Why has my well gone dry?

Some reasons for a dry well are:

• the well has been over pumped, e.g. the level of the groundwater table is below the bottom of the well, storage has been used up and no more water can be pumped
• the well screen or bedrock fracture that the water comes from could be clogged or blocked
• drought is occurring which has lowered the normal water level
• the pump has not been placed deep enough or your well is not deep enough
• there are mechanical or maintenance issues with the pump
• there is a leak in the system that is wasting water.

Some warning indicators are:

• if you are noticing discoloured water, or sediment in your water
• if nearby wells are going dry, your well may be next.

Here’s a cross-section of a well showing possible reasons for a well to be dry or not producing water. (credit: Erin Seagren)

What should I do if my well goes dry?

Shut off your well pump at the electrical panel so it doesn’t attempt to run dry and suffer permanent damage. Leave the pump off for a few hours. Some wells just have a slow recharge rate and will refill naturally as groundwater seeps back in. Wells located in dense clay or deep bedrock fill much slower and may take weeks to months to recover.

If the well remains dry, a Registered Well Driller or Well Pump Installer should be hired to confirm the cause and perform required maintenance. The Registry of these registered professionals can be found at https://apps.nrs.gov.bc.ca/gwells/registries

For immediate water needs, purchase a cistern and water from a regulated water delivery service and ensure it is properly stored and treated as needed.

Talk to your neighbours and see if a pumping timing schedule would work.

What NOT to do if you suspect your well is going dry or is dry.

• Do NOT pour any water from any outside source (e.g., trucked water, rain water) into your well. This unlawful practice wastes your money and can have unintended consequences to the shared groundwater and aquifer.
• Do NOT put anything into your well to check for water.
• Do NOT pull the pump out to see if it is working.
• Do NOT conduct your own maintenance or repairs.

These activities can introduce contamination into your well and could contaminate the aquifer.

Any work on the well MUST be done by a Registered Well Driller, Registered Pump Installer, or Qualified Professional who specializes in groundwater.

As a well owner you have a responsibility to ensure that nothing gets into your well that could contaminate the groundwater as it is your source of drinking water AND a shared resource with your neighbours.

What can I do to prepare for a drought?

Prepare for future dry events by incorporating cisterns for water storage into your water delivery system which would include treatment if the water is to be used as potable source.

Conserve water using less water, using low-water appliances and drought friendly landscaping. Further conservation is needed during times of drought.

Collect rainwater as an alternate water supply. Note: rainwater is not safe to drink unless it has been treated to meet potable water standards. Rainwater can be used for watering gardens or other non-potable uses.

Schedule well system maintenance and necessary upgrades/improvements: Hire a Registered Well Driller or Well Pump Installer for repairs and maintenance and to recommend improvements to your system to plan and prepare for drought.

Monitor the water level in your well to understand the effect of well pumping on your water levels, seasonal changes and identify any leaks, which can waste water and cause your well to go dry. A Registered Well Driller, Registered Pump Installer, or Qualified Professional who specializes in groundwater should be hired to identify equipment options and to install suitable monitoring equipment.

Join a volunteer monitoring network.

Check the water levels in provincial observation wells or monitoring wells nearby and in the same aquifer in your area, if available.