Autonomous water supply: which is better well or well

Water supply is an indispensable component of human life. Without it, comfortable living in the house is impossible. Water is used for household and domestic needs. It is necessary for drinking and cooking, for heating systems and for the hygiene of residents at home. Any water supply system consists of a pipeline, communications inside the building, valves, various filters and mixers. This article is devoted to the question of choosing the most optimal option among autonomous water supply systems. After reviewing the information, our reader will be able to find out what is better than a well or well. Personal water supply systems are considered in the article from various angles and criteria, which creates a holistic and complete picture of the main disadvantages and advantages of any of them.

Well and Well: Differences in Design and Varieties

Individual water supply systems are more complex to install because they require the organization of a direct source of water.

This is solved in two ways:

• using a well (usual depth 10-15 m.);
• using a well (depth from 10-15 m or more).

Wells

For many centuries, the well has been used as a source of water, which is located on the permanent aquifer closest to the surface. Its shape is round, and the diameter is from 0.5 meters. Rectangular wells are rare. The well passes through the water layer and is buried in a hard layer, which is 0.5-2 m lower than it. Manual devices or electric pumps are used to raise water. Water gradually drains from different horizons and accumulating in a well is stored there in certain quantities. If you pump out all the water from the well, then the new one will arrive only after a certain time.

Wells

Wells can be sandy or artesian. A sand well may have a diameter of 3.6 to 5 cm or more. It is less deep than artesian and its filter is installed in a sandy aquifer. At the same time, the depth of the well can reach 20-50 meters. The diameter of the artesian well is from 12 cm, and the depth is 50-100 meters or more. When using a well, the pump constantly draws water from the wellbore, and new water passing through the filter, under pressure, does not interrupt, again enters the wellbore. The system works in such a way that the intake of water always compensates for the influx of new. Therefore, water from a well never ends, compared to a well.

Now that you know the fundamental differences between a well and a well, we will compare these two sources of water supply in order to understand in which case this or that source will be better.

Choosing a place for a water source

The well must be located at a distance of at least 30 meters from sources of dirt (dunghill, toilets, garbage pits, baths). In the case of a well installation, the distance can be reduced to 15 meters. It is not recommended to construct a well on the slope of a ravine or on the bank of the river, because in this case the dirty water will become the main source.

Whichever water extraction system is chosen, travel and placement of the equipment and machinery of the contractor, as well as the availability of space for materials on the site, should be ensured. In the case of wells, more land is needed for the disposal of excavated soil.If a house has not yet been built on the site, you can cut a well directly in the development area. This will significantly reduce the cost of pipelines and caissons, but can be a problem when repairing a well.

Choosing a place for a well can cause more difficulties than choosing a location for a well. When arranging a well, a larger area will be involved than when drilling a well. Especially when you consider the fact that drilling can be carried out by mobile drilling rigs, which do not require a large area for operation.

Water quality

The result of technogenic pollution was the ingress of untreated groundwater into sources at relatively shallow depths. A feature of deeper aquifers is the additional protection of water by clay layers. True, in this case, there may be impurities of iron and salt in the water content.

Wells, as water intake facilities, are designed to collect water from the upper aquifer. And the wells are designed to draw water from the underlying horizons, which ensures better quality and more water. The purity of the water depends on the aquifer in which the well was dug or a well was drilled. In terms of water quality, it is difficult to say that a well or a well is better, because there is absolutely no clear water either in wells or in wells.

Thus, comparing the quality of water in a well or well, the following can be noted:

1. Recently, water quality has significantly decreased in wells, due to an increase in the amount of industrial and household waste;

2. In wells, due to the greater depth, water quality is better, but iron, manganese and hydrogen sulfide may be present in it.

Amount of water

If we consider the productivity of wells and wells, we can determine the following. Good flow rates of wells are from 3 to 5 m³ per day. That is, in 24 hours, from 3000 to 5000 liters can be pumped out of the well. But, in many cases, indicators of the maximum amount of fresh water in the wells can range from 1 to 2 m³ per day. In such cases, people are faced with a lack of water, they have to save money, resort to using accumulators, tanks for collecting rainwater, drip irrigation systems.

Wells are marked by a more stable flow rate, the indicators of which are:

• from 1 to 3 m³ / hour at a depth of up to 50 m;
• from 5 to 6 m³ / hour at a depth of 50 to 100 meters.

This means that a well in an hour is able to produce as much water as a well in a day. True, it should be remembered that high costs require a more powerful sewage system.

For an approximate calculation of the amount of water needed at a particular facility, all expenditure data should be added. According to SNiP, the amount of water consumed by a person per day is 200 liters. Therefore, the indicated number must be multiplied by the number of inhabitants with a small margin, designed for guests or in case of the appearance of small children.

Water consumption standards:

To pour one cubic meter of land on the lawn or in the garden you will need from 3 to 6 liters per day. Such a difference is due to soil moisture, climatic conditions and the need for moisture of individual plants. In technical costs, it is also necessary to include car washing and other household needs. Huge amounts of water are required when there is a pool. Thus, taking into account household and household needs, the total water consumption per day for a family of four can be from 2 to 4 m³ and even more.

If large water consumption is planned, then for a full water supply the well will obviously not be enough, in view of its small flow rate. The well is perfect as a backup emergency option or with a small flow of water. Thus, when determining whether a well or a well is better at a summer cottage or for a home, one should rely on the above factors.

The complexity of the arrangement

The main difference between a well and a well is the way they are arranged. The well is drilled using specialized equipment. At the moment, there are both large and mobile drilling rigs. Therefore, if you do not have room for maneuvers, then this will not hurt to drill a well. Many well drilling operations are mechanized.

