How To Drill A Well By Hand: Step-by-Step

Can I drill a well by hand? Yes, with patience, the right tools, and a good understanding of the process, you can drill a well by hand. What is manual well drilling? Manual well drilling is a method of excavating a water source using human power and simple tools, often employed in areas where powered drilling equipment is inaccessible or too expensive. This blog post will guide you through the entire process of digging a well by hand, focusing on DIY well digging for shallow well construction.

Access to clean water is fundamental, and for many, drilling a well is the answer. While modern technology offers powerful drilling rigs, the age-old practice of manual well drilling remains a viable and often necessary option. This method, sometimes referred to as hand auger well drilling, allows individuals to create their own water source digging with a bit more effort and a lot more satisfaction. It’s a journey into simple well drilling, a testament to resourcefulness and a way to achieve water independence. We’ll explore the techniques for water well drilling and even touch upon hand pump well installation to complete your system. This is about homemade well drilling that’s both practical and achievable.

Image Source: www.emergencywaterwell.com

Planning Your Hand-Dug Well

Before you even think about picking up a shovel, thorough planning is crucial. This isn’t a weekend project you can rush.

Site Selection

Choosing the right location is the most critical first step.

• Proximity to Water Source: Ideally, you want to drill near a known aquifer. Look for areas where water naturally surfaces – low-lying areas, near springs, or where vegetation is particularly lush.
• Geological Considerations: Different soil types will affect how easily you can drill. Sandy or gravelly soils are generally easier to penetrate than dense clay or solid rock. Observe the surrounding land: are there existing wells? What are they like?
• Distance from Contamination Sources: This is paramount for water safety. Your well must be a minimum distance away from:
  • Septic tanks and drain fields (at least 100 feet is a good rule of thumb).
  • Animal pens, barns, and manure piles (at least 75 feet).
  • Fuel storage tanks.
  • Any other potential sources of pollution.
• Accessibility: Consider how you’ll get equipment and materials to the site and how you’ll access the well once it’s drilled for maintenance and pump installation.
• Regulations and Permits: Check with your local authorities. There are often regulations regarding well depth, location, and construction to ensure water quality and prevent contamination of shared aquifers.

Legal and Regulatory Considerations

• Permits: In many areas, you’ll need a permit to drill a well, even for personal use. This often involves submitting plans and undergoing inspections.
• Water Rights: Be aware of any local water rights laws. You don’t want to drill a well only to find you don’t have the legal right to the water.
• Setback Distances: As mentioned, there are usually strict rules about how far your well must be from potential contaminants.

Gathering Your Tools and Materials

This is where DIY well digging really comes into play. You’ll need specific tools designed for this type of work.

Essential Tools for Manual Well Drilling

• Well Auger: This is your primary digging tool. For manual drilling, a hand auger, often with replaceable screw-in sections, is most common. They are designed to cut into the soil and bring it to the surface. Different augers are suited for different soil types (e.g., clay augers, rock augers).
• Well Pipe/Casing: This is the lining that prevents the well from collapsing. Common materials include PVC or steel. The diameter will depend on your intended pump and local regulations.
• Drill Rods/Extension Rods: These connect to the auger and are added as you drill deeper. They need to be strong and threaded securely.
• Wrench: A pipe wrench or specialized rod wrench is essential for tightening and loosening the drill rod sections.
• Bailer: A long, cylindrical tool with a flap valve at the bottom, used to lift loose soil, sand, and water out of the well.
• Shovel and Pickaxe: For initial surface excavation and breaking up harder soil.
• Bucket and Rope: For removing soil and water, especially when starting or if the bailer isn’t efficient enough.
• Safety Gear: Gloves, safety glasses, sturdy boots, and potentially a hard hat are essential.
• Level: To ensure your casing is installed straight.
• Measuring Tape: To track depth.
• Support Structure (Optional but Recommended): For deeper wells, a simple tripod or a pulley system can make lifting augers and bailers easier.

Materials for Well Casing and Completion

• Well Casing: As mentioned, PVC or steel pipe.
• Well Screen: A section of slotted pipe placed at the bottom of the well to allow water to enter while keeping sand and gravel out.
• Gravel Pack: Pea gravel is often placed around the well screen to improve filtration.
• Bentonite Clay Sealant: Used to seal the annulus (the space between the casing and the earth) above the water-bearing zone to prevent surface contaminants from entering the well.
• Well Cap: A secure cap to prevent debris and animals from entering the well.
• Cement or Grout (for sealing): Depending on your chosen method and regulations.

The Step-by-Step Process of Digging a Well By Hand

Now, let’s get down to the actual work of manual well drilling.

