Before the Age of Industrialization, circa 1850-1950, people had no choice but to literally dig their well by hand. If they wanted water on their homestead, they started digging and hoped they hit the water table. Thankfully, hand digging a well is largely a thing of the past. Here is what you need to know about the different kinds of wells before commissioning someone to drill your well for you.

What Kind Of Wells Are There?

• The Dug Well

These are shallow wells that have either been dug by hand or used modern tools to quickly excavate a simple well. They are typically used in very remote or rural locations. You've likely seen them before, with their circle of stones or brick, and a little pitched roof with a crank and a bucket on a rope to pull water up with.They are sometimes called "wishing wells." Dug wells require finding an aquifer near the surface. The hole itself is lined with more stone, brick, or concrete to make sure surface water doesn't run off into the well.  

• The Driven Well

This type of well is still occasionally used today. A small pipe is driven into the ground, usually through a soft soil, such as sand. The pipe is pounded until water is reached.This method also requires an aquifer near the service, as well as special care taken to ensure it doesn't become contaminated.

• The Drilled Well

Most water well drilling today uses this method. A narrow, deep shaft is created with a machine that can drill a few thousand feet if need be. How deep it needs to go depends on several factors, such as seasonal differences in the water table. The drilling rig is usually mounted on a truck that can handle the rigorous and complicated auger. The pipe itself serves as the well casing, and because a deeper aquifer can be used, there is less chance of well water contamination.

Where Is A Well Placed?

An experienced well driller will be familiar with the water table and aquifer in your region. They can also consult charts and date from the U.S. Geological Survey. In addition to divining what might be the perfect place to drill, your well driller will also need to make sure where they don't place it. It can't be located near any buried underground fuel tanks, such as a propane tank, your septic system, and any animal pastures, coops, or barns. Building codes may also require your well be a certain distance from buildings.

How Much Will A Drilled Well Cost?

Much like just about anything in the construction trades, until you meet with a well driller, it is difficult to give an exact figure. With so many factors and variations in each situation, only a raw estimate can be given. According to Costhelper, the typical charges for drilling a well and setting up the pump and other components needed to give you a complete water system can range from $3,500-$20,000. This figure can be dramatically different depending on the water situation in your part of the country. Contact a well drilling company like Henderson Well & Pump Co. in your area for more information.