Home » Water Quality » Well Water » How Fast Does Well Water Replenish?

How Fast Does Well Water Replenish?

Scott Winfield
Last Updated on
by Scott Winfield

The length of time it takes to replenish well water depends on the type of well and its location. Gravel wells or wells near a stream can recharge as quickly as 24 hours. Other types of wells, however, may take several months to replenish water.

How Long Does It Take For Well Water To Refill?

The Well

When conditions are ideal, well water refills in about a day or at a rate of 5 gallons per minute. However, it may take three months for a well to refill.

When there is a lack of rainfall in the area, a well can take a few months to replenish water completely. As time goes by, the well may become slower at replenishing water.

The size of the well and its construction also matter. Understanding the construction (including any drilling) of a well is crucial to determining how fast it will fill up.

For domestic well water, the recommended diameter size is six inches. Most residential water wells have a diameter between 4 and 6 inches.

How Does a Well Refill Itself?

For a well to refill with water, snow or rain must seep into the cracks in the ground under the land’s surface. It then reaches the saturated zone where it accumulates and fills in the well.

Wells are drilled vertically into the ground and extend into the saturated zone. Aquifers, which are layers of permeable rock underneath that bear water, supply the well with water. Rivers and streams will fill up a well with water more quickly. That said, most wells receive their water from nearby aquifers.

Generally, an aquifer’s flow rate is approximately ten feet per year. Because of this, wells won’t immediately run out of water when rainfall stops for just a few weeks.

How Is a Well Built?

A well is a hole in the ground with a system that consists of several elements. These are the well casing, a pump, a well screen, a cap, and sometimes an adapter.

There are several ways to construct a well. Depending on its construction, a well may fill up with water differently.

One of the ways of building a well is by drilling. This requires a percussion or rotary-drilling machine. A drilled well may be several thousand feet deep in the ground and require casing continuously. Due to their depth and casing, drilled wells are less prone to water contamination.

Another way to make a well is by digging a hole with a shovel and constructing a casing to prevent the well from collapsing. These wells include a bored wall in place of the casing and tend to be shallower.

Lastly, a well can be driven by pipes in the ground. Driven wells are shallow and more prone to contamination because of sediment from nearby aquifers.

A pump is located in the well casing at the bottom of a well and supplies water to a home or area. Driven wells are thus more common in residential areas.

Wells that are located in cold areas should have a pitless adapter. The job of the adapter is to allow plumbing under the frost line to prevent the water from freezing.

How Much Water Can a Well Produce Per Day?

A well can produce a minimum of 600 gallons of water per day. An average well with a 6-inch diameter typically stores 1.5 gallons of water per standing foot of well casing.

Ideally, the amount of water a well produces will remain steady. Supply issues may start occurring when too many people rely on the same well or if there is a drought in the region.

If a well depends on surface water, such as a dug or driven well, it may produce less water during hot months. For this reason, running a test during the summer is typically more reliable for determining water production.

How Many Gallons Per Minute Can Well Water Produce?

The requirement from the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) is between 3 and 5 gallons per minute for old wells. For new wells, 5 gallons per minute is the required rate for an inspection.

Though 5 gallons of water per minute is ideal for most wells, several factors can impact the rate at which a well produces water. Things that can affect the speed of a well refilling include whether or not there is nearby farmland, the condition of the well, and its location.

The climate and geology of a well’s location may affect how fast it replenishes water. If a well is not located near highly populated farmlands and receives ample rainfall, you can expect it to refill about 5 gallons per minute.

On the other hand, if a well doesn’t have durable construction and is located in a heavily populated area near farmlands, it will replenish water at a slow pace. Depending on the exact conditions, a well may take several weeks or months to replenish water.

How Long Does It Take for Well Water To Dry Up?

Old Empty Well
Old Empty Well

A well can last from 20 to 30 years. Several factors play a role in how long a well lasts: sediment and mineral buildup, the pump quality, and weather conditions.

If a well runs out of water prematurely, it is typically due to a pump issue. Signs of a well drying up include a change in the taste of water, murky water quality, and sputtering faucets.

Other factors that may cause a well to run dry include installing things like pools that require more water. Considering the flow rate such a device will need to replenish water is thus crucial.

Additionally, how much water you share with others is something to keep in mind. Sharing a well with several neighbors may lead to a slower replenishing rate.

Ultimately, the quality of a well and its main water source will determine how fast it fills up. When constructing a well or purchasing a property that relies on one, it’s thus beneficial to consider geography, water sources, and depth.

Sign Up For Free 2024 Water Defense Guide!

Join our 1 Million+ strong water defense community and get updated on the latest product news & gear reviews. Plus, get a FREE 21-page "2024 Water Defense Guide" with exclusive content NOT on this site!

We HATE spam. Your e-mail will never sold or shared!

Scott Winfield
Scott Winfield
My name is Scott Winfield and researching and writing about water filters and other strategies to purify water has become my full time passion in recent years. I'm glad that you found our site and you can look forward to authoritative and well researched content here to help you get the best in water.
1 Comment
  1. It’s great to know that water wells can last for 20 to 30 years depending on the sediment and mineral buildup, pump quality, and weather conditions. I have been contemplating whether to get well drilling services or not, but it seems that it is worth it. It’s because we can benefit from having another source for many years, since the monthly bills are constantly rising these days.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *