|
|
 Hand Dug Water Wells: Home Page
How to dig, install, maintain & use hand excavated drinking water wells
|
InspectAPedia tolerates no conflicts of interest. We have no relationship with advertisers, products, or services discussed at this website.
Hand dug wells: their properties, construction & sanitation. This article offers advice for hand dug water wells and the sanitation and maintenance concerns with this water supply type. We provide advice about what to do when things go wrong, how to inspect hand dug wells for safety, safe practices for actually digging a well, and how to address hand dug well sanitation. In our guide to hand dug wells we discuss how a hand dug well is constructed, maintained, and kept sanitary or "safe to drink".
Green links show where you are. © Copyright 2013 InspectAPedia.com, All Rights Reserved. Author Daniel Friedman.
Characteristics of hand dug wells, their construction, use, sanitation
The world wide popularity of hand dug wells is accounted for by the ease of construction without specialized equipment, the simplicity of water raising equipment (a bucket on a rope has worked for thousands of years), and the ability of the Dug well to hold a large volume of water in storage for times of peak demand.
Hand Dug Wells are usually quite shallow - typically less than 25 feet deep.
- The volume of water on hand (the well's static head) in a hand dug well depends not on the well's overall depth, but the depth and diameter of the column of water in the well when it is at rest and fully recovered from any draw-down. If you are not sure how to calculate how much water is in your well, we give the formula and some examples at Static Head of Water in the Well.
- The amount of water you can get out of a hand dug well depends on its standby volume or static head, and the rate at which water flows into it - WELL FLOW RATE. Typically, if your dug well has less than a meter of water in it at the most dry season, it is unlikely to be adequatge.
|
- The deepest hand dug well we could find is the 1285 ft. deep Woodingdean Well begun in 1858 and completed in 1862 in Woodingdean, a suburb of Brighton and Howe, East Sussex, England. More commonly hand dug water wells range from about fifteen feet (3 meters) in depth, to a practical depth of around 100 feet (30 meters) though 200 foot deep hand dug wells certainly exist.
- The widest hand dug well - well we're not sure as sources conflict, but The Big Well in Greensburg Kansas is 109 feet in diameter (and 33 feet deep) may be the widest.
Watch out: digging a well by hand is quite dangerous, risking collapse on and death to the excavators. Also in very deep wells there may be air quality safety hazards. [2]
|
Digging & Using Hand Dug Drinking Water Wells
 Dug wells are usually constructed during dry weather when the water level is at its lowest, both for safety (less likely wet soils cause well collapse) and to determine the necessary depth of the Dug well to obtain adequate water supply.
Details about how to dig and construct a hand dug well such as the Oaxaca hand dug well shown at left, begin at Hand Dug Well Procedure. Basics are just below.
You might see an antique hand water pump shown at left of this article, or even a rope and bucket for removing water from the well.
But don't assume this is the only way that water is being delivered from the well.
Often we find a hand dug well whose water is delivered to the building by a One Line Jet Pump.
Readers should see our article on how to dig a well, beginning at Hand Dug Well Procedure where we present a case study of the process of digging a well and assuring that its water supply is sanitary. Readers of this document should also see Water Tank Types and before assuming that a water problem is due to the
well itself, see Water pump and pressure tank repair diagnosis & cost an specific case which offers an example of diagnosis of loss of water pressure, loss of water, and analyzes the actual repair cost. |
 As we show in this sketch at left, courtesy of Carson Dunlop, Usually a hand dug well is less than 20 feet deep.
Dug wells
have the same sanitation difficulties as springs and cisterns: they are easily contaminated by surface runoff and in some cases may have limited ability to deliver water at modern
quantity and flow rates.
Hand dug wells range in depth from a few feet to as much as three meters and are used worldwide.
Often the Dug-well was lined with dry-laid stone.
Dug or excavated wells are the picturesque wells we see on postcards, with an above-ground wall and a bucket lowered by rope into the well.
But dug
wells continue into modern use, often with the installation of either an in-building jet pump draw water from the well into the building. We weren't sure what the little cover in our
photo above was hiding - a dug well, a cistern, or a modern well casing extending above ground.
Sources for repair parts and installation instructions for hand pumps on dug wells and shallow wells are provided at our reviewers list below.
