How to Drive a Shallow Well

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reports that approximately 15 percent of Americans use private drinking water supplies. Shallow wells provide an economical water source in areas with a high water table. They are a popular solution as a source of water for domestic or irrigation purposes, especially in isolated areas which are not connected to a water grid. If you have a shallow aquifer --- also known as a water table --- you can reasonably expect to draw up to 5 gallons of water per minute. The depth of the water table must be within 10 to 15 feet from the surface for a shallow well to be viable.

Riser pipe
Drive couplings
Wellpoint
Post hole digger
Pipe driver
Carpenter's level
Pipe wrenches

Instructions

- 1
  Choose a location for your shallow well. It must be at least a 100 feet from drain fields and animal yards and a 150 feet from any cesspools and dry wells to avoid contaminating the aquifer.
- 2
  Dig or drill a hole up to a foot below the water table level with the posthole digger. Make the hole 1 or 2 inches wider than the wellpoint. The wellpoint is a perforated tube used to collect the water from the water-bearing sand.
- 3
  Insert the wellpoint into the hole. Attach riser pipe sections to the wellpoint until the riser pipe. Attach a driving cap to the riser pipe to protect the threads and transmit the blow of the pipe driver. Use a pipe driver the well point down. Use a pipe wrench to ensure a tight connection.
- 4
  Check that the wellpoint and riser pipe are completely vertical with your carpenter's plumb. Attach a hand-pitcher pump to the riser pipe.

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