If you need a well, this is a good time to consider the future.

 

Where is the best place to put your well?  (I know,  I know. The very best location for your well is in the ground.  It just would not work anywhere else. Thank you. I will be here all week...)

 

Seriously, a little forethought can go a long way toward enhancing your quality of life!  Just remember, you cannot move a well after it has been drilled.

 

SETBACKS

 

First of all, you need a safe location for your well.  Safe for your water supply, safe for your favorite well driller!  For instance, in Wisconsin the well is required to be separated a minimum of 25 feet from the closest portion of a septic tank, 50' from the closest portion of a septic field, 8 feet from a downspout and setback from many other  potential contamination sources.

 

Animal yards or shelters with more than 3 adult pets (50') or lake shores (25') are just a few other potential contamination sources which are listed in Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Code that regulates private wells in Wisconsin, NR 812.  If you would like, you can find the complete list in NR812.08.

 

HAZARDS

 

You want to also consider the vertical clearance from power lines, phone lines, gas lines (both above and below ground) and trees.

 

Horizontal distance from buildings, driveways (it wouldn't do to have someone hit your well with a snow plow!) and other potential hazards.

 

We will call Diggers Hotline to mark underground hazards for you, but they need at least 3 working days notice before work can begin on your new well (EXCEPT in the case of an emergency outage).

 

ACCESS

 

Consider access in and out of your yard.  Well rigs are large, heavy trucks that can and usually do leave ruts.  There are things we can do to mitigate those things but not always.

 

Also think of the topography of your land.  Is it flat or hilly?  Typically, it is best to site your well at the highest point of your land so that water flow does not wash from a contamination source to your well in a heavy rainstorm.  If it is too steep, it can be dangerous for large equipment to transverse.

 

AESTHETICS

 

After you consider all of the above, think about your FUTURE PLANS.  Your well is going to be with you for a long time.

 

Your well casing will stick out of the ground at least 12 inches, with a well cap.  Some choose to cover it with a mock rock (See image at right) or some other ornamental decoration.  Some people fold it into their landscaping plans. Recently, the place that the lady wanted her well would have been right in the middle of the natural path for a sidewalk.  We moved the well out just a bit and the sidewalk was then made to curve a bit and the well ended up being pleasantly inside of the landscaping of the sidewalk curve, rather than out in the middle of the yard---where this particular lady did not at all want it!.

 

Think about what shrubbery and trees will look like 30 years from now.  You still will want to gain access to your well for repairs.  Do you have plans to add on to your home or build a deck?  You will want to keep your well accessible.  We had to construct a new well for a customer one time because he had just finished building a garage that blocked access to the well.  Tough choice---drill a new well or tear down your new garage!  We drilled a well.  In that case, it would have been possible for him to have relocated the garage a little in the first place, but access to the well was never considered until it was too late.

 

USAGE. Do you expect your water use to increase, decrease or stay about the same as the years go by.

 

 

What do you plan to use the water for?  Weekend getaway?  Full-time residence with 3 teenagers and lots of laundry?  Groundwater heat pump to heat and cool your home?  Do you want to also use the well as a water source for your in-ground sprinkler system?  Hunting cabin or duplex?  One size does not fit all.  If you are not sure of what you want or need, browse this page, email us, Fill out a contact form or simply call us at 608-584-5000.

Clean, Safe Water is Life