Safety warnings for hand dug-wells
The hazards of hand dug wells include poor sanitation (ground water and surface runoff easily enter the drinking water supply), and cave-ins during construction or injuries to tools dropped into the well during construction. We are particularly concerned about the safety hazards to children when a dug well does not have a child proof wall and/or cover.
At Hand Dug Well Procedure we describe the procedure for constructing a hand-dug well with concrete well rings in Mexico. But do not begin a well digging project without advice from an expert and do not try digging a well without following these and any other recommended safety measures for well excavatioin:
Hand Dug Well Construction Safety Advice
The following advice is adapted from The Hand Dug Well [instruction manual, by Henk Holtslag & John deWolf, Foundation Connect International. Links to a copy of that free manual are at our references section [2].
- Never work alone. The excavator in the bottom of the well should have a buddy at ground level above, on guard to assist if needed. While someone is working down the well there must always be someone in attendance at the top.
Never leave someone unattended at the bottom of the well.
- Signalling between well excavator and people at ground level: A system may need to be developed for signalling between people at the bottom and top of the
well for lowering and raising equipment and people. Make sure everyone understands these
signals and there is no miscommunication.
- Check all ropes and hand-dug-well digging equipment every day at the start of work
- Rope knots: When using a rope to lower or lift something from the well, knots should be made along the rope
at metre intervals to stop the rope slipping through your hands;
- Earth lifting buckets: Ensure that the handle of the bucket is firmly fixed and cannot slip off;
- Lowering worker into the Dug well: If possible, always use a windlass to lift and lower materials. Use a windlass with two handles and
therefore two people if a digger is lowered or lifted. If one of the people loses the control of his
handle, the digger will not fall back in the well because the other still controls his side.
- Protect edges of the top of the well opening during construction: Put a plank across the edge of the opening to the shaft, so that people and buckets can be
lowered over the edge without wearing away the ground at the side and causing it to cave in;
- Steps in well shaft sides? Cut steps into the side of the shaft to make it easier for people going up and down the well. This is
only possible if the soil is strong enough to hold the weight of a person. When you doubt: do not
make them! [When the well digging has been completed and it is being lined, a few well builders provide stepping stones (in a stone lined well) and handles, or steel rungs and handles to permit the well to be accessed by climbing if necessary. Usually people rely on a windlass and rope.]
- Well digger head protection: Always wear a helmet in case something falls down in the well;
- Well digger foot protection: Be careful while loosing the soil in the well with the long chisel. Don’t cute off your toes! If possible
wear shoes with a metal nose protection.
- Safety of air supply at the bottom of a hand dug well: In narrow wells more than 15 metres deep, there may be a problem having fresh air at the bottom
of the well. This is very dangerous and even poison gasses may appear. Air circulation can be
helped by raising and lowering leafy branches in the shaft to ‘stir up’ the air. The best way is to
use a ventilator to get fresh air in the well. This ventilator can easily be made by a local workshop
and exists of local available materials.
- Handling soil & rocks dug out of the well: Heap excavated soil more than one metre from the edge of the shaft so that as the pile grows, it
will not fall back down the well;
- Hand dug well site safety: Put a fence or some sort of barrier around the digging site to stop people and animals falling in; when the well is completed it should have a child-proof surrounding fence and cover.
Additional Dug Well Safety Advice [Opinion of InspectAPedia]
- Provide an above-ground wall around the completed well to prevent children and animals from falling into the well - a drowning hazard.
- Provide a safety screen over the above-ground wall to prevent children from falling in to the well
- Provide a child-safe heavy, secure cover at ground level for dug wells with no above-ground wall or for any below-ground well pit. At a Connecticut home in the U.S. our clients, whose family included small children, was worried about lead paint hazards as their foremost concern. We arrived early and had already made a note of a rotting and unsafe cover over a hand-dug well.
The client arrived. Her seven-year-old son leapt from the family station wagon and made a beeline for the old hand pump atop the well. As he began jumping up and down, pumping the lever, we ran to him and scooped him off of the well top just before the entire rotting cover fell into the Dug well. Our view was that this was an immediate and severe safety hazard next to which the lead paint problem was less pressing.
