Power Consumption of Water Pumps

Water pumps consume energy like any typical appliance.

When deciding on a well water system, there are many components to consider for purchase. In addition, the cost to run the components, including the water pump, must be taken into consideration.

Function

A water pump mechanically moves water from the bottom of a well, up to a storage tank within the building it supplies. Though the water pump does not run continuously, it does consume power when it activates and deactivates.

Considerations

There is a calculation to find the power consumption of a water pump. A typical water pump's wattage can vary between 250 watts to 1,100 watts. Take the wattage of the specific water pump and multiply it times how many hours a day it runs. Then, multiply it by how many days a year it runs, and divide by 1000. This will give the amount of kilowatt-hours the pump is using.

Significance

If the kilowatt-hour is then multiplied by the local rate of electricity, such as 8.5 cents per kilowatt-hour, then the dollar amount per year can be calculated. Keep in mind that higher horsepower values, from 0.5 hp to 5 hp, consume more power with their varying wattages.

References

• U.S. Department of Energy: Estimating Appliance and Home Electronic Energy Use
• Consumers Power, Inc.: Online Usage Calculator