Step 1: Initial Surface Excavation

• Clear the Area: Remove any vegetation, rocks, or debris from your chosen well site.
• Dig the Starting Pit: Use a shovel and pickaxe to dig a small pit, about 2-3 feet in diameter and 3-5 feet deep. This provides a stable starting point for your auger and allows you to get below the immediate surface layer.
• Stabilize the Ground: You might want to reinforce the edges of this initial pit with boards or stones, especially in loose soil, to prevent cave-ins.

Step 2: Beginning the Auger Drilling

• Assemble the Auger: Attach the first section of your well auger to a drill rod.
• Position the Auger: Place the auger head directly in the center of your starting pit.
• Augering Technique:
  • Rotation: Turn the drill rod clockwise. Apply steady downward pressure. It’s usually a two-person job – one person turns the rod while the other guides it and applies pressure.
  • Lifting and Emptying: After several turns, the auger will fill with soil. Lift the auger out of the hole, turn it upside down, and empty the soil into a bucket or designated area. This is crucial for removing the excavated material.
  • Adding Rods: As you drill deeper, you’ll need to add extension rods to your drill string. Ensure each connection is tightened securely.
  • Maintaining Verticality: Keep the drill string as vertical as possible. Leaning can cause the hole to deviate and make it harder to install the casing. Use a level on the rods periodically.

Step 3: Removing Excavated Material

• Using the Bailer: Once the hole is deeper, the bailer becomes your primary tool for removing loose soil, sand, and water.
  • Lower the bailer into the well.
  • Drop it with a bit of force to allow the valve to open and scoop up material.
  • Lift it out slowly to keep the material inside.
  • Empty the bailer.
• Dealing with Water: You will inevitably encounter water. If the water level rises faster than you can bail, you may need to temporarily suspend drilling until you can remove the water. It’s a sign you’re getting close to your target water table.
• Soil Layers: Pay attention to the types of soil you are removing. This helps you map the underground strata and identify the water-bearing layer. You might encounter clay, sand, gravel, or even rock.

Step 4: Installing the Well Casing

This is a critical step for the structural integrity of your well.

• When to Install: You can start installing casing as you go, adding sections as you deepen the hole, or after you reach your target depth. Installing it as you go is often safer, especially in unstable soils.
• Lowering the Casing:
  • Assemble your casing sections. For PVC, this usually involves solvent welding or mechanical couplings. For steel, welding or threaded connections are common.
  • Carefully lower the first section into the pre-drilled hole. Ensure it sits firmly on the bottom or rests on the solid ground below any loose material.
  • Add subsequent sections, ensuring they are straight and securely joined.
• Maintaining Verticality: Use a level to ensure the casing is plumb. Adjustments can be made with guiding ropes or careful maneuvering.
• Sealing the Annulus (Above the Water Zone): Once the casing is in place and you’ve reached your target depth, you’ll need to seal the annular space between the casing and the borehole walls.
  • Bentonite Slurry: A common method is to pour a bentonite clay slurry down the top of the casing. As it settles, it fills the gap, creating a waterproof seal that prevents surface water from contaminating your well.
  • Grouting: In some cases, cement grout is pumped into the annulus. This is more common for deeper, more robust wells and often requires professional equipment. For shallow well construction by hand, bentonite is often sufficient.

Step 5: Developing the Well and Installing the Screen

Well development is the process of cleaning out fine materials from the water-bearing formation and the well screen to improve water flow.

• Setting the Well Screen: Lower the well casing to the desired depth, with the well screen section positioned within the water-bearing formation.
• Gravel Packing: If your soil is very sandy or silty, you may want to install a gravel pack around the well screen.
  • Lower a temporary pipe or pipe with a jetting mechanism to the bottom of the screen.
  • Slowly pour clean pea gravel into the well casing, filling the space around the screen.
  • As you pour the gravel, use the jetting pipe or the bailer to agitate the soil around the screen, allowing the gravel to settle into place and create a filter.
• Bailing for Development: Once the screen is in place and any gravel pack is set, you’ll continue to bail the well. This process removes the finer sediment and encourages water to flow into the well and through the screen. You’ll notice the water becoming clearer as you continue bailing. This can take many hours, even days.

Step 6: Finalizing the Well

• Sealing the Top: Once the water runs clear and the well is developed, the top of the casing needs to be sealed.
  • Well Cap: Install a secure, vented well cap. This prevents debris, insects, and animals from entering the well, which is critical for water quality. The cap should be flush or slightly above ground level.
• Disinfection: It’s vital to disinfect your new well.
  • Add a calculated amount of household bleach (unscented liquid chlorine bleach, typically 5.25% to 6% sodium hypochlorite) to the well. The amount depends on the well’s diameter and depth.
  • Agitate the water in the well by bailing or jetting.
  • Let it sit for several hours (at least 12-24 hours).
  • Flush the well by pumping water out until the chlorine smell is gone.
  • Test your water quality.