- Direct surface runoff away from the well and test the water frequently for potability and for other surface-borne water contaminants.
- Beware of hand dug well collapse hazards - do not ever enter a hand dug well unless you are properly trained and do not work there alone.
- Test hand dug well water regularly for potability - since these wells commonly have sanitation issues. See WATER TESTING GUIDE and WATER TESTING ADVICE
Sanitation Advice for Hand Dug Wells - Dug Well Contamination
The chemistry of water in a dug well, and its sanitation, depend on how much surface runoff is entering the well and other factors such as the well's depth. [1] A dug well that gave sanitary drinking water a hundred years ago may be at greater risk of contamination today as more chemicals contaminate both surface runoff and groundwater. And it's hard to keep contaminants out of a dug well.
OPINION: While 100 years ago or more surface water found in dug wells and springs was often of high quality and potable - at least in some areas of the world.
But today it is very difficult to find sanitary drinking water where surface runoff and shallow subsurface water enter the water supply such as that provided by a dug well. This is also true for other types shallow wells such as Driven Point Wells, and even drilled wells protected by a well casing in some cases.
Shocking a hand dug well (WELL CHLORINATION & SHOCKING) to "fix" a bacteria problem in its drinking water is probably pointless.
It is almost impossible to keep a dug well sanitary - the Dug well is completely open to both surface runoff and ground water runoff.
You can shock the Dug well, but if you are not going to drill a modern sanitary well (costly), in order to assure safe potable drinking water you will probably need to install water treatment equipment to sanitize the water - after testing to see what contaminants besides bacteria (Interpreting the Level of Bacteria) are present.
See WATER TREATMENT EQUIPMENT CHOICES for some options to help assure that water from a dug well is sanitary and thus acceptable for drinking. Also see the EPA GUIDE to WATER QUALITY.
Frequently Asked Questions & Answers about hand dug water wells, construction, inspection, safety, sanitation, and well collapses
Question: Our Old Water Well is Collapsing - What Should We Do?
Do you know of a geotechnical engineer near Screven County Georgia that can assist me in determining what to do with my situation? From what I have been told in the past, there was an old well in my front yard; Very old.
In about 1970 my father walked past it, heard rushing water and the dirt that had been used to "fill it in" fell out the bottom. You could see down about 20-30 feet in the earth. So my father filled in this well with a brick chimney and for years it was fine.
In the last 6 months, the earth has begun to fall again in that area. We added some more soil. That soil is falling lower and lower.
I don't know who to contact in this area that has any expertise in this area.
Do you know who to contact?
- D.L., Georgia
Reply: Put Immediate Safety First where a Collapsing Well is Found
A competent onsite inspection by an expert usually finds additional clues that help accurately diagnose a problem around the well or at your site, including possible subsidence due to a sink hole or other similarly dangerous events.
If there are sinkhole or soil collapse risks the hazards are greater than just a problem with the well or with local groundwater contamination.
It wasn't clear if you are asking about a drilled well or a hand dug well.
Watch out: First: rope off or cover or otherwise prevent anyone from walking anywhere close to the present collapsing well. The safety hazards of soil collapse around a dug well are still more worrisome and dangerous as they could result in someone falling into the opening - risking a fatality.
That said, you will want to
- Check with your local building department or cooperative extension to ask about soil formations, subsidences, and well collapses in your neighborhood
- If there is any indication that such problems are found in your area, just as you suggested, you will want to consult with a geotechnical engineer is the most competent way to assess your site and well.
- Although we cannot make an individual recommendation, your county or state officials or even local engineering firms should be able to recommend a qualified person who is closest to your home.
Ask a Question or Search InspectApedia
Questions & answers or comments about hand dug water wells, construction, inspection, safety, sanitation, and well collapses.
Ask a Question or Enter Search Terms in the InspectApedia search box just below.
Technical Reviewers & References
Related Topics, found near the top of this page suggest articles closely related to this one.
