Deep Water Well Spacing Problems

Differing Laws

• Different areas have different laws when it comes to regulation of water spacing. Some may have rules only for wells below 30 or 40 feet. Others may have rules only for certain types of wells. Even if water is not affected, natural wells may have stricter limitations. The type of well system from geothermic heat pump to agricultural well, can matter. Even within the same city, government laws might differ based on the land and water table itself. This can lead to confusion and extra time during the planning process.

Water Shortage

• The most serious problems with spacing occur when spacing is ignored or used incorrectly. In these cases, too many wells are crowded too closely together, essentially fighting for the same amount of water. The water table quickly sinks in this area and does not refill quickly enough for even deep wells to reach, which in turn leads to water shortages throughout the area.

New Well Effects

• A different kind of problem can occur when adding a new well to the current grid of wells. Spacing is not just about finding a range, such as 1,000 feet away from the nearest project, at which another well can be built. It is also about examining the effects the new well will have on the water table at the location, in nearby areas and on the behavior of the aquifer as a whole. New wells may cause problems with wells that already exist.

Pumping Costs

• Pumping for deep water wells is always an important consideration, since the pump needs extra power to draw water at these levels. Pumping costs can quickly rise if you want to place wells closer to each other since this will lower the water level more easily and require greater pressure to bring water effectively to the surface.