5 Things To Know About Your Well
Although it’s easy to forget about your well and well water now that all the snow has melted off and there is plenty of water available it won’t be long before summer is upon us and those once overflowing wells are now struggling to keep up with the demands of lawn sprinklers and pool parties. Here are some useful well facts to get you through the days ahead.
1. The average bedrock well in New Hampshire is 295′ deep. The median well yield is 6.5 gpm.
2. Determining how much well yield you will need depends on several factors. A low yield well (1 to 3 gpm) may be acceptable if there is adequate storage in the well and properly sized storage tanks in the home. It is important to remember that as the water table drops in the summer and fall storage in the well will decrease.
3. Bedrock wells recharge through fractures in the bedrock. Saturated earth materials surrounding the bedrock provide the water for recharge.
4. A well’s yield can change over time. In most cases this can go unnoticed, although if you are already dealing with a low yield well a reduction of 1 gpm can be substantial.
5. You should pay attention to the type of activities that occur around your well to prevent contamination. Improper application of fertilizer and pesticide products and inappropriate fueling and disposal of motor oil or solvents all are potentially harmful to your well.