Well repair. — OUCH

[ancjr]

Get a hook on a rope and go fishing. Hypothetically speaking, of course. Good luck.

Right... if that ever happens, it's good to know what to do.

 

[dprimm]

Town ordinance, supported by the state I believe.

So question still stands. I am being a pita but sooo many rules don’t get questioned. Ahhh. I am already poking enough bears.

 

[dprimm]

Pulled it by hand. I made a T-handle out of 1" black pipe- 6 feet long with a tee and 2- 1 foot pipes for the handles, threaded it into the top of the pitless, disconnected the wires, pulled the cable that locked the pitless into the pipe that goes inside and my wife and I pulled it up. Obviously, the further down, the heavier.

Did the reverse procedure to put it back down after the pump was changed. I inspected the wires, found them sound and re-taped them to the pipe.

Pitless. That is what I have.

Do you know the threads you put on the pipe to connect to pull it out?

 

[HoughMade]

Pitless. That is what I have.

Do you know the threads you put on the pipe to connect to pull it out?

Standard 1 in pipe thread. I bought the pipe threaded.

 

[Michigan Slim]

So question still stands. I am being a pita but sooo many rules don’t get questioned. Ahhh. I am already poking enough bears.

Check your local ordinance. Made by the people elected to do such things. Some allow irrigation only wells to be drilled. Not many though. The problem is cross connections. You can't have both municipal and well water hooked up. Too much chance of cross contamination because someone wanted to save a buck. I've seen it personally.

 

[ancjr]

Check your local ordinance. Made by the people elected to do such things. Some allow irrigation only wells to be drilled. Not many though. The problem is cross connections. You can't have both municipal and well water hooked up. Too much chance of cross contamination because someone wanted to save a buck. I've seen it personally.

I've wondered if that's what's wrong with our municipal water. Smells like a dirty minnow bucket out of the tap, and our dishes come out of the dishwasher smelling like wet dog.

 

[Creedmoor]

Check your local ordinance. Made by the people elected to do such things. Some allow irrigation only wells to be drilled. Not many though. The problem is cross connections. You can't have both municipal and well water hooked up. Too much chance of cross contamination because someone wanted to save a buck. I've seen it personally.

My dads home in Dunnellon , FL has both. The irrigation well runs to the yard barn; then through a RPZ Back flow and feeds a hose bib on the side of the yard barn and the irrigation.

My sister and her husband own an Irrigation business in MD, Working for Otis I worked 3-4 days a week. I installed a few thousand back flows for them on my days off for about 9 years in Southern Md. I was consistently surprised at the failures of other plumbers and home owners plumbing work.
Cross Connections is a real thing.

 

[Creedmoor]

I've wondered if that's what's wrong with our municipal water. Smells like a dirty minnow bucket out of the tap, and our dishes come out of the dishwasher smelling like wet dog.

I am of the understanding that lots on municipal water systems don't treat city water past the point of it being sanitary. This keeps the local water treatment companies in business.
Alexandria's city water sucks also.
I have been told that they don't treat the water with fluoride for the last 10 years or so.

 

[ancjr]

I am of the understanding that lots on municipal water systems don't treat city water past the point of it being sanitary. This keeps the local water treatment companies in business.
Alexandria's city water sucks also.
I have been told that they don't treat the water with fluoride for the last 10 years or so.

When we lived in the north part of the county (same utility, different reservoir) our water was excellent. Great pressure too. I could easily get a stream to clear the ridge of my little saltbox house w/o touching.

 

[BigBoxaJunk]

I've wondered if that's what's wrong with our municipal water. Smells like a dirty minnow bucket out of the tap, and our dishes come out of the dishwasher smelling like wet dog.

I think we have overall good city water where I am, but I prefer to use a good water softener too. You might try a carbon filter to improve taste & odor.

 

[ditcherman]

What happens if, say, some moron comes along with an excavator and knocks the top of the well off and the plumbing and wiring all falls down inside?

The water line won't fall down; have the previously mentioned excavator moron or a substitute moron dig down 4-6' to where the line elbows out and take the top parts out (the pitless adapter?) and pull it out from there.

 

[Michigan Slim]

I've wondered if that's what's wrong with our municipal water. Smells like a dirty minnow bucket out of the tap, and our dishes come out of the dishwasher smelling like wet dog.

Call your public works. Had a lot of rain lately?

 

[ancjr]

The water line won't fall down; have the previously mentioned excavator moron or a substitute moron dig down 4-6' to where the line elbows out and take the top parts out (the pitless adapter?) and pull it out from there.

