A well provides a natural source of water for your home or business. You can use a well for drinking, cooking, washing, and other purposes. If you have a well, it is important to know how to connect it with your water supply so you can have reliable water at all times.
The first step is to have a contractor drill and install the casing in the ground on your property. The casing will protect your water pump and your well from contaminants like surface water or septic waste that might make their way into your well. Once the casing is installed, your contractor will run the electrical lines to your pump and connect it to a wellhead that extends the casing about two feet above the ground.
Next, have your contractor drill and install the drive pipe. This is the tube that goes from your well to your house. It carries water to your plumbing and other fixtures in the house. It is also used to store water for periods of higher demand.
When a drive pipe is installed, it is typically buried about a foot below the frost line so it won’t freeze. The drive pipe is then capped off with a well cap that keeps insects, rodents and other pests from getting in to your well.
Another piece of equipment that is installed on the outside of the drive pipe is a pitless adaptor. The pitless adaptor is a half of a metal elbow that slides apart, with the bottom part of the elbow drilled and threaded into the hole bored in the side of the well casing.
Once the adaptor is in place, it is secured with a rubber O-ring and then threaded into the black polyethylene pipe that travels down the side of your well. The top end of the black pipe is then threaded into the pump.
The pump turns on and off at a preset pressure, typically 30 or 50 psi, to supply water to the rest of your plumbing system. You can also set the well switch to run the pump only when it’s needed.
If your water supply is not a municipal one, you’ll need to contact your local health department for information about how to connect your well with your public system. They can provide you with guidance on how to do this safely and cost-effectively.
Lastly, you’ll need to install a backflow prevention valve between the well and your plumbing lines. This is to prevent pumped water from flowing back into your well if the pump stops working.
A well is a natural source of fresh water, but it can become dangerous if you have a clogged or deteriorating well. You can avoid this by ensuring that you have a well that is properly capped and that the area around it is free from debris. This includes a well that’s located at least 100 feet away from any septic field or other surface water source.
