The drilling of a new well should be one of the first steps in developing a new property, While we no longer perform the drilling of new wells, we would be glad to recommend a well-drilling contractor for your area.

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When feasible, some wells can be drilled deeper.  Wells that are considered low-yield or have gone dry can be inspected by your county's Environmental Health Inspector for approval to be drilled deeper.  In the NC Piedmont & Southern Virginia, the average well depth is 300 - 500 ft.  

Wells that are decades old or have been left unused for months or years at a time can both benefit from the well rehabilitation process.  Pumping water from a well on a daily basis promotes its good condition.  

 

Older wells can accumulate years of buildup, most times from iron and sediments in the water.  This is shown by a red or brown color in the water.  Often times chlorinating (sanitizing) the well and water lines, then pumping out the water and build up is sufficient to clear up the water.  

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Some wells may become deteriorated and in need of repair.  Such repairs typically consist of the above-mentioned Rehabilitation steps (chlorinating, blowing out) and also inspecting the well column with a down-the-hole camera.  This inspection allows us to see where problem areas are.

 

If repairs are feasible, we can install 4-inch PVC plastic liner pipe inside the 6-inch well column.  Attached to the bottom of the liner pipe is a ribbed rubber packer that settles under the problem areas of the well.  This liner pipe prevents the water in the well from coming in contact with any problem areas in the walls of the well or with the existing well casing.  Such repairs as these require the approval of the county Environmental Health Inspector.

Both drilled and bored wells which are no longer in use are recommended and sometimes required by state regulations to be abandoned.  Improperly covered large diameter bored wells, are a safety hazard, as well as a potential source of groundwater contamination.

 

Well abandonments are required to be supervised by a State Certified Well Contractor.  Permit requirement and/or fees can vary for each county.  Contact your local environmental health department for guidelines.

 

Venable Brothers can coordinate any backhoe work that may be needed and supervise abandonment from start to finish.  Our Field Supervisor, Mike Venable, will need to see the well before we can better quote an estimated cost on the abandonment of a well. (Average cost $1,000 - $5,000)