To service the well, a technological pit is equipped above its wellbore. It can be built of brick or cast concrete, has a roof and sunroof. Often the pump itself is installed in the pit.

The well is dug manually. For this, special workers are hired who dig a hole of approximately two to three meters depth, and then lower two or three rings there. After that, the earth is dug under them, as a result of which they sink deeper. This happens until the workers reach the required depth.

According to the speed of the work, the leader takes the position of the well. In one day, workers can dig a maximum of three rings in a well. If the soil is dense enough, their number may decrease to two or even one. That is, a well of 10 meters will be excavated for at least 5 days. And a 10-meter well can be drilled in two hours.

Autonomy of water supply

The operation of a well and a well is characterized by autonomy. Water from the well can be obtained manually (using a bucket and a special mechanism) or automatically (by installing a pump in the well and passing communication pipes to the house).

In the case of a well for manual production of water, it is necessary to purchase a special mechanical installation. But as a rule, at present, wells are equipped only with electric pumps.

In the event of a power outage, it will not work to draw water from the well, but it can be drawn from the well at any time.

Source longevity

The duration of the presence of water in a well or well depends on the aquifer from which water is taken. The longevity of the sources is unforeseen. It is possible that in a nearby area, a well will be dug, once in the same aquifer, reducing the amount of water in your well or well. Thus, based on this criterion, it is difficult to determine what is best for a well or a well for a home.

According to statistics, cases of drying out wells are more common than cases when water ran out of wells. The latter are single. Most quickly, the well ceases to function due to siltation or wear of its filter. Wells require maintenance much more often than wells.

Cost of arrangement

The price for arranging a well and a well is not the same. Digging a well is the least expensive option. The cost of work is determined by the depth of the mine, which can be from 3 to 40 meters. The price includes work, delivery and installation of reinforced concrete rings. Additional costs will go to communications - pump, pipes, etc.

The price for the arrangement of the well is determined by the geographical location of the site, the terms of reference for water supply and the diameter of the well pipe.

If the depth of the aquifer is small (10 - 15 meters), then drilling a small diameter sand well can cost less than a well. But most often, drilling a well is a more costly option.

Communication lining

To equip an automatic system for supplying water to the house, you should install a water main and a pump. This process is almost identical for a well and a well.The water main consists of an electric wire, pipe or corrugation, insulation, pipeline and heating cable. In the case of a well, the length of the line can be several times longer.

The well pump is the central water supply center in a country house. Rationally approaching the choice of a pump for a well, you will ensure its long-term service and comfortable operation. Submersible or surface pumps are used to supply water. To choose the right type of pump, you need to know about the water level in the well and its seasonal changes.

When buying pumps, it is recommended to pay attention to:

• operational reliability, quality and wear resistance;
• high engine efficiency and energy efficiency;
• the presence of a variety of protective systems;
• the presence of smooth descents;
• small equipment parameters.

In some cases, installing a well pump and supplying communications is a more difficult task, which is best left to a specialist. Installing a pump in a well is a simpler task, even an amateur amateur can perform it.

Well or well: pros and cons, comparative assessment

	Well	Well
Water layer search	Requires more thorough hydrogeological surveys	Because of the shallower depth, finding water rarely causes difficulty
Water quality due to external factors	Water is protected by wide layers of various breeds.	Water is located critically close to polluting industries, farms
The need for documentation	No documentation required (except in rare cases at very large depths)	No documentation required
Installation complexity	The bulk of the work is done by drilling rigs	The bulk of the work is done manually, by hard physical labor
Communication System Installation	Provides for more complex operations	It can be performed even by an amateur master
Amount of water	Consistent and high debit rates that are independent of the season	Low debit indicators, the dependence of the amount of water on the season
Water quality	Higher quality, but possible impurities	Decreases annually due to an increase in the amount of waste in household and industry
Durability	Worked for decades, very rarely require maintenance	Work for decades, require frequent cleanings
Price	May exceed well cost due to relative high cost of drilling	Depends on the depth of the well, usually low and accessible to everyone

In which case is it better to equip a well, and in which well

A well should only be built if there are no aquifers in your area for well construction or they are located in very remote places. The purchase of land in an undeveloped area should be treated with particular care and responsibility. Sad cases are known when people bought a plot in an area where clean water was at a depth of 100-150 m or it was not found at all. If you purchase such a site, you should ask the seller for the conclusion of geological studies, or get advice from drilling organizations that have information about the features of soils. If residential areas are located nearby, then the most reliable information can be obtained from their owners.

Ask them:

• about the source of water;
• about the amount of water that is used every day and the purposes of its use;
• about organizations that made a well or a well to neighbors;
• whether the owners of neighboring plots gave water for analysis;
• Are they satisfied with the selected water system?

Thus, the installation of the well will be justified only when the extraction of water from the depths is impossible, due to the peculiarities of the land of a particular region. A well is able to collect water from various horizons, onto which its pipes are lowered and store it in certain quantities. This water will be of poor quality, but it will be. Then you can clean it using various treatment plants.

If neighbors use wells in your region, then it is worth stopping precisely at this type of water supply. Well drilling is a more justified and reliable option for a water supply system.

In addition to autonomous water supply systems, there is also a centralized system, which is connected with the help of utilities after relatively small earthworks, approval of the possibility of providing the site and house with the required water pressure and connecting to the nearest source on the street. It should be remembered that it is possible to connect to the centralized water supply only if there is a sewage system and a water utility has permission. If it is possible to connect to a centralized water supply system, it is best to choose this particular method. Most often, this will be the best solution, even compared to a well.

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