- [1] "Depth of Hand Dug Wells and Water Chemistry: Example from Ibadan Northeast Local Government Area (L.G.A.), Oyo-State, Nigeria",
I. P. Ifabiyi, Department of Geography, Faculty of Business and Social Sciences, P.M.B 1515, Ilorin, Nigeria E-mail: tokunifabiyi @yahoo.com, J. Soc. Sci., 17(3): 261-266 (2008), Web search 4/13/12, original source http://www.krepublishers.com/02-Journals/JSS/JSS-17-0-000-000-2008-Web/
JSS-17-3-185-08-Abst-Text/JSS-17-3-261-08-015-Ifabiyi
-I-P/JSS-17-3-261-08-015-Ifabiyi-I-P-Tt.pdf; Quoting:
ABSTRACT The paper attempts an examination of the relationships between water chemistry and depth of handdug
wells in a densely populated (16,679-people/km2) part of Ibadan, Nigeria. Multivariate procedures of multiple and
stepwise regression analyses were adopted. Results of the multiple regression and correlation shoed that Coliform
count., pH , total hardness (TH), calcium (Ca+),magnesium (Mg+ ), iron (Fe+) and chloride (Cl- )increase with
increasing depth while nitrate (NO3
- )and bicarbonate (CO3
-)2 reduce with depth. All the examined parameters were
significant at 0.05. Further, the result of R2 showed that the relationship explains 68.88% of the variance; while, the
stepwise regression suggest chloride to be the most important chemical parameter (R2 of 38.11%). That is related to
well’s depth. The paper calls for further research.
- [2] ST 1.5 The Hand Dug Well [instruction manual], Henk Holtslag & John deWolf, Foundation Connect International, 2009, web wearch 4/13/12, original source: http://www.connectinternational.nl/files/ST%201.5%20-%20Hand%20dug%20well.pdf, contact information: Foundation Connect International
Jan van Houtkade 50
2311 PE LEIDEN
The Netherlands
Tel./Fax +31 71 514 1111
Website www.connectinternational.nl
Email info@connectinternational.nl
Connect International supports and strengthens local partner organizations in developing countries to facilitate rural communities to achieve the Millennium Development Goals and make an End of Poverty.
- Mark Cramer Inspection Services Mark Cramer, Tampa Florida, Mr. Cramer is a past president of ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors and is a Florida home inspector and home inspection educator. Mr. Cramer serves on the ASHI Home Inspection Standards. Contact Mark Cramer at: 727-595-4211 mark@BestTampaInspector.com
- John Cranor is an ASHI member and a home inspector (The House Whisperer) is located in Glen Allen, VA 23060. He is also a contributor to InspectApedia.com in several technical areas such as plumbing and appliances (dryer vents). Contact Mr. Cranor at 804-747-7747 or by Email: johncranor@verizon.net
 Carson, Dunlop & Associates Ltd., 120 Carlton Street Suite 407, Toronto ON M5A 4K2. (416) 964-9415 1-800-268-7070 info@carsondunlop.com. The firm provides professional home inspection services & home inspection education & publications. Alan Carson is a past president of ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors. Thanks to Alan Carson and Bob Dunlop, for permission for InspectAPedia to use text excerpts from The Home Reference Book & illustrations from The Illustrated Home. Carson Dunlop Associates' provides:
- Commercial Building Inspection Courses - protocol ASTM Standard E 2018-08 for Property Condition Assessments
- Home Inspection Education Courses including home study & live classes at eleven colleges & universities.
- Home Inspection Education Home Study Courses - ASHI@Home Training 10-course program.
Special Offer: Carson Dunlop Associates offers InspectAPedia readers in the U.S.A. a 5% discount on these courses: Enter INSPECTAHITP in the order payment page "Promo/Redemption" space. InspectAPedia.com editor Daniel Friedman is a contributing author.
- The Home Reference Book, a reference & inspection report product for building owners & inspectors.
Special Offer: For a 10% discount on any number of copies of the Home Reference Book purchased as a single order. Enter INSPECTAHRB in the order payment page "Promo/Redemption" space. InspectAPedia.com editor Daniel Friedman is a contributing author.
- The Home Reference eBook, an electronic version for PCs, the iPad, iPhone, & Android smart phones.
Special Offer: For a 5% discount on any number of copies of the Home Reference eBook purchased as a single order. Enter inspectaehrb in the order payment page "Promo/Redemption" space.
- The Illustrated Home illustrates construction details and building components, a reference for owners & inspectors.
