Dry Well Alternative - Rainwater Harvesting for Your Entire Home

Wells have served an essential function on our homesteads for a long time. Before there was city water, and still today, wells were the only way some houses had access to potable water in some areas. While they can still serve a purpose, technology has advanced, and other options are available to you no matter where you live. If your well is having issues, you will want to know about another option that may be perfect for you.

How Do I Tell If My Well is Running Dry?

Wells actually can leave you high and dry rather quickly. Pumps fail, rapid changes in the well, or nearby construction, etc.

However, there are several indicators that your well may be drying up or otherwise going bad.

Problems at the Faucet

Problems at the faucet are one surefire way to tell if your well is running dry. For example, if your faucets are sputtering or water pressure is consistently low, it could be a sign that your well is running out of water. Another problem at the faucet that is kind of gross is when the water comes out muddy or murky.

Problems at the Well

You may also notice that your well has to work harder to get the water to your house. If the pump is running longer, it likely means that it is working harder to build up pressure to pump the water out. Another common issue when wells begin to run dry is the well taking longer to recover after heavy use.

Neighbors Agree

Talk to your neighbors to see if they are experiencing similar problems. If it is a shared well and they notice the same issues, your well is likely running dry.

Bad Pump

A dry well can force a pump to work extra hard and wear it out faster. So, if your pump seems to cycle on and off constantly and makes loud and unusual noises, it is likely going bad. You may also notice that your electric bills are higher than usual with no obvious culprit.

What Happens if I Ignore It?

Ignoring a well drying up is easy because the water doesn't disappear right away. However, ignoring a dry well can lead to serious problems in the future, including running out of water and not having potable water for drinking and cooking.

A Better Solution

Digging a new well can be a complicated process, and there is no guarantee when that one will run out. However, another solution is better than well water in every way. A rainwater harvesting system works by collecting water from your roof when it rains and storing that water in a below-ground tank. That water is then accessed like you would any other water source by being pumped from the tanks to your house. It's a relatively simple process with many benefits over well and even city water.

Well Water Quality vs. Rainwater Harvesting Quality

The idea of rainwater may make some people nervous because you are drinking water straight from the sky, but rainwater from a harvesting system is some of the purest water you can find.

When rainwater is collected, it goes through a sediment filter which filters out large contaminants from the water like sticks and leaves. Then, when the water is pulled from the tanks to the house, it goes through more filters that remove any impurities and kill bacteria, so by the time it reaches your faucet, it is some of the cleanest and softest water you can find.

On the other hand, well water is well-known for having questionable quality. Since the water is drawn from the ground, well water can come in contact with all kinds of stuff, including ground pollution. This water is also filled with salt and minerals that aren't always good for your body and are never good for your appliances.

Reliability of Rainwater vs. Well Water

A common misconception of rainwater harvesting is that you'll run out of water often, but the tanks are large, and it rains often. We will show you the average yearly rainfall in your area so you know how much rain you can expect. Also, unlike a well that relies on an underground water reservoir, a rainwater harvesting tank is constantly topped off.

Rainwater harvesting systems have a couple of advantages over well water when discussing reliability. In the unlikely event that you experience severe drought, and your tanks are low, they can switch back to city or well water until they have been replenished. Our harvesting tanks also have a separate water port, so you can have water trucked in from another source to fill your tanks if water is ever running low. Most fire departments will perform this service for a small fee.

When comparing the two systems in working order, rainwater tanks are still more reliable. While wells often struggle with water pressure and require large, expensive pumps to improve water pressure, rainwater collection systems are designed with water pressure in mind.

Cost Comparison

A rainwater harvesting system sounds expensive because it has so many more components than a well, but the truth is that the two are similar in cost, especially if you have to dig a new well. The machinery it takes to drill a well is more niche and costs significantly more than the machinery needed to dig out an area for your water tanks. When you compare the long-term costs of the two, the gap becomes even smaller because you don't have to worry about treating rainwater or the possibility of the well running dry and having to start over.

The Many Advantages of Rainwater

Well, water isn't the only water source that rainwater harvesting systems have an advantage over; they also have many benefits compared to city water. Well water has been reliable for years, but it is not the most trustworthy or safest option. If you have experienced any indicators that your well is running dry, it can range from annoying to downright worrisome. So don't wait for the day that you can't get water when you need it; contact us today to find out how a rainwater harvesting system will change your life.

‍