Understanding a Groundwater Well

Groundwater may be the most reliable water source on Earth and it typically requires less treatment than surface water.
However, its correct management is vital to ensure its supply for the future. Unfortunately, groundwater measurements are
fairly complicated because the water’s flow is hidden. You need to track the availability of groundwater carefully to avoid
problems such as supply limitations, pump wear, clogging and over-pumping.

A well is an opening that stretches from the ground surface to the underground aquifer where the groundwater is located.
The depth of the well may vary from a few meters to several hundred meters.

Because of the depth of the well and the distance to the water it also requires more pumping power. The depth to water can
be seen as the suction lift of a pump installed on the ground surface.

Groundwater wells are typically drilled with special drilling equipment that can penetrate the various layers of ground, such
as sand, clay and bedrock. Inside the drilled hole, a casing (pipe) is installed, which prevents the well from collapsing around
the pump.

Below the casing and in line with the aquifer is another casing with fine slots. This is the well screen, where the slots allow
the water to enter the well. The screen holds back sand and larger particles from entering the well.
To improve the filtering function, the borehole features a diameter that is 2-3” larger than the casing. A fine sand gravel pack
filter is placed between the casing and the aquifer. Some casings come with a pre-made gravel pack filter. If made correctly,
this filtering method prevents sand and silt from entering the well.

1
 the head requirement of 103 m.
Below the casing and in line with the aquifer is another ‘casing’
4 Performance curves
The pump and below
curve technical data that a 4 stage pump will give ex
shows - SP A, SP This is the well screen, where the slots allow the
The pump is a submersible water to enter the well. It holds back sand and larger particles
pump, type SP215-4 (4 stages or bowls) with a 75 kW motor. trying to enter the well.
SP 215

The US EPA and National Water Works Association recommend the

SP 215
following sand limits
Performance in well water:
curves

p H Installation pit
[kPa] [m]
SP 215
• 1 ppm in water
2400
240 for
-6
drip and microspray application 50 Hz
ISO 9906:2012 Grade 3B
• 10 ppm in water
220
for sprinkler irrigation systems
-6-A

-6-AA
• 15 ppm2000
in water for flood irrigation
200
-5

-5-A

A well must be developed

-5-AA before it is put into operation. A new well
180
Sealing

will always produce some sand and silt in the beginning. Well devel-
1600
160 -4

-4-A
Borehole
opment is the process
140
-4-AA
of pumping water from a new well, and this
water should
1200be free -3
120
from sand and silt. This is done by pumping
with a very high flow,-3-Awhich draws the fine particles in the aquifer
100 -3-AA
into the filter of the well. This slowly makes the filter more effective. Well casing
800 80 -2
After approximately -2-A
one day of pumping, the well is normally
pumped clean and
60
is-2-AA
ready for norm al operation.
400 40 -1

-1-A
The pump used for
20
well development wears out relatively quickly Aquifer
because of the high sand content, and it should, therefore, always
0 0

be replaced with a0 new 40pump80as soon

120
as the
160
well
200
does
240
not produce
280 Q [m³/h]

any more sand.

p H
0 20 40 60 80 Q [l/s]
Eta
[kPa] [m] [%]
160 16 Eta 80

120 12 60
Gravel pack/
The submersible
In80 this8pump must
example always be requirement
the performance installed above theonscreen
was right one 40
TM00 8785 4702

40 4 20
of the curves.
area of the casing. Let’s assume that the head requirement had only
NPSH
0 0 This ensures that the water is forced past the 0

been 100
0 m. In
40 that case
80 there
120 is no
160 curve
200matching
240 the280duty
Q [m³/h]
motor, providing adequate
Explanation of efficiency motor
curve, please cooling.
see Curve conditions,Ifpage
the4. pump cannot be
point, which is between two curves.
installed above the screen filter, we recommend that a cooling
sleeve be used
Theto createisthe
solution necessary
to select one offlow along
the two the motor
curves: for
if the upper
curve is selected there is a bit more reserve in the pump, if the
proper cooling.
Submersible Pump
66

The drawdown for each specific well can be tested by using a test pump with the same flow rating as the production pump
that is installed in the well. The groundwater level is recorded, and the equilibrium point is reached when the water level
becomes constant. This level is called the dynamic water level.

The drawdown is the difference between the static and the dynamic water level. The water produced by the well is pushed
through the aquifer and the well screen by the pressure differential that is present between the static and the dynamic
water level. The higher the flow, the bigger the drawdown. For this reason it is often better, considering operating costs, to
use two or more small pumps (and wells), instead of one large pump. With smaller pumps, the drawdown is limited and the
elevation lift is reduced. Some aquifers have so much resistance that the water flow to one well is not enough to cope with
the irrigation needs. In such a scenario, a second and third well may be the only solution to get the amount of water
required.