a well is earthworks in neighboring areas.

Well on the site - scheme

How to correctly "diagnose"

The first thing to do is to talk to neighbors who have dug wells in the same aquifer. If they all say that they have the same problem, then it is quite possible that the change in water level is temporary. It is worth waiting at least a month before making a final decision and acting. Delayed work on deepening can lead to a worsening of the situation.

If a hydraulic structure was built by a company, it makes sense to ask questions to specialist drillers. They usually know the features of the area well and can give useful advice, take over the solution of the problem. Most often, drillers offer to deepen the well. This is an expensive undertaking, it is worth it only if the water has gone completely and does not return for a long time.

Scheme of well designs - perfect, imperfect, with a sump

What to do: build a new well or deepen an old one

The cost of restoring an old structure is not much lower than building a new one. It is impossible to guarantee that water will appear after deepening, so this solution is advisable if:

• there is simply nowhere to place a new building on the site;
• the materials from which the structure is made can last for several more years;
• water quality is satisfactory;
• there are no serious deformations of the column.

When deepening an old well, there is always a risk of removing too much soil. Then the entire structure of concrete rings can sag and finally block the access of water. Another trouble encountered when deepening is quicksand. It can become a problem not only for the water source, but for all buildings on the site.

It is best to consult a professional driller working in the area. If, after inspecting the old well, he advises to dig a new one, it makes sense to listen to the recommendations so as not to spend money on a deliberately unprofitable event.

How to restore the water level

If the owner of the well has neglected preventive measures for a long time, the problem may arise due to the banal contamination of the bottom filter. In this case, it is enough just to clean it. If the well was properly maintained and the filter is in order, then you will have to deepen the shaft.

Cleaning the well and bottom filter

Perhaps water does not enter the well due to a layer of silt, sand, clay on the bottom filter. Sometimes it is enough to clean the filter, and the water flow is restored. The most affordable way is with the help of two pumps: drainage and water lifting. The advantage of this method lies in the minimal preparatory work and the absence of the need to pre-pump the water.

The water pump is lowered to the bottom with a half-meter hose, it pumps water, ensures its intensive movement, due to which the dirt rises from the bottom. As a result, a suspension is formed with sand, debris, silt. Dirty water is pumped out with a drainage pump fixed 30 cm from the bottom.

The outlet hose from the drain pump should be lowered into a volumetric tank or into a pit where it is planned to drain the dirt. The pumps work in turn: first, water, and when the water becomes cloudy, they turn it off, wait 5 minutes and turn on the drainage. To determine how clean the water is, you need to monitor the flow. As soon as the amount of sand is minimal, cleaning can be considered complete. It remains only to fill the bottom with gravel with a layer of 20-30 cm.

Note! When choosing a drainage pump, it is important not to make a mistake with the power of the model. If the productivity of the device is too low, it will not be able to pump the required amount of dirty water, and all efforts will not lead to the desired result.

Cleaning the bottom filter with a drain pump

How to deepen the mine yourself

The structure is deepened with concrete rings of a smaller diameter than those from which the main structure is made, or with plastic pipes. Rings with a diameter of 80 cm and a height of 90-100 cm are well suited. The depth of digging is determined by the geological features of the area and usually does not exceed 3 m. On dense soils, you can deepen the well with an open shaft without a plastic pipe. The depth in a particular area is determined by the level of the formation, the density of the soil, its ability to hold walls, and the influx of water.

Before starting work, water should be pumped out of the well. To do this, use a pump, and if the level is low, then you can get by with ordinary buckets. Then they raise sand, silt, soil. Particular care should be taken to remove the soil from under the lower ring in order to prevent subsidence of the structure. Concrete rings are pre-fastened with special brackets. If the well is located on a quicksand, you need to make sure that the lower ring does not drift to the side, otherwise further work will be greatly complicated.

Important! After pumping out the water, you need to make sure that the atmosphere at the bottom of the well is breathable. It may be contaminated with gases. To check the condition of the air, a lit candle is carefully lowered to the bottom. If it does not go out, then there is enough oxygen.

