How Does Water Well Drilling Process Work?

People dig wells for drinking water, irrigation, and various other reasons. The most important factors to consider before drilling the wells are groundwater quality and long-term groundwater supply. If the water is relatively close to the surface, the digging process will require less effort. However, if the landscape comprises granite bedrock, then extremely powerful drilling machines would be needed. 

Herein this post, we’ll tell you about how the water well drilling process works.

Step 1: Picking up the spot

Although homeowners would want the water well to be located right outside their door, it may not be possible for various reasons. The right spot to dig the well is determined by the drilling rig’s ability to penetrate the formations in the area and reach groundwater within the depth limit of the rig. At the same time, the well must also be located away from places like animal feedlots, human waste disposal systems, and buried fuel tanks. It helps prevent the disease-causing pathogen from entering the clean water. To find the ideal location, you can also see where the previous wells were located.

Step 2: Decide how you want to drill the well

Most of the water wells are drilled out. Three methods typically used for drilling water wells are rotary, air hammer, and cable tool. Most home wells are drilled to 8 or 6 inches in diameter. The municipal or irrigation wells are drilled at larger diameters, sometimes 24 inches or more.

Step 3: Drilling The Well

The drilling process will involve using a dual rotary drill rig and support truck. The truck will carry the tools and equipment and the water needed for the drilling process. The first process is to create a hole in the ground. A drill bit made of tough metals such as tungsten grinds up the rocks and debris in rotary drilling. The broken pieces are flushed upward and out of the hole using a drilling fluid. This drilling fluid helps cool and lubricate the drill bit. The process requires careful monitoring of water “strikes” and the kind of formations in which they occur. Throughout this process, you’ll see water and other discharge emerging from the hole that is being drilled.

Step 4: Installing the casing

After the borehole has been drilled, a well screen needs to be installed. Different zones above the producing aquifer must be cased to prevent cave-ins. At the same time, it is also important that the annulus between the borehole and casing must be filled with grout. The casing, once installed, may extend a few feet out of the ground. This prevents the debris from entering the well from above.

Step 5: Cleaning/Developing

This process involves clearing the well of fine particles left by the drilling operation. Development is done through surge pumping, bailing, or any operation which will force water through the development zone at high speed. It must be noted that properly developed wells deliver more water. 

Step 6: Pump Testing

After everything is in place, the well owner may ask how much water the well can pump on a sustained basis. This is revealed by conducting a pump test, which the contractor should complete. 

About John’s Well Drilling

With over 40 years of experience in the industry, John’s Well Drilling is the leading well drilling and servicing company in Delaware. We are accredited by the Better Business Bureau and licensed to conduct well drilling and installation of geothermal systems. Our services include well drilling, pump repair, and replacement, tank replacements, well servicing, geothermal drilling, water well service, and agriculture well drilling ​services. 

For more information about well maintenance services, call us at 302-734-2211 or fill out our contact form to get a free quote or get in touch with our experts.