In this period where modern technology has dominated the world, many things have changed, including the way people live. But did you know that there are 42 million Americans who still use household wells for their water supply? What’s more surprising is that a huge cluster of these families lives in urban areas.
Water wells are vital in our society. They provide reliable and enough water supply to countless households, irrigations, and industries. In regions where water scarcity is a significant concern, such as deserts, people use wells to get underground water to survive and thrive. However, many issues occur when your well starts pumping sand, dirt, or silt.
Some of these problems include:
- Loss of water pressure
- Fixtures damage
- Clogged pipes
- Destruction of your home appliances
When it comes to sand management, you might need the assistance of well professionals, like enercorp.net. What could be the reason that sand is getting into your well?
Why Sand Gets into a Well
1. You have an oversized well pump.
If your pump is too large, it will shoot the water extremely high because of too much force, pulling sand from the surrounding aquifer. This will then result in rapid deterioration in the pump’s valves, causing a sand build-up at the bottom of the well. Then you start noticing sand in your water lines.
2. Degraded well screen or well casing
When your contractors were still drilling your water well, they lined it with iron, steel, or PVC plastic called the casing. After then, they installed the casing in the well shaft. In the casing, there are grooves that permit water to penetrate the well from the surrounding groundwater and, at the same time, to prevent grit and sand. This is called the well screen.
Your submersible pump inside the casing is put under the water. Unfortunately, a good screen can end up corroding or degrading, leading to sand and silt entering the well, which is then pumped into your water system.
3. Your well pump is too low or improperly placed.
If you suddenly noticed your well is pumping sand and sediment, this can be a result of the pump placed too low in the well near the bottom of your well since most water wells utilize submersible pumps in a casing under the water.
Typically, the pump is at a minimum of 10-20 feet higher than the case of the well. But if the pump is too low near the well’s base, grit, sand, and sediment can be drawn in. Furthermore, if your well is old, the well shaft can fill up with fine silt and sand, resulting in the pump starts sucking in sand from this build-up.
How to Clean Sand Out of the Water Well?
If you see that your water well starts to pump sediment or sand, it’s always best to call well experts so they can identify the problems and find ways to fix them.
In addition, if you’re wondering about whether a DIY repair works, this may not be a good idea because there are instances when these well professionals will pull up the pump 10 to 20 feet to eliminate sand uptake. They have state-of-the-art equipment, such as a camera, to inspect your well screen if it needs repair. It might also involve other specialized equipment, such as a Scorpion sand filter, to remove sand.
In most serious situations, they may advise you to get a new casing. Other potential solutions they can do include:
- Centrifugal sand separator
- Filter screen with flush valve