How to Drill a New Water Well

Private water wells are a benefit to homeowners because they provide a quality source of irrigation and drinking water. A homeowner may choose to install a new well if their home has never before used well water or if the well at their home is in need of upgrade. Some states allow homeowners to install their own wells; however, you should check with your local environmental or water bureau for details on required permits and fees.

• 1

  Place the drill rig at the site you want to drill the well and stage the clean hollow stem augers beside the rig. Keep the augers clean by sitting them on new plastic sheeting.

• 2

  Position the wood plug in the bottom of the lead auger and attach the auger to the drill rig. Drill until you reach the intended total well depth, attaching a new auger flight when the one you are drilling with is approximately one to two feet above the land surface. As you drill, the augers will force soil cuttings out of the borehole. Shovel these cuttings away from the drill rig and spread them over the land surface in another location on the property. Once you achieve the total well depth, stop the augers from rotating.

• 3

  Assemble the well materials so that the well point is below the screen at the bottom of the well and the solid casing reaches from the top of the screen along the remaining length of the well and attach a well cap to the casing. Push the well materials into the borehole through the stationary hollow stem augers and let the well point push the wood plug out of the bottom of the lead auger.

• 4

  Fill the annular space between the outside of the well materials and the inside of the borehole with sand. Slowly pour the sand through the inside of the augers and raise the augers without rotation so that the sand falls through. Place enough sand in the borehole so that it extends two feet above the top of the screen. For example, if you use a five-foot screen, you should place seven feet of sand in the borehole. Measure the thickness using a measuring tape to ensure that you have enough sand.

• 5

  Place two to three feet of bentonite on top of the sand using the same procedure as you did with the sand. If the borehole will stay open, completely remove the augers after you place the bentonite in the annular space. If the borehole is likely to collapse, leave the auger in the borehole but raise them approximately one foot above the top of the bentonite. Hydrate the bentonite by pouring water down the borehole.

• 6

  Fill the remaining annular space with cement grout from the top of the hydrated bentonite to the land surface using a pump or by pouring the grout through a tremie pipe and funnel. The augers should be out of the borehole before you add the grout.

• 7

  Build a well pad form using lumber if the well is in grass. Typical well pads are two feet or three feet square, although, you may construct a larger pad, if necessary. Dig the soil from around the well area and place the well form around the well. Fill the form with concrete. If pavement surrounds the well, you can cut and hollow a square around the well and allow the pavement to act as the well form.

• 8

  Install a well cover to protect the well from damage. Anchor the cover in the concrete of the well pad to ensure that the cover stays in place.