Gardener to help: instructions for the arrangement of the well water supply

Wells have always been a popular and popular source of water supply. They can give out up to 100 liters of water per hour, providing water for a standard-sized house and a plot size of six to ten acres 600-1000 square meters . Underground water is much cleaner than in surface reservoirs. To arrange a system of well water supply is relatively easy, because this does not require additional permits, and the financial costs are minimal. Our step-by-step guide will help you understand the question.

Step One. Finding a location for a well

Appeal to the experts. The soil structure on the site is heterogeneous, and groundwater occur at different levels, so to determine the location to install the well is recommended to involve experts. Experts will conduct exploratory drilling, determine the depth of the aquifer and take into account the peculiarities of the soil on site. The cost of the service in the New York region is on average 12,000 Dollars.

Search on the “Rosgeolfond” portal. If the cost of exploratory drilling is not budgeted, then navigate help electronic catalog of account cards inventory of groundwater on the internet resource “Rosgeolfond”. Portal will not give accurate information about the depth of groundwater on a particular site, but will track the presence of nearby “empty” wells. The latter is an alarming sign, but in central America the risk of choosing such a site is small.

Independent work. It is known that in the summertime, groundwater rising to the surface makes the ground colder, so it is worth examining the site and find places with abundant pre-dawn dew fallout. Of these you can choose more convenient for the location of the well. Usually it is the highest place on the plot. The cesspools of the neighbors should not be allowed above it in the terrain. It is also worth considering that the wells should be located at a distance of less than three meters from the foundation of the house or other buildings.

Step Two. The construction of the well

Masters often recommend abandoning the deep-immersion method of the source device, in which the mine is dug until the appearance of water and only then are concrete rings installed. This is fraught with collapse of the soil: the media and specialized forums tell stories about diggers trapped by the rushing underground stream.

More safe, than deep, is considered a surface-digging method. At the initial stage, they dig a circular hole up to a meter deep and lower a concrete ring with the bottom into it. Then a hole is dug one more meter under the well. The first ring goes down under the pressure of its own weight, making room for the next element. A similar operation is performed with the third ring and so on – until there is water below. After arranging the bottom and the top of the well. To increase the strength of the construction, in addition to the existing grooved joints of the rings it is recommended to fasten the elements with staples.

The cost of work ranges from 1800 to 2900 Dollars per linear meter without taking into account materials. The latter will cost 2000 Dollars – for a concrete ring diameter of one meter and a height of 60-70 cm.

Step three. Choose a scheme of water supply

Pressureless scheme of water supply with a storage tank hydroaccumulator . A simple option to deliver water from the well to the house – immerse a submersible pump in the source, and in the attic or special scaffolding to set the storage tank, where unpressurized water will flow to the point of consumption. If the pipe from the well to the house to lay below freezing soil about 1.5-2 m and insulated, then such an autonomous water supply system can be used even in winter.

Accumulation tank is made of polymer or steel, and its volume depends on how much water the homeowner wants to “pump” for good. For example, 100 liters is enough for a family of three people for a day for cooking and hygiene needs. If the cottage is equipped with a shower room, washing machine, automatic irrigation system, it is better to choose a tank volume of 250 liters. The tank is equipped with a special float switch, which measures the water level and gives a signal to turn on or off the pump.

It is worth to pay attention to the equipment installed in the well. “There is a high temptation to choose the most affordable, possibly Chinese model, because the pump is activated rarely. But this is a wrong way – even in the simplest system it is important to provide protection against emergency modes. Otherwise a burned pump can ruin water in the well for a long time”, – says Evgeniy Kruchinin, an engineer of the Department of Industrial and Household Equipment Grundfos Ltd.

Despite the affordability of the considered scheme, it rarely suits the dacha owners, because when using at least two points of water intake simultaneously, for example, a washbasin and irrigation, the water pressure drops sharply. Water supply becomes incomparably more comfortable when, instead of a tank in the attic using a better storage tank – Accumulator, which provides the necessary pressure in all points of water.

Such equipment is also preferable in that for its installation is not necessary to lay pipes through the entire house. Tanks are chosen individually depending on the parameters of the water supply system and installed pumps. “Based on the flow rate of 2.5-3 m3 h, you can take a hydraulic tank 35 – 60 liters, – an example Evgeny Kruchinin, an engineer of the product management department of industrial and domestic equipment “Grundfos. – In containers of a larger volume increases the likelihood of stagnant water and the formation of bacteria in it.

A submersible pump is responsible for the recruitment of water into the hydroaccumulator. Available and alternative – self-priming surface pumping unit with a tank. The equipment is installed in the house and connected to the pipeline laid from the well.