This is an 8" iron casing that goes down about 20ft to water, last I checked. I have no idea how deep it is overall.

 

[Michigan Slim]

I am of the understanding that lots on municipal water systems don't treat city water past the point of it being sanitary. This keeps the local water treatment companies in business.
Alexandria's city water sucks also.
I have been told that they don't treat the water with fluoride for the last 10 years or so.

It depends on budget, council, the superintendent, public want, etc. Want absolutely pristine water? Pony up. It ain't cheap.
Fluoride is the absolute worst chemical I have ever worked with. It eats everything around it in the facility. Even stainless will rot. It will burn you up and you didn't even know you got into it. It was a happy day when we were able to stop using it.

 

[ditcherman]

This is an 8" iron casing that goes down about 20ft to water, last I checked. I have no idea how deep it is overall.

Oh wow yea a lot could fall down that big of pipe, but I’m not sure how the water line could fall down it. It should be coming out 3-4’ below ground level I would think. But I’m not a well guy of course, just trying to use logic with what I’ve been around.

 

[ancjr]

Oh wow yea a lot could fall down that big of pipe, but I’m not sure how the water line could fall down it. It should be coming out 3-4’ below ground level I would think. But I’m not a well guy of course, just trying to use logic with what I’ve been around.

I don't know much either other than this well is:

1) old, possibly even dating back to 1850 when the railroad had a station here.
2) bigger diameter than any residential well
3) goes straight down

There was a hand pump with plastic tubing as well as an electric pump tubing both going down the same hole. I found 2 40ft lengths of plastic pipe in the woods nearby, which were connected together at one end with some kind of cast iron contraption. I assume was related to the well.

 

[ditcherman]

I don't know much either other than this well is:

1) old, possibly even dating back to 1850 when the railroad had a station here.
2) bigger diameter than any residential well
3) goes straight down

There was a hand pump with plastic tubing as well as an electric pump tubing both going down the same hole. I found 2 40ft lengths of plastic pipe in the woods nearby, which were connected together at one end with some kind of cast iron contraption. I assume was related to the well.

Interesting.
I wonder if you could drop something down, a weight on a rope, and try to feel if there are obstructions above the bottom.

I would think if it’s shallow (less than 40’?) it may be an indicator of lower quality water, if it’s deep drop a pump in and pump away. That big of a well down your way might be a very productive one.

I know up here C&J has records on many many wells, when they pull up to drill they have a pretty good idea of where they’ll hit water. Not sure if something like that could be down there.

 

[ancjr]

Interesting.
I wonder if you could drop something down, a weight on a rope, and try to feel if there are obstructions above the bottom.

I would think if it’s shallow (less than 40’?) it may be an indicator of lower quality water, if it’s deep drop a pump in and pump away. That big of a well down your way might be a very productive one.

I know up here C&J has records on many many wells, when they pull up to drill they have a pretty good idea of where they’ll hit water. Not sure if something like that could be down there.

I called 2 well companies and they both did record searches. Neither found anything and one of them disputed that it was a water well because it was 8" and he had never seen one that size "in over 40 years of experience" I'm thinking it should have good flow, it's about 100 yards from a clear creek that never really goes completely dry. I had a plate welded on top for safety as I didn't have the time or money to do anything else with it.

 

[ditcherman]

I called 2 well companies and they both did record searches. Neither found anything and one of them disputed that it was a water well because it was 8" and he had never seen one that size "in over 40 years of experience" I'm thinking it should have good flow, it's about 100 yards from a clear creek that never really goes completely dry. I had a plate welded on top for safety as I didn't have the time or money to do anything else with it.

Here’s something I found interesting…
You can click on the map, move to your area and then click on the dots and get all kinds of info.

Water Well Record Database

Water Well Record Database from the Indiana DNR Division of Water

www.in.gov

I’m very familiar with many properties around, including some of the gas wells that were tried out back in the 60’s, and some show up and some don’t, about 50% for the ones I’m familiar with.

The well at my house and the one at the farm had accurate records of the bore materials at the different depths.
Interesting reading if you’re weird like me.

 

[ditcherman]

I called 2 well companies and they both did record searches. Neither found anything and one of them disputed that it was a water well because it was 8" and he had never seen one that size "in over 40 years of experience" I'm thinking it should have good flow, it's about 100 yards from a clear creek that never really goes completely dry. I had a plate welded on top for safety as I didn't have the time or money to do anything else with it.

Also, wanted to add, you never know, it could just be some kind of test hole for something. Maybe the rail wanted to know where the water table was. I think you’d have to pump it to test flow.