When excavating, it is necessary to ensure that the entire structure descends evenly, without distortions, to the depth of the excavated soil. Stones and cobblestones are taken out entirely, and if it doesn’t work out, they are crushed with a jackhammer. Sometimes they resort to heating and cooling boulders. Repeated temperature drops destroy the structure of the stone, and it is easier to crush it. The shaft is built up with additional reinforced concrete rings. If the rings do not move down, heavy equipment will have to be used.

Care must be taken when excavating

All work at the bottom of the well is carried out with assistants. Be sure to need insurance and strict adherence to safety regulations, otherwise there is a high probability of an accident. If you do not have the necessary knowledge and skills, it is worth hiring specialists. Works on deepening and complete cleaning of the well shaft require the ability to operate correctly in a limited space with slippery surfaces.

A well is often the only source of drinking water in gardening associations or small communities. And often their inhabitants are faced with the fact that water has left the well.
Sometimes for a while, sometimes forever. Why is this happening and what to do in such a situation?

Causes of dry wells

A dry source is not just a nuisance. If there is no other nearby, this is a real disaster. Because, as a rule, not one, but all or most of the wells in the district dry up. With what it can be connected?

Most often - with a decrease in the level of groundwater, the cause of which can be:

• Carrying out land reclamation works;
• Artificial alteration of the landscape;
• Changing the course of an underground stream;
• Depletion of an aquifer due to dry weather.

The latter circumstance is the most common reason why the water left the well. Moreover, drying out or a significant decrease can be temporary, seasonal.

During the year, periods of maximum and minimum water levels can be distinguished:

• The maxima correspond to seasonal floods and are observed twice - in mid-spring and mid-autumn, when there is active snowmelt or frequent and heavy rains. As a result, the groundwater level rises, and the wells are well filled and quickly restored after pumping.
• The minima occur in the absence of recharge of aquifers from outside and correspond to the end of summer and the end of winter. In the first case, this is due to hot weather and lack of rain, in the second - due to freezing of the soil and the formation of a water-resistant layer on the surface of the earth that does not allow surface water to pass through.

Seasonal drying up or a decrease in the level are temporary phenomena. With the advent of the rainy season, the filling of the well (see) is restored, but this is not a consolation for those who need water here and now, so you have to think about how to fix the situation.

For reference. After a long summer drought in 2010, the groundwater level dropped sharply over vast areas. The result was widespread drying up, the water returned only after a year, and some remained dry.

Other reasons include siltation of the bottom of the well or improper placement of water-lifting equipment (exhaust pump). In the first case, cleaning and flushing can help, in the second, reinstalling the pump. The instruction recommends placing it or the check valve of the lifting station at a distance of 30-50 cm from the bottom.

Where do water problems occur?

The video in this article shows that, as a rule, water is usually scarce in certain places:

• In hilly and mountainous areas.
• Side of steeper bank near rivers.
• A well next to springs, ponds, artesian springs.
• Areas of quarries and large water intakes.
• Places of accumulations of acacias and beeches.
• Poor quality water is found in drained swamps and wetlands.
• The side of the lower bank of the river where there is a high concentration of manganese and iron in the water, even at a remote location that is even a few hundred meters from the shore.

What to do

Even during construction, it must be taken into account that its filling depends on the rate of water inflow and the volume of the well itself. In turn, the filling rate is directly related to the thickness of the aquifer.

Not without reason, in the old days, before digging wells, reconnaissance of the most favorable places was carried out.
It is produced in our time, but with more modern methods and with more accurate results.

There are several options for solving the problem, but first you need to make sure that it makes sense to use them, since in most cases it is much easier to dig a new well than to try to revive the old one.

revision

The first step is to determine why it leaves or why you no longer have enough of its volume. If the cause is contamination, incorrect operation or incorrect position of the pump, it will be easy to eliminate it.

If the neighbors have a similar situation, it means that as a result of drought or other circumstances described above, the aquifer has gone deep, and the well will have to be deepened.

Unfortunately, this work requires huge labor and expenses. The cost of a new well is often much lower than restoring a dry one, so it makes more economic sense to dig a new source of water.

But this is not always possible or may not be desirable for the following reasons:

• Great depth of the aquifer;
• There is no space on the site for new construction;
• The well is in excellent condition and the water is of good quality (there is no guarantee that it will be the same elsewhere).

