Elements That Help Determine Water Well Drilling Depth, Part 2

In part one of this two-part blog, we went over some of the primary factors that play a role in determining how deep a new water well should be. Water wells can range from about 100 feet deep to 800 feet or even deeper in some cases, and this depends on several different elements in the equation.

At Mike Zimmerman Well Service LLC, we’re proud to offer quality water well drilling and treatment services for your home. Today’s part two will discuss a few additional considerations we keep in mind when determining exactly how deep to drill for your new well.

elements water well drilling depth

Water Table Changes

The term “water table” refers to the level below which the ground is saturated with water. It’s a factor that changes regularly within a given year, generally based on seasonal moisture differences and a few other reasons.

In most cases, our contractors will spend time determining the current level of the water table before any drilling begins. They’ll attempt to determine the lowest water table level of the year, using statistical data from several years going back to help them. In many dry areas of Utah, depth for the water table can be wildly different than even a nearby location.

Silting and Draw Rate

One issue that some poorly-installed wells deal with later in their lifespan is called “silting up,” an issue where sand or grit gets into the pump and begins to become a part of the water being pumped up to ground level. Avoiding silting is a common reason why some wells are drilled very deep into the ground, leaving years and years before any issues can arise here.

In addition to depth concerns here, your well drilling experts will also consider draw rate. This is the speed at which the pump draws water from the well – you want a fast enough draw rate to provide enough water, of course, but not so fast that silt or other debris can make its way in.

Surface Contamination Avoidance

Finally, another common benefit of a deeper well is the way it helps eliminate concerns related to bacterial or other forms of surface contamination. This is a two-sided coin, however: The deeper the well, the greater the quantity of rock, soil and other materials the water has to move past as it moves up its casing. It’s possible for contaminants within these rocks to eventually seep into water, as well as minerals that will require softening. Finding the right balance of depth here, one that avoids surface contamination but doesn’t risk deeper forms of the same kind of thing, is why you work with expert well drilling contractors like ours.

For more on how we determine the optimal depth for your new well, or to learn about any of our water well treatment, softening or other services, speak to the staff at Mike Zimmerman Well Service LLC today.