Durham Water Drilling: Efficient Water Wells for Home and Farm

Learning What a Well Driller Is

Choosing a Well Driller

Choosing a Well Site

Owning a Well Safely

Learning What a Well Driller Is

A driller is a paradox—he is an overall executive; he’s a master mechanic; a meteorologist required to accurately predict weather changes at a moment’s notice; a personnel director with grease under his fingernails; a witcher with extrasensory perception for locating all dangers and minerals buried below the surface of the ground; a doctor of medicine specializing in treatment of hay fever, poison ivy, chapped skin and small bruises and lacerations; he’s a chemical mixologist who combines large quantities of muds, polymers, and resins for the purpose of defying the laws of gravity. He manages more capital equipment than most doctors, lawyers, and businessmen in the city; he performs all these functions within 100 feet of the back of this truck while wearing a hard hat, gloves, and steel-toed shoes.

A driller likes sunshine, cool breezes, good food, auctions, state fairs, his collar unbuttoned, quiet running engines, and above all, a solid level spot to work from.

Drillers are found in fields, on hills, in valleys, along roads, near bridges, and sometimes at welding shops. They auger, wash, bore, mud, core, ream, grout, bail, lift, tug, shovel, and learn to curse at an early age. Farms are sympathetic to them, geologists confuse them, engineers underestimate them, salesmen wait to detain them, wives love and tolerate them, but it takes heaven to stop them.

A driller is both faith and fatalist—he must maintain faith to constantly meet the challenges that are pressed onto his shoulders amid an ever-present possibility that an act of God, such as torrential rain, deep snow, electrical storm, or soft ground, can bring his business to a standstill. You can confine his ability, but you can’t restrain his ambition.

He’s not much for deep ditches, tall weeds, pesky insects, muddy fields, or helping with the housework.

Might as well put up with him—he is your friend, your competitor, your customer, your neighbour, your fellow-worker, and a denim-dressed, business-wise, fast-growing statesman of stature.

So, when next you meet at his favourite watering hole, recognize him and recharge his spirits by lifting your glass and saying, “This one’s for you!”

(This information comes from the July 1989 issue of Water Well Journal, but it originally came from the Kansas Water Well Association Newsletter.)

Choosing a Well Driller

Having access to a dependable source of clean and healthy drinking water for your family and livestock is one of the most important parts of owning a home or farm. Before you hire anyone to do such an important job, there are several factors that should be considered.

• Qualifications —Does the driller you have selected have the proper licenses to construct wells in your area? Is he properly insured in case of accident or negligence? If a driller doesn’t have his paperwork up to date, chances are he isn’t going to drill a safe and reliable well.
• Reputation —Ask your neighbours and friends about their experiences. It is likely that if you need a well drilled on your property, your neighbours had the same need at some point. Ask them about their experiences, and get as many responses as possible. Is this candidate dependable? Does he show up when promised and do the work agreed to? The more facts you have on hand, the easier it will be to choose the right driller for your needs.
• Price — You should never hire a well driller based exclusively on their offering the lowest price. If you have several estimates and one or two of them appear to be much lower than the others, you should ask yourself why. Be sure they are providing the same level of service as the others and using quality components. A driller who doesn’t value his own labour is unlikely to value the quality of your well. Look for a competitive price, but get the quality you need.
• Expectations —Be sure you know what the driller expects from you. Does he expect you to clear trees, level the drilling site, or perform other tasks? Find out before signing a contract. Conversely, can the driller deliver the services you expect? Is he willing to place the well where you want it and do the job when you need it done? Asking the right questions now will prevent problems in the future.

Choosing a Well Site

When choosing a site for your proposed water well, it is important to consider factors such as future development plans, provincial setback regulations, possible contamination sources, and surface run-off from adjoining properties. Durham Well Drilling has been drilling and installing water wells and support equipment for more than 60 years, and we are experts in selecting a site that will ensure your continued access to clean, safe drinking water for years to come.

Avoid Contaminants

Contaminants most often enter a well through the top or from the outside of the casing. Sewage and other pollutants can seep down through the upper layers of ground cover and enter the aquifer. When you choose Durham Well Drilling, we will ensure that:

• Your well is accessible for inspection, cleaning, testing, maintenance, and repair.
• Your well is located at the highest ground available within the chosen area and is surrounded by a gentle slope that will act to prevent surface run-off from entering your water supply.
• Your well is located as far as possible from potential pollutants, such as septic systems, animal pens, and surface water sources.
• Your well will be placed in an area that is not prone to flooding. (A well that is located in an area that floods, even if rarely and only for a day, will be spoiled and dangerous because of contaminants. Choose a spot that stays high and dry all year long.)
• You don’t choose a site too close to trees. (Small trees might make a site more comfortable, but they will continue to grow, and large trees with powerful roots could damage the well during the passage of time.)

Owning a Well Safely

If you are new to owning a well or want to refresh your memory on how to manage one safely, take a look at our following downloadable well owner information package.

Download Well Owner Information

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