How to Drain a Shallow Well

A shallow well is a hole in the ground less than 50 feet deep that has been dug for the purpose of extracting water. Aquifers supply the well with water that is then either filtered for drinking or used for cleaning or watering plants. Shallow wells often rely on pumps to keep the water supply flowing and a pump is useful as well if you need to drain the well.

Shallow well pump
Thick board
Pipe screen
Hose or piping
Foot valve
Power outlet

Instructions

- 1
  Place a thick board above the well to provide a stable and level surface for the shallow well pump to sit on. Set the pump in place on the board. Ideally, the intake port should be no higher than 12 to 15 feet above the water level for the pump to work at peak efficiency.
- 2
  Wrap a screen around the discharge pipe of the well to prevent debris from going into the pump and impeding its function.
- 3
  Connect an intake hose or pipe from the well to the pump's intake valve. The hose normally twists on, but there may be a special connector for your specific pump. Follow your pump's instruction manual to ensure proper connection.
- 4
  Attach a discharge hose from the discharge valve of the pump and place the other end at a location that can safely accept the water from the well. A standard garden hose usually works fine for this.
- 5
  Screw in a foot valve to the bottom of the inlet pipe if the pump is higher than the water in the well. This ensures the water only flows in one direction and won't be pulled by gravity back into the well.
- 6
  Pour water into the priming valve inlet near the top of the pump.
- 7
  Plug in the pump to a power outlet and keep it running until the well is drained.

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