Special Offer: For a 5% discount on any number of copies of the Illustrated Home purchased as a single order Enter INSPECTAILL in the order payment page "Promo/Redemption" space.
- The Horizon Software System manages business operations,scheduling, & inspection report writing using Carson Dunlop's knowledge base & color images. The Horizon system runs on always-available cloud-based software for office computers, laptops, tablets, iPad, Android, & other smartphones.
- "Comparison of large and small diameter wells", Natural Resources Management & Environment Department, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, FAO Corporate Document Repository - Self-Help Wells - see http://www.fao.org/docrep/X5567E/x5567e04.htm
- Hand pumps for wells, product sources:
- Dempster Industries is a contemporary manufacturer of hand pumps for shallow wells or hand dug wells. At http://www.dempsterinc.com/html/Handpump.html you can find Dempster Industries who can tell you exactly how to repair mechanical problems with your well pump. Here is the Dempster installation manual for a typical hand pump used on shallow wells or dug wells: http://www.dempsterinc.com/PDF%20FIles/Typical%20Hand%20Pump%20Installation.pdf
- Access Water Energy, PO Box 2061, Moorabbin, VIC 3189, Australia, Tel: 1300 797 758, email: sales@accesswater.com.au Moorabbin Office: Kingston Trade Centre, 100 Cochranes Rd, Moorabbin, VIC 3189
Australian supplier of: Greywater systems, Solar power to grid packages, Edwards solar systems, Vulcan compact solar systems, water & solar system pumps & controls, and a wide rage of above ground & under ground water storage tanks: concrete, steel, plastic, modular, and bladder storage tanks. wners
- Drinking Water Contaminant Levels - Maximum Allowed
- Drinking Water Supply, Contamination Levels, Water Testing Procedures
- Drinking Water Testing Advice for home buyers home owners home inspectors
- Interpreting Drinking Water Test Results and Correcting Unsatisfactory Water
- Lead Contamination in Drinking Water: Testing & Correction - Advice
- Life Expectancy of Water Pumps - Well Pumps: how long should a water pump last? What affects pump life?
- Life Expectancy of Wells & Water Tanks how long should a water well and its components last?
- Shock or Chlorinate a Well, How to - Procedure for Shocking a Well to (temporarily or maybe longer) "Correct" Bacterial Contamination
- Smart Tank, Installation Instructions, Flexcon Industries, 300 Pond St., Randolph MA 02368, www.flexconind.com, Tel: 800-527-0030 - web search 07/24/2010, original source: http://www.flexconind.com/pdf/st_install.pdf [Copy on file as /water/Smart_Tank_Flexcon.pdf ] -
- Typical Shallow Well One Line Jet Pump Installation, Grove Electric, G&G Electric & Plumbing, 1900 NE 78th St., Suite 101, Vancouver WA 98665 www.grovelectric.com - web search -7/15/2010 original source: http://www.groverelectric.com/howto/38_Typical%20Jet%20Pump%20Installation.pdf, [Copy on file as /water/Jet_Pump_Grove_Elect_Jet_Pumps_1.pdf ] -
- Typical Deep Well Two Line Jet Pump Installation, Grove Electric, G&G Electric & Plumbing, 1900 NE 78th St., Suite 101, Vancouver WA 98665 www.grovelectric.com - web search -7/15/2010 original source: http://www.groverelectric.com/howto/38_Typical%20Jet%20Pump%20Installation.pdf, [Copy on file as /water/Jet_Pump_Grove_Elect.pdf ] -
Cooperative Extension, School of Forest Resources, web search 07/24/2010, original source: http://pubs.cas.psu.edu/FreePubs/pdfs/XH0002.pdf
- Water pressure tanks - how to diagnose the need for air, how to add air, stop water pump short cycling to avoid damage - water storage water pressure tank safety.
- Water pump and pressure tank repair diagnosis & cost an specific case offers an example of diagnosis of loss of water pressure, loss of water, and analyzes the actual repair cost
- Water pressure tank failures & water pump short cycling diagnosis and repair
- Water Supply & Drain Piping, water and drain pipe types, inspection, diagnosis, repairs, problem materials, clogging, etc.
