PO,

YOU ARE BLESSED TO HAVE A CLEAN WATER SUPPLY THAT IS CAPABLE OF 20 TO 40 GAL. PER MINUTE. THAT IS THE GOOD NEWS....

YOUR CURRENT 1 HP PUMP AT 100 FT DEEP WILL PUMP BETWEEN 11 AND 15 GPM DEPENDING ON HOW MUCH PRESSURE IT MUST PUMP AGAINST AND HOW MUCH WATER IS STANDING IN THE WELL OVER THE PUMP'S SUCTION (CALLED SUCTION HEAD).

A NEW WATER WELL MAY BE AN EXPENSIVE PROPOSITION. IT MAY BE CHEAPER TO PUT IN A BIGGER PUMP. LOOK AT THE PUMP CURVE BEFORE YOU BUY A PUMP, IT TELLS YOU THE CAPACITY AT DIFFERENT DEPTHS. JUST BE SURE YOU DO NOT OVER PUMP YOUR WELL OR YOU WILL LOSE A PUMP.

YOU WILL NEED A WELL PERMIT FROM THE WATER RESOURCE PEOPLE.

IF YOUR CURRENT WELL IS NOT REGESTERED, YOU MAY BE FACING SOME HEARTACHE GETTING IT REGISTERED. PERHAPS YOU MAY NOT WANT TO MENTION THE EXISTING WELL (DID I ACTUALLY PUT THAT IN WRITING?), I MUST BE GETTING SENILE FROM MY DAIN BRAMAGE. :p

IF YOU WANT SENIOR CLAIM (GRANDFATHER RIGHTS) TO THE WATER TABLE, YOU NEED TO BE SURE THE OLD AND NEW WELLS ARE REGISTERED. WATER RIGHTS CAN BE VALUABLE IN SOME AREAS. SEE WHAT IS THE MAX YOU CAN PUMP WITHOUT REQUIRING A EPA EVALUATION AND CLAIM THAT AMOUNT.

I DO NOT KNOW OF A LIMIT TO HOW CLOSE YOU CAN BE TO A POND, CHECK WITH THE WATER RESOURCE PEOPLE. YOU MAY BE ABLE TO DRILL IN THE POND, FUN BUT REALLY EXPENSIVE. MOST LIKELY THEY WILL TELL YOU IT WILL HAVE TO BE THE SAME DISTANCE FROM THE POND AS YOU WOULD HAVE TO BE FROM A SEPTIC TANK SYSTEM. 100 FT IN A LOT OF STATES.

IF THE SOIL IS CLAY AND THERE ARE NO RESTRICTIONS, YOU CAN PUT THE WELL AS CLOSE AS THE DRILLER WILL LET YOU. THE DRILLERS WILL NEED SOME ROOM AND FIVE FEET IS THE LEAST I HAVE EVERY WORKED IN, FIFTEEN FEET IS COMFORTABLE.

MOST STATES REQUIRE A CEMENT PLUG EXTENDING FROM GROUND LEVEL TO 30 FT. THE PLUG IS PUT AROUND THE PIPE AND WILL PREVENT SURFACE WATER LEAKAGE INTO THE WELL AND WILL PREVENT THE POND FROM LEAKING INTO THE WELL UNLESS YOU HAVE SOME SANDY AND ROCKY LAYERS. IF YOU ARE CLOSE TO THE POND, HAVE THE DRILLER PUT THE CEMENT DOWN 40 OR 50 FT, IT IS CHEAP INSURANCE.

GENERALLY METAL PIPE IS REQUIRED FOR THE FIRST 30 FT THEN PVC CAN BE USED. I DON'T LIKE USING PVC AS IT WILL BREAK IF THE GROUND SHIFTS, ALSO I HAVE SEEN IT COME LOOSE AND DROP TO THE BOTTOM OF THE WELL LEAVING A GAP FOR DIRT TO ENTER THE WELL. THE REASON I AM GROUCHY IS I HAVE FISHED OUT DROPPED PIPE, DROPPED BITS, LOST PUMPS AND PIPES, ETC. I EVEN FISHED OUT A .22 RIFLE A KID DROPPED IN A WELL I WAS DRILLING.

YOU SHOULD BE THERE FOR THE FIRST 50 FT OF DRILLING IN CASE THEY HIT SAND OR GRAVEL. YOU WILL NEED TO MAKE A DECISION TO MOVE THE WELL OR RISK POND WATER GETTING INTO THE WATER TABLE.

IF YOU CRAP UP THE WATER TABLE, IT WILL REQUIRE YOU FILLING IN THE WELL OR SEALING IT TO A GREATER DEPTH THAN 30 FT. IF YOU CRAP UP A WATER TABLE, IT CAN BE COSTLY IN LAW SUITS AND FINES.

IT IS USUALLY CHEAPER TO RUN PIPING THAN ELECTRIC LINES. YOU WILL NEED 220 V. THE LONGER THE ELECTRIC LINE, THE MORE LINE LOSS AND THE MORE EXPENSIVE IT WILL BE TO RUN THE PUMP.

WARNING...AFTER THE WELL IS DUG, MOST STATES REQUIRE THE DRILLER TO TREAT THE WELL WITH CHOLORINE OR SOME OTHER BACTERIACIDE. OLD DRILLERS LIKE MYSELF (BEFORE I GOT EDUCATED)WILL USUALLY TREAT THE WELL ON THE HEAVY SIDE JUST TO BE SAFE.... NO TIME TO CALCULATE THE VOLUME IN THE WELL, PIPING, TANKS,ETC. "JUST POUR IN THAT CAN OF SODIUM HYPOCHOLORATE AND LETS GET OUT OF HERE."

ANYWAY, BE VERY SURE YOU PUMP THE TREATED WATER AWAY FROM THE POND UNTIL YOU PROVE THE WATER IS CHEMICAL FREE... (USE A POOL CHOLORINE TEST KIT) OTHERWISE YOU CAN KISS THE FISH GOODBYE, MAKE AN EPA REPORT, PAY THE FINE, ETC.

A SMALL AMOUNT OF CHOLORINE KILLS A LOT OF FISH AND DOES A REAL NUMBER ON THE BOTTOM OF THE FOOD CHAIN.

HOPE THIS HELPS, SORRY I GOT A BIT CARRIED AWAY.

GOOD LUCK.

Dennis