Then the structure should be reviewed. If the well log house (its underground part) has rotted or squinted, or if the rings have shifted relative to each other by more than 4-5 cm, there is no other way out - you need to look for a place for another source or drill a well.

Note! When deepening, there is a risk of subsidence of the underground part of the structure with overlapping of the aquifer and the risk of hitting the quicksand, which can damage nearby buildings.

Preparatory work

Before starting the main work, it is necessary to prepare:

• Dismantle the above-ground part of the well;
• Pump out water, if any;
• Carefully disconnect and lift the water-lifting equipment;
• Strengthen the walls of the well by installing staples at all seams to prevent deformation and rupture of the column.

After that, it will be time to decide on the method of deepening and whether you will do this difficult work with your own hands or use the services of specialists. The second option is more expensive, but preferable, since experience in this matter is very important, and the presence of special equipment gives more guarantees for success.

Filter cavity

This is the least time-consuming method, which, in principle, consists in drilling a well at the bottom of the well. You will need a pipe with a diameter of 500 mm with a filter at the end. It can be made independently by drilling holes at one end of the pipe and tightening it with a fine-mesh stainless steel mesh.

The finished pipe is installed on the bottom of the well and with the help of a bailer they begin to select soil from it, gradually lowering the filter deeper and deeper until it reaches the aquifer. After that, the bottom is poured with concrete mortar, and pumping equipment is installed on the resulting site.

As a result, you will achieve two goals at once:

• Restore drinking source;
• Get a caisson- an underground chamber in which the air temperature will not fall below zero degrees, even in winter. Of course, subject to the construction of the cover.
  The pump in the caisson will not get wet from precipitation and freeze in winter, providing you with water all year round.

Advice. The caisson can be used as a cellar or storage space for gardening tools, equipment, gas cylinders, etc.

Deepening by digging

The shaft is deepened in various ways and techniques, with the help of plastic pipes, smaller rings, by digging. Deepening takes into account many factors - these are the properties of the soil, and the depth of groundwater, and the ability to hold the walls of the mine without the risk of subsidence.

So:

• The digging deepening technique includes a set of measures similar to the process of digging a well.
• This case involves the complete pumping of water, the descent of a specialist to the bottom of the well, who takes out the soil so that the own weight of the column sets the concrete rings down.
• New rings are installed on top.
• It should be noted the laboriousness of the method, the high risk of work, because the rings could lose their strength, and the shrinkage process can completely destroy them.
• In addition, the work will have to be done at a very high pace so that the settling rings do not warp or pinch.
• Otherwise, the column will not be able to lower and a significant additional amount of work will have to be spent on leveling the verticality of the structure.
• An unpleasant thing happened, and the barrel leaned to the side or went with a screw, the recess is made by smaller rings.
• Another outcome of the case, when sandy soil or quicksand lies at the base of the well, but the trunk has retained its verticality, then a plastic pipe is used again, again with a smaller diameter of 0.9 m.
• When the shaft is bent, the bottom is lowered with a plastic pipe with a diameter of 0.7 m.
• As you can see, various well restoration techniques are not only used individually, but also in combination.

To make sure that the thickness of the reached reservoir is sufficient, the water from the well is pumped out completely or to a certain level and the time it takes for it to reach the norm is noted.

Conclusion

It is best to deepen the well in winter or late autumn, when the groundwater is at its lowest level and in a calm state. This will allow you not to return to such expensive and time-consuming work to restore it. You can get more detailed information by studying the video in this article on this topic.

Why is there no water in the well? Can it be revived? In the article we will try to find answers to these questions and give a number of additional tips for the longest and most trouble-free operation of wells.

Causes

So, the water level in the well dropped catastrophically. At the bottom there is a shallow muddy puddle.

What could be causing this natural disaster?

• Silting. The aquifer, primarily the upper one, does not always carry clean water. Fine sand and clay particles enter the well and gradually settle to the bottom, reducing the height difference between the bottom of the well and the water surface. What is even sadder is that deposits significantly reduce the flow rate of the well, preventing filtration.

By the way: diaphragm pumps with their vibration somewhat accelerate siltation. Centrifugal and surface devices are much more harmless in this regard.

