Parts of Water Well Systems

At the beginning of the 20th century, most pumps were hand or wind operated.

City and suburban dwellers take water supply for granted, being used to receiving water via a municipal water delivery system. To supply a home with water in a country or rural setting calls for drilling a well and installing an electromechanical well water system. Besides the drilled well itself, a well water system needs electricity, a pump and a delivery system to provide water to the home. This involves piping, a pressure tank, pressure gauge, pressure relay switch and sometimes a storage tank. All of these items together perform the service of providing water to a home.

Pumps

The water pump is the heart of a well water system and it operates based upon need. When turning on the water tap in a country home, released water surges into the delivery system via a storage or pressure tank. The pump kicks on when the pressure switch sends an electric signal to the pump after a drop in the system's water pressure. The pump pushes or pulls water into the pressure tank and distribution system, depending on the type of pump. Jet pumps, also known as shallow water pumps, sit atop the surface and pull or lift water from the well. Submersible pumps sit inside the well and collect water through a series of veins and push it up to the surface using impellers.

Piping

PVC schedule 80, a corrosion-resistant pressure water pipe, delivers water from the pump into the distribution system. PVC schedule 80 piping, better suited for use in deep wells because of its pounds per square inch pressure (PSI) rating, withstands temperatures up to 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Rated at a minimum of 210 PSI, schedule 80 takes the torque when the pump kicks on and easily handles heavy pressure and movement. Using schedule 80 piping in deeper well shafts ensures piping does not break. Schedule 40, a thinner-walled pipe is usable at 140 PSI, but for a trouble-free system, use schedule 80 in the well.

Bladder Pressure Tank

A bladder pressure tank sits adjacent to the well and internally contains a membrane that separates water and pressurized air. This tank delivers pressurized water into the home distribution system after being pumped from the well. Bladder pressure tanks do not have much storage capacity, but work to keep the water delivery at a constant pressure within the system by using the air to "press" against the water. This kind of tank minimizes the pump cycling on and off, avoiding the frequent stops and starts not good for pumps, ensures an even pressure throughout the water distribution system as well as preventing a common problem known as water hammer.

Pressure Switch

The pressure relay switch sits outside the bladder pressure tank on the delivery pipe system and serves to kick on the pump when the pressure within the system drops below a certain set point--generally at about 20 PSI. As water releases from the bladder pressure tank, the pressure drops. The pressure switch's sole purpose ensures a constant pressure throughout the pipe delivery system by kicking on the pump when needed.

Storage Tanks

Large storage tanks of 2,000 gallons or more provide water in a distribution system to cut down on the time a well pump cycles on and off. When placed above a home, a storage tank delivers water when electricity is down or the pump is not working. Water pumps from the well into the storage tank. An internal float system, similar to the one inside a toilet, activates the pump when the water in the tank drops below a set level.

References

• Popular Mechanics: How a Water Well Pump Works
• Harvel: Schedule 80 pipe
• Washington State Dept. Of Health: Troubleshooting Bladder Pressure Tanks:
• Water System Council: Pressure Switches