water well pump stopped working: help!!

dave987

Hi guys,

Looking for a bit of advice on my newly installed domestic well which has stopped pumping water completely, any replies much appreciated!

Bit of background. I got the well installed in June 2014.

The company I used were a seemingly reputable well company called O'Donohoe Bros (www. odonohoewelldrilling com/), and pump type was a Pentax.

The well installation seemed to go fine, however it was pumping up decayed granite after installation but the company said that would pump within 2-3 weeks and all would be well. I paid them half of what was owed and the rest was to be paid after my well grant came through.

However, after 3 weeks the granite muck was still coming through. At this point I tried contacting the company, however once they knew there was a problem they completely dodged all my calls after that, and I have never been able to get through to them since.

This has continued til now, I still owe them the balance of the payment but they have basically just kept avoiding my calls. I'm told there's nothing I can do against them now except not pay the balance, but this is the least of my problems!

The water continued so muddy that it was undrinkable and unuseable.

At first I thought it might be that it needed a filter put on, so we had one installed. This helped somewhat for a few months in that the water was then drinkable and useable in facilities, but the filter would clog up after about a week and I would have to wash it out then every week.

Now, two days ago the well stopped pumping water completely.

So basically, my two questions are:

(1) Does anyone have an idea what could be causing the pump to have stopped working? Could there a problem with how the well was installed, or is there potentially an easy fix?!?

and (2) does anyone have a recommendation for a reputable well pump maintainance company in the West Wicklow area that I could rely on not to be cowboys?

Sorry for the long and detailed post, it's been a very frustrating time and I would very very much appreciate if anyone has any suggestions or advice.

Thank you!

sky6

It could be any one of a multitude of problems. Your definitely going to need to get someone to look at it for you.
It sounds like they never drilled deep enough to get past the soft limestone. The well will probably need to be lined all the way down. Some do some don't just the luck of the draw.
Do you know how deep it is. ? what is the flow rate from the Well. ? Have you had the Water tested to see what's in it.
Also have the grit or stone tested to determine what it is. But most likely soft limestone.
As to the pump it may be that the impellers are eaten away from the stony sediment causing it to cut out.

I have a name of a good guy i'll pm you with later as I don't have it to hand.

dave987

[Thanks very much for suggestions! And pm with the guys name much appreciated. Ill try and find out the things you suggest. Thanks!

quote="sky6;94366918"]It could be any one of a multitude of problems. Your definitely going to need to get someone to look at it for you.
It sounds like they never drilled deep enough to get past the soft limestone. The well will probably need to be lined all the way down. Some do some don't just the luck of the draw.
Do you know how deep it is. ? what is the flow rate from the Well. ? Have you had the Water tested to see what's in it.
Also have the grit or stone tested to determine what it is. But most likely soft limestone.
As to the pump it may be that the impellers are eaten away from the stony sediment causing it to cut out.

I have a name of a good guy i'll pm you with later as I don't have it to hand.[/quote]

sky6

PM sent

dave987

I'm not seeing the private message for some reason, did it definitely send? Also in answer to some of your questions, the depth is 120 feet I don't know what the flow rate is but quite strong, the test gave it a high iron content and the grit is gravel. Thanks very much for your time.

sky6

PM Sent.

dave987

The well does have a lining, when they were piping down they put a lining in as they were trying to find solid rock. After 160ft they still hadn't found solid rock, so they just stopped there and said the silt and sludge should stop been pumped up after a few days (that was back when originally dug mid last year, and it still hasn't stopped doing so). Maybe that was the problem, that they should have kept digging until they hit solid rock?
Anyhow, yes they had to go get more lining, so the well is lined all the way down.

The pump was at 120ft originally, and the guy that came the other day lifted it still higher, he said that would rise it above the silt and said the problem definitely wasn't that the well wasn't dug low enough.

dave987

They could just be lying through their teeth though. Thanks.

sky6

dave987 wrote: »

They could just be lying through their teeth though. Thanks.

That's the problem with underground work.
it seems though the Well just needs to be dug deeper until they hit rock.
Have you got a Sediment Filter before any purification Filters' ? Always a good idea as it prevents sediment getting into the Filtration system and also damaging any pumps on the line.
There's always an element of luck with the depth of the well. finding water is never a problem in Ireland. In a 100 yd radius of me there are 4 Wells.
one at 10 Ft and the owner is 80 years and said it's been there since he was born in the same house with never a shortage of Water. He also has cattle.
Next door to me 150 Ft. Behind me 500 ft and mine is 350 ft so you can see how Depths can vary greatly. In my case they hit rock and just had to keep going until breaking though.

dave987

Oh that's interesting, how strange all the different depths. No all I've got is a fine mesh filter on the pipe just before it enters the house. There's no sediment filter on, that might be worth trying alright. The lad who came the other day wrapped the pump in a nylon stocking to act as a filter! I'm not sure how worthwhile that is.
Will get the Brody lot out I think. Cheers!