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WELL & WATER INFORMATION

NOTE: The information on this page is provided by outside sources and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the VCHPOA.

Every effort is made to provide the most current information possible.

USGS VCH Well Survey Website - CLICK HERE

Wells in the Highlands - Fractured Rock Aquifers

Most if not all the wells in the Virginia City Highlands are pulling water from Fractured Rock Aquifers. What is a Fractured Rock Aquifer? This type of aquifer is not like an underground lake or pool. To learn more about the type of aquifer we get our water from, click here to dowload the PDF

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For more general information about how a domestic well works Click Here

Aquifers.jpg

No Water? - Common Problems

You have a functioning well and all of a sudden you think you just ran out of water...

Check your Breaker Box
Your well pump breaker should be labeled, check to see if Breaker is "popped". This means that something happened to overload that specific circuit/breaker, as they are designed to do, the breaker popped.

Note: As a general rule, breakers pop for any number of reasons. Sometimes it's due to the old age of the breaker or it's an indicator of a more serious electrical issue. For the average homeowner, at this point you should bring in a professional to have them look into why the breaker popped.

Well Pump Failure
You reset the Breaker and you still don't have water, chances are your well pump went out. Well Pumps typically have an average lifespan of about 20-25 years.

Note: At this point you should bring in a professional

Pressure Tank Failure
You have verified your well pump is working but you have very little or no water coming out of your faucet. Your next possible culprit could be your Pressure Tank which is usually located in the house or in an external structure like a well house. Pressure Tanks fail for a number of reasons. There is a bladder inside the tank which keeps the water in the tank under pressure. Sometimes this bladder loses the air inside it for one reason or another. The other item on a Pressure Tank that can fail is the Pressure Tank Switch. This switch is what controls the flow of water in to the Pressure Tank.

Note: At this point you should bring in a professional

No Water? - Less Common Problems

You had a functioning well, you eliminated the possibility of a blown Breaker, Your Well Pump and or your Pressure Tank failing and you still don't have water...

Slow Recharge Rate
Your well has a recharge rate, the recharge rate is how quickly the water column in your well replenishes itself. If you have a slow recharge rate, it's possible to use so much water that you empty the column of water in your well and your Pressure Tank and the water isn't filling the column of water back up fast enough.

Well Collapse/Well Casing Collapse
A private water well casing failure is when the casing that surrounds the well collapses or deteriorates, allowing contaminants to enter the well water. This can happen if the casing is not properly installed or maintained, if the well is drilled in an area with high water table levels, or if the well is drilled through bedrock that is not stable. A casing failure can also occur if the well is used to pump water out of the ground faster than it can be replenished, causing the water level to drop and the casing to collapse. Read More Here



 

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