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Yesterday I turned the hose on to fill a swimming pool. We have been running it for about an hour every other day.

I got distracted and totally forgot about the water and it was left on for about 5 hours.

We have an artesian well with a submersible pump. We stopped using water in the house for 24 hours and I can see water down the well hole which we could not see yesterday but the water in the house is coming out but no pressure.

We always had city water till we moved here 4 years ago and have no clue what it could be.

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Michelle A Captain
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5 Answers5

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My neighbor came over and we found that the filter was clogged.

When we installed a new filter the water started to work.

Alaska Man
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Michelle A Captain
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To summarize all of this...You found a plugged filter that was causing the problem. Congratulations!

We all need to be careful about giving advice in situations like this without knowing more. There are many types of water systems: Old, hand dug wells; Cisterns; Surface wells; drilled wells with steel casing; Springs feeding a holding tank that is pumped out of; and who knows what else. We did learn it was a submersible pump, but really didn't know much about the well. Please don't snip me for offering this suggestion. We are helpful people or we wouldn't be here. Still, the advice needs to be solid.

Wells all have their own characteristics based on underground geography. That affects the rate the well can "produce" water. Ack is right, it'll recharge. The amount of pumping done may have stirred up sediment at the bottom of the well that may take a while to clear out. The OP may have to repeatedly clean the filter for a while.

I would also suggest to the OP that they get more familiar with their system. Maybe get a reputable well/pump guy to evaluate their system and how to manage an on site water system.

George Anderson
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The filter at the entrance to the pump could be clogged. Enough water is getting through at the start, but the pumping cause debris to quickly clog up the filter, reducing pressure.

The water in the casting at the bottom could have a lot of debris now, clogging the filter at the inlet of the water pipe at the bottom of the well.

Programmer66
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We have a low-producing well, and I installed a "pump saver" electronic device that detects when the pump is under no load (sucking air or no input) and shuts it off. It stays off for an adjustable period of time. These devices run about $200 but can really pay off in saved pump motors.

Zee
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Water can only flow so fast underground because it is flowing through soil. This is unlike above ground where flow can keep increasing either by getting faster or deeper or wider.

You probably took more water out than the well can supply over that given time. It takes time for it to recover because the soil and water profile around your well is affected for some distance away from the well. To visualize, think of a shop vacuum sucking up water on the floor, it sucks some up in the general area without affecting the entire floor and then takes time for the surrounding water to flow into the now water-less area. During the recovery period you can still get water out, or see it, but it will not be the full amount and will deplete completely faster.

Your well will recover soon, just give it time. Then don't over use it. In fact, it sounds like it did already recover

If you have water in the house but no pressure it sounds like your pump got damaged when the well went dry. A capped artesian well is a pressurized system which is why you have some water flow. Your pump provides the remainder of the pressure and flow.

When a well pump goes dry it can be damaged. There are parts of it that need lubricant and the lubricant is the water. If the water goes away, so doe the lubricant.

You'll need to have the pump pulled, checked and probably repaired

Ack
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