Step 7: Installing a Hand Pump

To access your water, a pump is necessary. For a manually drilled well, a hand pump well installation is often the most practical solution.

• Choosing a Hand Pump: There are various types of hand pumps, from simple pitcher pumps to more robust piston pumps designed for deeper wells. Select a pump appropriate for your well depth and desired flow rate.
• Pump Rods and Pipe: Hand pumps typically use a series of connected pump rods that run down into the well, attached to a piston that moves up and down within the pump cylinder. The cylinder itself is usually placed below the water level.
• Installation Process:
  • Assemble the pump cylinder and attach it to the bottom-most section of pump rod and drop pipe.
  • Lower this assembly into the well.
  • Connect the pump head to the top of the casing.
  • Attach the subsequent pump rods, ensuring they are connected securely.
  • Connect the pump handle mechanism.
• Priming: Most hand pumps need to be primed – meaning you need to fill them with water the first time to create the necessary suction.

Considerations for Different Soil Types

The ease and method of digging a well by hand are heavily influenced by the soil you encounter.

Sandy and Gravelly Soils

• Pros: Relatively easy to penetrate with an auger.
• Cons: Prone to collapse. Casing installation needs to be done promptly and carefully. A well screen and gravel pack are almost always necessary.

Clay Soils

• Pros: Generally more stable, less prone to collapse.
• Cons: Can be very hard and sticky, especially when wet. Auger can get clogged. A clay auger may be more effective.

Rocky Formations

• Pros: Once you hit solid rock, the drilling might become more stable.
• Cons: Extremely difficult to penetrate with manual methods. You may need specialized rock augers or rock drills. If you hit significant bedrock early, it might be impossible to drill a manual well to a useful depth.

Challenges and Limitations of Manual Well Drilling

While rewarding, homemade well drilling has its limits.

• Depth Limitations: It’s physically demanding. Drilling to depths beyond 50-100 feet becomes exceedingly difficult and time-consuming.
• Physical Exertion: This is a labor-intensive process requiring significant strength and stamina.
• Time Commitment: It can take days or even weeks to complete a well, depending on depth, soil conditions, and your working capacity.
• Water Quality: Without proper sealing and screening, manual wells can be more susceptible to surface contamination. Regular water testing is crucial.
• Hard Rock: If you encounter thick layers of hard rock, manual drilling is often not feasible.

When to Call a Professional

There are times when DIY well digging might not be the best approach, or when you need professional help to complete your project.

• Reaching Significant Depth: If you need water from a deeper aquifer, professional drilling rigs are necessary.
• Encountering Hard Rock: If your auger hits impenetrable rock layers.
• Unstable Soil Conditions: If the well is constantly collapsing despite your efforts.
• Complex Geological Formations: If you’re unsure about the local geology or the presence of aquifers.
• Regulatory Requirements: Some areas require licensed professionals for well drilling.
• Pump Installation: For more complex pump systems, professional installation is recommended.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How deep can you realistically drill a well by hand?

Realistically, drilling a well by hand to depths of 30 to 50 feet is common and achievable for most individuals. Pushing beyond 75-100 feet becomes extremely strenuous and may require specialized equipment or a team effort. The ease of drilling also heavily depends on the soil type.

What is the easiest type of soil to drill through by hand?

Sandy and gravelly soils are generally the easiest to drill through with a manual auger. They are less dense than clay and break apart more readily. However, these soils are also more prone to collapsing, making prompt casing installation essential.

How do I know when I’ve hit water?

You’ll know you’ve hit water when the soil you’re excavating becomes saturated and wet. As you continue to drill, water will begin to accumulate in the bottom of the borehole. If the water level rises quickly, it indicates a good water-bearing zone (aquifer). You will also notice a change in the “feel” of the drilling.

How long does it take to drill a well by hand?

The time it takes varies greatly depending on the depth, soil type, and the number of people working. A shallow well (20-30 feet) in easy soil might take a couple of days. A deeper well (50-75 feet) in tougher conditions could take a week or more of consistent effort.

Is digging a well by hand legal?

Legality varies by region. It’s crucial to check with your local county or municipal government, water authority, or environmental department regarding regulations, permits, and any setback requirements for well construction before you begin.

What is the difference between an auger and a bailer?

An auger is a rotating tool used to cut into the earth and bring soil to the surface. A bailer is a long, cylindrical tool with a one-way valve at the bottom, used to lift loose material and water out of the well once it’s deeper. They are complementary tools in the manual drilling process.

How do I ensure my manually drilled well is safe to drink from?

Water safety is paramount. After drilling and installing your casing and screen, you must properly seal the annular space (usually with bentonite clay), install a secure well cap, and disinfect the well. Crucially, you must then have your water tested by a certified laboratory for common contaminants like bacteria, nitrates, and other pollutants.