Wells rely on naturally occurring sources of water in the area in which they’re built. So, when there are changes in these water sources, a well can run dry.
On average, a well can last for around 30 to 50 years before it completely dries up. But this depends on a number of factors, and not all of them are related to the water source itself.
What Causes a Well to Run Dry?
A well can run dry because of reduced precipitation, low water levels, high water consumption, water leaks, sandy soil, and other causes. These issues can be caused by natural factors, or they may be the result of well mismanagement.
1. Reduced Precipitation
Precipitation is one of the most common sources of well water. Water from rainfall, snow, sleet, drizzle, hail, and small ice pellets seeps into the ground and collects in underground cavities called aquifers. Then, a well is drilled into the ground to access these natural reservoirs.
So, when there is less precipitation than normal, there is less underground water, which can cause wells to run dry.
2. Lowered Water Level
Another thing that can lead to a well running dry is a sudden decrease in the amount of groundwater in a certain area. This could be due to an extended drought or, more likely, because more wells have been created in the area.
For example, let’s say you have a well that is producing plenty of water, but then your neighbors install several wells for commercial purposes such as irrigation.
Of course, this means the water usage in your area will increase significantly, putting strain on the aquifers and reducing the level of available groundwater. Ultimately, this means less water for your well, which could cause it to run dry.
3. High Water Consumption
There are many factors that affect how quickly a well replenishes itself. These include the depth of the well, the volume of rainfall in the area, and the type of soil around the well. However, one thing always remains the same—wells typically take a long time to refill.
If your water usage is very high, you might not be giving the well enough time to refill.
4. Sediment Accumulation
Over time, loose sediments and minerals can accumulate in your well. Too much sediment accumulation can cause decreased water flow, and it may even cause your well to stop producing water entirely.
This is a naturally occurring process that happens to most wells. Yet, if you maintain your well properly, sediment accumulation shouldn’t become so bad that it affects the flow rate and prevents the well from refilling.
5. Soil Type
Your well may be struggling to replenish itself because of the type of soil in your area. For instance, a well dug in rocky soil will take longer to refill than a well dug in sandy soil.
Why is this the case?
Rocky soil is much denser than sandy soil and has smaller pores. This restricts the movement of water, which increases the amount of time it takes for aquifers to refill. In this scenario, it will likely take a significant amount of time for your well to replenish, and it may run dry fairly often.
How Long Does It Take for a Well to Fully Dry Up?
On average, a well can last for around 30 to 50 years before it completely dries up. However, this can vary widely depending on several factors such as:
- Water usage: If your home has very high water demands, your well will exhaust the aquifers in your area more quickly.
- Quality of construction: If your well is built with high-quality materials and proper construction techniques, it should last longer than a poorly built well.
- Water conditions: If the water in your area is mineral-rich or highly corrosive, it can damage the well casing and decrease the well’s longevity.
- Lack of maintenance: Wells require regular cleaning to remove sediment buildup. If you don’t regularly maintain your well, excessive sediment accumulation may cause it to dry up for good.
How Often Does Well Water Run Dry?
How often a well runs dry is dependent on the factors we discussed above. Yet, one factor we haven’t mentioned is the age of the well. Older wells tend to be shallower than modern wells, which means they typically run dry more often.
Due to advancements in well-drilling technology, newly constructed wells are usually very deep. This means they run dry less often than old wells, but it doesn’t mean they never do.
What Happens if Your Well Runs Dry?
When your well runs dry, it leads to decreased water pressure, high levels of sediment in the water, and sputtering faucets. Essentially, your pump will be running, but no water will be drawn.
You can also experience the following when your well runs dry:
Change in Water Taste or Odor
If you experience a sudden or drastic change in water taste, it may be because your well has run dry.
This is usually caused by sediment disturbance, which occurs when the water level in the well drops significantly. As the level drops, water is drawn from areas closer to the bottom of the well, which often contain concentrations of sediment that have settled there over time.
This means the water you draw from the well will be full of sediment, impacting its taste and odor.
Discolored Water
If your well water levels are very low, the pump can start pumping muddy water into the line.
This can contaminate your drinking water as the sediments coat the water line’s inner lining, resulting in discolored water that isn’t fit for consumption.
What Can You Do if Your Well Keeps Running Out of Water?
If your well is consistently running dry, there are a few steps you can take to resolve the issue, such as:
1. Lower the Water Pump
In some cases, your pump might be placed above the current water level, especially if you use a submersible pump. To solve this issue, lower the water pump to reach the new water level to enable it to draw water.
However, this won’t work for you if you use a jet pump. Nor will it help you if your well is not producing water at all or if it’s generating very little water. If this is the case, you may need to consult a well expert to address the issue properly.
2. Well Development
If your well is supplied by aquifers, well development can help to prevent it from running dry. It involves eliminating sediments that block the fractures in your well. Once the fractures are unblocked, the flow of water to your well will be increased.
Well development can increase water production by three gallons per minute. Unfortunately, there are instances when this technique doesn’t work.
3. Deepen the Well
Water wells less than 50 feet deep are prone to water shortages. If your well is less than 50 feet deep, you can try making it deeper in order to access aquifers that contain enough water to replenish it.
Unless you have lots of experience with drilling wells, you should hire a professional technician to do this for you. They will assess the location and advise you accordingly.
Before the drilling starts, the technician will clean the well to remove all the debris inside. They should also extend the well casing so that it complies with modern safety codes. Just bear in mind that this can be an expensive job, particularly in areas with rocky soil.
4. Replace the Well
If your water well is over 30 years old and runs dry, you may find that the only solution is to construct a new one.
Again, if you don’t have much experience drilling wells, it’s best to hire a professional to construct your new well. The process is fairly complex and involves specialized equipment that’s used to bore a hole deep into the ground.
The costs of this can vary based on the depth of the new well, the terrain in your area, and local planning regulations.
Hi Scott! I found your article informative, but I am curious about what is considered a “modern well”?
My parents live in a house that was built in 1995 and I’m assuming that’s when the well was drilled. ( They don’t know for sure.)
Is that considered a modern well?
Since they live on a mountainside surrounded by trees, can they expect their well to last longer than 30 years, in your professional opinion?
Hi Betsy, thanks for reading. Yes, a well drilled in 1995 or anytime remotely close to that timeframe is what we should consider a modern well. The distinction was meant to be made about things from the long past, on the order of 100 years ago or longer.
It’s challenging to make any predictions about how long the water source for your particular well may last without actually studying the area carefully. There are more factors involved than just the slope and tree coverage. A local well drilling business or community discussions would be helpful, especially if you can compare with those that are relatively close by, have drilled to the same depth, and for the same length of time roughly.
Thank you for explaining how you can deepen the well to draw more water. I’ve been wondering what we may need to do to ensure that our well doesn’t dry up. I’ll be sure to keep this in mind if we ever notice any problems come up.
You were right to say that you could draw more water of higher quality if you drilled a few feet deeper. For his farm, my grandfather wants to drill a well. I’ll locate the water well drilling setup and suggest that he drill further for better-quality water.
It’s great to know that water wells would usually not run out, especially when there are advancements in technology that can actually dig deep into the ground. I wonder what the costs would be because we are interested to have a residential water well drilling installation on our property. Having another source can be helpful in reducing our monthly expenses in the long run, especially when there is inflation everywhere.