• Seasonal drop in water level. In severe frosts or after a long drought, groundwater often recedes by one or two meters.
• Depletion of an aquifer by excessive flow through numerous wells and boreholes. If the flow rate exceeds the flow rate, the result will be quite predictable.
• Movements or erosion of water-resistant layers, meaning the complete withdrawal of the aquifer to a great depth.

Solutions

Silting

If the bucket is capable of scooping up only dirty liquid from the bottom, while the mirror of water has not lowered relative to the usual level, the conclusions are obvious: the well needs cleaning.

The simplest method has not changed over the past century. A brave hero of a slender physique is armed with a pair of buckets, a ladle and descends into the abyss along a rope. After several hours of tedious and dirty work, the owner of the well celebrates his victory.

Jokes are jokes, but the method is really quite dangerous.

What exactly?

• Viscous soaked clay can suck a person so deeply that it will be very problematic to pull him out by tying him with a rope.
• The subsidence of the rings due to the swollen base is quite capable of burying the well along with those who clean it.

Is there a safer way to remove sludge?

Undoubtedly. However, for its implementation - here is a paradox! - you need a large amount of at least relatively clean water.

The essence of the method is to blur the silt with a powerful jet:

1. Water is supplied directly to the bottom under high pressure.
2. In parallel, it is pumped out and dumped on the ground at a distance by an ordinary fecal pump.

After cleaning, the well is completely pumped out several times. Thus, the remains of silt are removed from the bottom and the nearby area of ​​the aquifer.

Related articles:

Seasonal Level Drop

What to do if, after several weeks of drought, the water in the well disappears?

The obvious answer is to wait. Obvious, but not always satisfactory: when the well is the only source of fresh water, the long wait, pardon the pun, smells bad. A healthier solution is to try increasing the depth of the well.

In this case, it is obviously impossible to do the work while on the surface.

1. In this case, a fecal or drainage pump is also placed on pumping.

Useful: these two types of pumps differ only in their ability to cope with large fractional contaminants. The fecal pump is able to crush lumps of soft clay and pump them along with water; drainage can only cope with suspensions.

1. After removal of the bulk of the water in the bottom, a shallow pit is torn off. The pump migrates to it, thereby allowing you to take out relatively dry soil. As the bottom deepens, the pit also breaks deeper.
2. What follows is a long epic involving a pickaxe, a shovel and a couple of buckets.

How to strengthen the walls of a recessed well? As a rule, so-called repair rings are lowered into them, having a smaller diameter compared to the main shaft.

Depletion of an aquifer

A half-measure is an attempt to deepen the well again, lowering its bottom below the fallen groundwater level. Why half measure? Yes, because after you deepen the well, the neighbors who are left without water will do the same. The story will return to its beginning.

A radical solution is the drilling of an artesian well (“on limestone”, to the lower aquifer). The flow rate of the lower horizons, as a rule, is much more difficult to deplete.

Alas, this work is almost impossible to do with your own hands: a drill string 50-60 meters high in stone, even sedimentary rocks, simply cannot be turned. The price of a linear meter of a wellbore for machine drilling ranges from about 1,700 to 3,000 rubles.

It is clear that deep drilling is the only way out of the destruction of the water-resistant layer under the water-bearing sand. Deepening a well a couple of tens of meters with a dubious result is a strange undertaking.

Useful little things

Finally, let us give the reader a few unsystematized tips for caring for a well.

Suddenly something will come in handy

• Before deepening the well, it is better to drill into its bottom with an ordinary garden drill for a couple of meters. What is this instruction about? It's simple: if you take out dry soil, further digging will be useless, the water is gone.
• The water becomes dirty not only because of the silting of the bottom, but also because of the displacement of the rings. After that, rainwater and the soil eroded by it begin to enter the mine.

Repair of the well in this case comes down to installing a thick perforated plastic pipe in its shaft. The gap between the walls is filled with sand, screenings or small gravel.

• Full pumping is best done at least once a year, even if the water level does not drop. You will not only remove the silt accumulated at the bottom: when the water level in the well falls, the flow of water in the aquifer sharply accelerates. Flushing will remove the accumulated suspended solids and most likely increase the flow rate.

Conclusion

If some points remain incomprehensible to the reader, perhaps he will find answers in the video in this article. Good luck!