- Water Tests & Fees this water test fee schedule applies when testing is combined with other onsite building inspection services
- Water Testing: background comments on classes of water contaminants, & links to home buyer advice about water testing, drinking water, water supply
Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair
 The Home Reference Book - the Encyclopedia of Homes, Carson Dunlop & Associates, Toronto, Ontario, 25th Ed., 2012, is a bound volume of more than 450 illustrated pages that assist home inspectors and home owners in the inspection and detection of problems on buildings. The text is intended as a reference guide to help building owners operate and maintain their home effectively. Field inspection worksheets are included at the back of the volume. Special Offer: For a 10% discount on any number of copies of the Home Reference Book purchased as a single order. Enter INSPECTAHRB in the order payment page "Promo/Redemption" space. InspectAPedia.com editor Daniel Friedman is a contributing author.
Or choose the The Home Reference eBook for PCs, Macs, Kindle, iPad, iPhone, or Android Smart Phones. Special Offer: For a 5% discount on any number of copies of the Home Reference eBook purchased as a single order. Enter INSPECTAEHRB in the order payment page "Promo/Redemption" space.
|
- Carson Dunlop, Associates, Toronto, have provided us with (and we recommend) Carson Dunlop Weldon & Associates' Technical Reference Guide to manufacturer's model and serial number information for heating and cooling equipment
Special Offer: Carson Dunlop Associates offers InspectAPedia readers in the U.S.A. a 5% discount on any number of copies of the Technical Reference Guide purchased as a single order. Just enter INSPECTATRG in the order payment page "Promo/Redemption" space.
- ...
-
Crystal Clear Supply provides portable ceramic water filter purifiers and portable reverse osmosis water treatment equipment - see http://www.crystalclearsupply.com/category_s/7.htm
- Handbook of Disinfectants and Antiseptics, Joseph M. Ascenzi (Editor), CRC, 1995, ISBN-10: 0824795245 ISBN-13: 978-0824795245 "The evaluation of chemical germicides predates the golden age of microbiology..." -
This well-focused, up-to-date reference details the current medical uses of antiseptics and disinfectants -- particularly in the control of hospital-acquired infections -- presenting methods for evaluating products to obtain regulatory approval and examining chemical, physical, and microbiological properties as well as the toxicology of the most widely used commercial chemicals.
- Principles and Practice of Disinfection, Preservation and Sterilization (Hardcover)
by A. D. Russell (Editor), W. B. Hugo (Editor), G. A. J. Ayliffe (Editor), Blackwell Science, 2004. ISBN-10: 1405101997, ISBN-13: 978-1405101998.
"This superb book is the best of its kind available and one that will undoubtedly be useful, if not essential, to workers in a variety of industries. Thirty-one distinguished specialists deal comprehensively with the subject matter indicated by the title ... The book is produced with care, is very readable with useful selected references at the end of each chapter and an excellent index. It is an essential source book for everyone interested in this field. For pharmacy undergraduates, it will complement the excellent text on pharmaceutical microbiology by two of the present editors."
The Pharmaceutical Journal: "This is an excellent book. It deals comprehensively and authoritatively with its subject with contributions from 31 distinguished specialists. There is a great deal to interest all those involved in hospital infection ... This book is exceptionally well laid out. There are well chosen references for each chapter and an excellent index. It is highly recommended." The Journal of Hospital Infection.: "The editors and authors must be congratulated for this excellent treatise on nonantibiotic antimicrobial measures in hospitals and industry ... The publication is highly recommended to hospital and research personnel, especially to clinical microbiologists, infection-control and environmental-safety specialists, pharmacists, and dieticians."
New England Journal of Medicine: City Hospital, Birmingham, UK. Covers the many methods of the elimination or prevention of microbial growth. Provides an historical overview, descriptions of the types of antimicrobial agents, factors affecting efficacy, evaluation methods, and types of resistance. Features sterilization methods, and more. Previous edition: c1999. DNLM: Sterilization--methods.
- When Technology Fails, Matthew Stein, Chelsea Green Publisher, 2008,493 pages. ISBN-10: 1933392452 ISBN-13: 978-1933392455, "... how to find and sterilize water in the face of utility failure, as well as practical information for dealing with water-quality issues even when the public tap water is still flowing". Mr. Stein's website is www.whentechfails.com/
|