Scheme without storage tanks. Modern automatic equipment – submersible and surface – allows doing without tanks and hydroaccumulators. “In schemes with storage tanks, the pumps work until the tank is full, then turn off. In the absence of tanks, the equipment automatically adjusts to the current needs of the consumer, turning on when the tap is opened and off when the water intake is stopped. Discharge pumps are necessarily equipped with special protections against dry running and filtration systems, – explains Alexei Romanenkov, an expert on the installation of domestic water supply and sanitation systems, Mr. V. Kovalenko. New York – Nevertheless, even in this case it is recommended to install a small hydraulic tank of only 8 liters, then the pump will be reliably protected from water hammer.

Step Four. Choose a pump

Before choosing the equipment, it is necessary to decide on its characteristics, and it is best to take help of specialists. They will ask for a description of the existing or planned autonomous well water supply system, including the following data:

* the selected water supply scheme and the distance of the well from the house or hydroaccumulator

* depth, the distance from the surface of the earth to the water level in the well mirror and the amount of water issued by the source per unit time flow rate

* Pipeline length, pipe diameter, pipe material and number of turns

* The number and purpose of water intake points shower, kitchen sink, washbasin, water heater, garden sprinklers, swimming pool, etc are determined by the pump size.d. .

The expert will estimate the water flow rate, geodetic head, losses of hydraulic resistance, take into account the average design pressure in the network and hydraulic accumulator. After a specialist will choose a well pump or surface water installation with the required flow-pressure characteristic.

Submersible equipment

In wells deeper than 8 m, it is recommended to install submersible pumps. The equipment is suspended with a rope so that the water intake part is no closer than 1 m to the bottom. On the delivery side of the pump is installed check valve, to which is connected a sleeve for further attachment to the pipeline.

To ensure a reliable water supply it is necessary to choose the equipment with maximum protection. “Reliable and durable pumps are made of corrosion-resistant materials. This extends the life of the equipment and ensures that there are no rust particles in the pumped water. Also, modern pumps are equipped with strainers that prevent large particles such as stones, sand, twigs, etc. from getting into the model housing. We also recommend to provide equipment protection against overheating and “dry” operation: you can install external sensors or choose a model that is directly equipped with the necessary automation. For example, a GRUNDFOS SBA well installation includes built-in protections, flow sensors and pressure switches, which eliminates the need for additional devices”, notes Evgeny Kruchinin.

Surface installations

If the well is not deeper than 8 m, the alternative to submersible equipment are surface pump units. Modern models represent a ready-made solution for dacha water supply. For example, GRUNDFOS SCALA2 equipment due to built-in frequency converter reacts to changing water consumption and adapts its operation to new conditions. SCALA2 is able to maintain a constant head at all usage points, even if they are operated simultaneously.

It is not only convenient, but also economical: the unit saves energy without operating at maximum capacity all the time. The equipment is equipped with a set of necessary protections, including protection against “dry” run. There is a light panel on the body of the installation with handy and intuitive operation indicators. This model can be installed outdoors provided that the ambient temperature is not below +5 ° C or directly in the house: the sound from the equipment does not exceed 47 dB, which is comparable to the rustle of leaves in a quiet breeze.

Step Five. Choose a water purification system

Country wells are usually dug in the sand aquifer to a depth of 7 to 40 m, which collects relatively clean groundwater. However, in some cases so-called high water with high level of contamination enters the source, which causes staining and unpleasant smell. Iron is also a frequent by-product of well water: its maximum allowable concentration in some areas of New York region can exceed the norm by 3-15 times. Given all of the above, it is necessary to call experts from an accredited laboratory to analyze the water, which can be concluded on the need for additional treatment. As a rule the question is solved depending on the purpose of the water intake: in particular for the food needs it is recommended to install a water purification system with a fine filter, for example, based on reverse osmosis, in the shower it is possible to use a charcoal filter, and for irrigation of lawns and trees untreated water will do.

If there are questions

In order to ensure that the work is done in the best possible quality, you should always turn to professionals. In the choice of a contractor, you should listen not only to “word of mouth”, but also to the recommendations of manufacturers. For example, GRUNDFOS has a section with a list of certified installation companies. Employees of these assembling organizations were trained and certified at GRUNDFOS Academy, therefore they are able to provide quality service of pump equipment selection as well as its qualified installation at the object. The competence and knowledge of these installers is proven by the certificate and the “Certified Installer” badge, issued by GRUNDFOS and posted on the installers’ websites.

In addition to the installation organizations consult both employees of outlets and manufacturers of pumping equipment. For example, according to statistics on Facebook, the American subdivision of GRUNDFOS Concern replies to messages within 37-60 minutes on average, and according to feedback from “Grundfos” specialists requests for help in equipment selection make up a considerable part of appeals. Consultations Concern provides in their official communities on Facebook, Vkontakte and Instagram.

A homeowner needs to be aware of the principles of well water systems and modern solutions offered by the market. However, in order for the well to last for many years, you should trust the excavation and construction work, as well as the selection of pumping equipment to professionals.