What is this hole in the ground? An old water well?

Question

Here is a small riddle I recently acquired along with a property. It used to be completely hidden underneath an extensive poison ivy carpet and obviously hasn't been touched in years. Does anyone recognize this as an old water well or something else? There does seem to be a pump attached that is connected to an electric cable running underground in the direction of the property which is about 100feet away. It's a circular hole about 20inches in diameter and is currently full of water. I'm a bit thrown by the large size of the PVC piping (2 inch at least), so perhaps it's not what I think?

Any thoughts welcome!

Kathleen Leary · Answer

In a lot of areas (yeah, even out in the sticks!) there are state &/or local statutes which require abandoned wells, etc. be de-commissioned, i.e., filled & capped. There are specific guidelines as to how this has to be done - you can't just fill it up with dirt. Go talk to your county zoning office - they'll know exactly what needs to be done or can direct you to wherever you need to go. Having this open is a big liability - if someone falls in & gets stuck or injured, you will most likely be held at fault. NOT good.

At least get all the information - what you do with it is up to you, of course.

(My own home is on a well, so I've had to deal with this issue.)

Tom Scott · Answer

@Andrew S.

If it's not very deep, maybe 2' or so then I would say it is most likely a lift station for the old septic system. Basically if your septic tank is higher than the main house drain, then you need a lift pump. All the houses fluids dump into this basin and then a float switch activates when the levels are high enough causing the pump to turn on and transfer the slurry up hill to the septic tank. If it is deeper than that it could be a shallow well but in my experience it's diameter is too large to be a well of any kind. Personally I'd fill it in, it looks too shallow to be potable and the last thing you need is for someone to step in the barn thing and break a leg.

Tom

Account Closed · Answer

Most likely a well. In our area you need to pull a permit to abandon a well. The proper way of doing so (around here in Virginia) involves pouring bleach down the well and filling it with concrete. Its a pretty easy process.

Colleen F. · Answer

I can't help with an identification but if it is only from the 60s you might see if there is anything in town records like a plot plan showing it. I know there were a couple of items on the old plans I had showing abandoned well. Some were attached to the title search. Or you can dig but my last experience there was not good. We also had a guy come and scan one property for buried tanks, about $200, we were looking for oil tanks but I think  a septic would show a buried tank whereas a well would not but maybe it depends on the material used.

Michael Lemieux · Answer

Does it happen to be at a low point on the property? I agree w/ Tom that it is some type of lift station. My thought was that it might be for run off drainage. There is a check valve in the picture, so it's obviously pumping uphill.

Mark Langdon · Answer

Dig it up and you will know. Don't bury your head in the sand. Sooner or later when you sell this may come up. Better to know now so you can take your time to resolve than at the closing table.

Account Closed · Answer

What's the current water supply source to the house?  Is the house on sewer or septic?  Is there any landscaping irrigation (old or new) on the property (yard, garden, trees)?  I have some ideas.....

Clayton Thayer · Answer

I know this is an old thread but three points come to mind...

1. In all of the states I'm familiar with in the western US, a licensed well driller must accomplish the abandonment of a water well. In some states, it must be a certain constituency cement grout and be placed in a certain methodology in order to be considered adequate.

2. Most states these days have an online mapping software  that shows the location of state recognized wells. You can generally look it up by a variety of methods but for a certain parcel, I've found the maps work best.

3. Since the well is on your property and could be used in the future, if it was  me, I'd call an experienced well driller in to correct any deficiencies and secure the surface. Once that is done, I'd keep it. You might not have a need for it but it may be a selling point at sometime in the future.

Andrew S. · Answer

Thanks @Brandon Pierce

and @K.

Kristine Marie Poe Good to know it isn't some wicked surprise.....

It would be reasonable that the property started out (built in the 60-ies) on septic and well, but it has long since been hooked up to city utilities (sewer and city water).  The lot is mostly wooded (forest really - yep we are not called the city of oaks for nothing...) so irrigation is not a huge advantage to me.  I do like the idea of leaving it alone, just in case I would want to use it in the future.  You never know - water rates have been rising around here (though probably peanuts compared to some places).  I just need to secure it somehow so people don't accidentally step into it and hurt themselves.

What is this hole in the ground? An old water well?

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