Drilling your own well

[HoosierLawnGnome]

http://www.drillyourownwell.com/

I live next to a small lake, have a spring in the back corner of my lot, and the water table is right under my basement.

I've been thinking about installing my own irrigation well. It would save me a ton on watering, particularly if I install an irrigation system, which I'd like to do sometime.

[rydaddy]

For me it would obviously come down to the cost of a well amortized over X years. Compared to paying the City/Water dept.

I am really impressed with what you have a accomplished without irrigation.


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[BfranksATX]

Interesting. I would like to see someone here do this!

[HoosierLawnGnome]

I am really impressed with what you have a accomplished without irrigation.

We get pretty good rainfall here, with the exception of July and August.

My tractor sprinkler will be getting busy soon.

[HoosierLawnGnome]

Oh - and this kind of well setup is pretty inexpensive. Maybe $100 max in putting together the actual shallow well. Another few hundred for a jet pump or whatever well head you need. Cost would be about the same as what it will cost me to irrigate in July and August.

[Alan]

That's pretty redneck, but cool at the same time.

[HoosierLawnGnome]

If I lived closer to the lake, I could just pull water from it for an irrigation system.

[mrmeaner]

LOL, run a piece of PVC down to the lake!!

No Experience with shallow wells.. On my 1 acre lot her in Lubbock I have two water wells. The first one was dug 190ft deep and the second was 150ft deep. the 190fter was $6900 installed with well pump. The second was $10K al said and done tiring both wells and pump.

Down hear they dig the well, then install 6" pvc pipe in the ground, at the water table the pvc pipe has very small slits letting water run in.
They put a silica sand around the outside of the PVC up to the top of the water table, then put bentonite clay up to the top of the well head,

Now sure abut where you live, but the expense is drilling so many feet deep @ X$$$$ and the cost of the well pump. Most likely would have to weight the cost of the well averaged against the city water and your ROI on your investment.

[HoosierLawnGnome]

LOL, run a piece of PVC down to the lake!!

Ha! I totally would bury one with a screen - but I can't cut through my neighbors' lot

They do it per foot depending on the width you specific, then case it and put the pump in for you in Indiana. Not sure on shallow wells. I suppose it's worth a call, but I'm not letting a well truck drive through my yard!

I've installed a deep well pump before. I ended up paying a TON for a well on some property I own that's timberland - VERY deep and needed lots of casing and some other things due to the shale.

[HoosierLawnGnome]

Could an admin please move this to the irrigation forum?

So - we have decided we will probably be staying in our home for a while longer - that means a sprinkler system is REALLY attractive to me now - and that means - I may try to install an irrigation well on a Saturday coming up soon!

I won't be installing my own irrigation system, but I think I am going to take a stab at the irrigation well. If I install it myself it would pay for the sprinkler system in a few years from the water savings per my calculation.

I've installed a deep well pump before so I'm not intimidated with this part of the project.

[strutbuster_10]

Make sure to check with your locality and the local health department prior to drilling to make sure they are OK with your plan.

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[HoosierLawnGnome]

Thanks for moving my thread, admins!

So - I went to the hardware store and bought everything for this project.

To your point strutbuster - I did contact my attorneys to have them chase down any sort of permit needs etc.

[LoneRanger]

You may not be able to even get a permit. The majority of cities don't allow wells to be drilled when city water is available or a second meter is available. The fines can be very hefty and can be criminal if continued or incorrectly drilled and cased. For some reason, some city inspectors never cite for an installation of a "well point" less than 30ft below grade. It's still a well, however.

[HoosierLawnGnome]

Well, (pun intended), I got word from my attorneys that I can indeed drill a well, but I need a permit - and should be issued one so long as I'm not in a "no well head" zone. I have to call them and ask.

We still have a LOT of wells around here, and I know for darned sure there are wells very close by, so I can't imagine it will be an issue.

I will be calling them though. I got the thumbs up on an irrigation system from Mrs. HoosierLawnGnome, and I'd like to use an irrigation well to supply it - would save me considerable money and lower my inhibitions about using it more often. Also, UNchlorinated water.

[HoosierLawnGnome]

I talked with the Indiana DNR today who issue well permits. No license or permit is required for a hand-dug well of 25 ft or less.

ETA: Official response from IN DNR:

Hi HoosierLawnGnome,

After talking with my supervisor, I discovered that as long as the well is less than 25 feet deep, and 1.25" or lower in diameter, you can dig the well yourself. Anything above either number, a licensed water well driller will be required. Also, the number I have for the Wellhead Protection Program is 317-308-3330 for Connie Cousins-Leatherman. Hopefully, she can further assist you with any zoning questions. If you have any further questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us!

Best,
Brittany

Perfect - I'm installing a 25' 1.25" well.

[JustAGuy]

I talked with the Indiana DNR today who issue well permits. No license or permit is required for a hand-dug well of 25 ft or less.

Perfect - I'm installing a 25' 1.25" well.

LMAO of course you are. Not an inch deeper or a millimeter wider.

[HoosierLawnGnome]

I really will. I'm a stickler for such things. A foot of depth or a few inches in width isn't going to make or break anything in this situation. But, yes, I'm sure they have some flexibility for things like soil settling and mismanufactured pipes that are .01 inches wider than the code allows.

[likeasponge]

Awesome, keep us posted.

I recommend the moderators adding a new board index topic.

[HoosierLawnGnome]

Bought my materials the other week. I fashioned the drill head and a drill pipe bit the other night. I'm hoping to start on it this weekend.

[JustAGuy]

Bought my materials the other week. I fashioned the drill head and a drill pipe bit the other night. I'm hoping to start on it this weekend.

Pictures please. I'm interested to see how it works for you.