Building a house on an artesian well?

[lizl]

We're buying a piece of property, and have found out there is an artesian well under where the footprint of our house will be. Some local drillers have said that once they fill it w/grout/abandon it...it should never cause any problems to our foundation.
Our builder is worried that this isn't true?
All new to us..Any recommendations?

 

[PILOON]

That well is basically a hole in the ground.
Once filled it no longer is a hole.
If there is no hole there is no problem.

May be wrong, but that's how I see it.
If worried, leave the top 8-10 ft un plugged and when they pour the concrete foundation have them pump concrete into that top section. Might cost you a yard or less of concrete,

 

[lizl]

Thanks!
We're clueless on this well thing...
Appreciate your input!!!!

 

[Western]

PILOON is spot on.

Check this web site out, it has a diagram showing a cross section of the well cap/plug.

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[sandman2234]

For what they cost to drill, and what it cost to water a lawn with city water, I would seriously consider moving the house far enough to put it just outside the walls, or in a dead space in the house. People used to have wells inside to keep someone from poisoning the well when they were mad at them.
David from jax

 

[TracTrac]

People also once placed their wells inside so to not brave the elements.
lizl, might want to do your homework on this one. Foundation problems could arrise if the ground is too soft. One thing that comes to mind, will you install a septic system? PERC TEST.
In our community we had an artesian well that once provided the towns water supply. Almost 1000 gallons per minute. A rock quarry went in business almost a mile east of said well. When the quarry dug down to 100 feet and pumped the abundant ground water west (opposite direction) this well dried up and a year later many sink holes developed. These sink holes developed for over 2 miles in distance. Some were large enough to cause damage.
Two points, This artesian well water is under pressure. If it is sealed off the water will come out of the ground at the next point of least resistance. Next, if some one or business comes along and pumps out this ground water you foundation will fall into the void just as the homes in our area.
Quarry Sinkholes, Hanson Aggregates Southeast Inc. and Oldcastle Materials Inc. to pay city of Opelika $1.1 million settlement

Some local drillers have said that once they fill it w/grout/abandon it...it should never cause any problems to our foundation. Ask them for proof. I do not believe it.
Search "spring villa" + quarry.

 

[CurlyDave]

I have to say I would move the house so the well was outside.

Sure seems safer to me.

As for the well, didn't you want a nice water feature in your yard? Construct an artificial waterfall with a stream running off to a natural drain and you will have a desirable addition.

 

[RickB]

In most instances where folks try to bend or ignore the will of nature they come out on the short end. I'd move the house, too.

 

[Army grunt]

Move the house ,Save the well Youll be happy down the road.
Army Grunt

 

[clemsonfor]

Another for moving the house. My aunt had an old home place on their property near where they built there new house (well 100yds) it had a well (not arteisian but hand dug) that was filled in for as long as i remember. One snowfall after they were in the house the well caved in. It must have been a hollow sinkhole in there for a while? DEHEC or dept of health and Evironmental control came out with a dumptruck load of sand and dumped it into the well. My uncle let it settle then graded it off with his loader. No problem since.

But you would have hated to have your house anywhere near it that year it collapsed!

 

[Turbys_1700]

People also once placed their wells inside so to not brave the elements.
lizl, might want to do your homework on this one. Foundation problems could arrise if the ground is too soft. One thing that comes to mind, will you install a septic system? PERC TEST.
In our community we had an artesian well that once provided the towns water supply. Almost 1000 gallons per minute. A rock quarry went in business almost a mile east of said well. When the quarry dug down to 100 feet and pumped the abundant ground water west (opposite direction) this well dried up and a year later many sink holes developed. These sink holes developed for over 2 miles in distance. Some were large enough to cause damage.
Two points, This artesian well water is under pressure. If it is sealed off the water will come out of the ground at the next point of least resistance. Next, if some one or business comes along and pumps out this ground water you foundation will fall into the void just as the homes in our area.
Quarry Sinkholes, Hanson Aggregates Southeast Inc. and Oldcastle Materials Inc. to pay city of Opelika $1.1 million settlement

Some local drillers have said that once they fill it w/grout/abandon it...it should never cause any problems to our foundation. Ask them for proof. I do not believe it.
Search "spring villa" + quarry.

Strongly agree with this observation...

I currently get my water from a spring that has been in my family for over 200 years...

I am fortunate that the farm I live on is 100 acres...

Since I have moved into my grandfathers house only 3 homes have been built across the road thus placing little stress on the water table...

We had a big drought that lasted for several years here around 10 years ago...

Many springs around this area dried up...

Mine kept running and has never shown any signs of stress...

The county recently laid a water line down my road and wanted $2850 to tap in...

I told them no thanks...

 

[Craig Clayton]

I was told a story which is true by friends that have a family business that move houses. They were called to a job to quote on raising a house that the owner had drilled a artisian well in his basement. He could not turn off the water. There was 3' of water in the basement that had to be pumped out as fast as it came in.
They got back in the truck and drove away.

Craig Clayton

 

[The Dougster]

To start with, we don't have enough data to make an informed decision. Is this a natural event? Is it a drilled well? If it were me, I'd construct and re-plumb it so that the flow would occur outside the house foundation and then be creative enough to somehow use the water. Think outside the box. This isn't a biggie.

 

[JB4310]

I just learned what exactly an artesian well is, seen them before but was not sure of the name.

I don't like the idea of having the house right in an area where an artesian well would work. strictly from a drainage issue. It means that the topography is such that it wants to pump water up under the house, regardless of a well having been there or not.

Of course that is possible anywhere a home has a hill behind it, but if you are in a traditional artesian "bowl" with higher ground on 2 sides that would be difficult to control storm water or ground water.

Make sure you have good gravity drain under and away from house, lower than basement floor, or slab if no basement, then you will be safe. Because of the concern go with 6" inch pipe instead of standard 4"

A topo drawing would help for better advice.

Good luck, JB.

 

[PILOON]

I posted earlier about plugging the well hole.
That was based on our local definition of artesian well.
Here it is a drilled and pumped affair while I believe the true but not common real artesian well is one that does not require a pump and ground pressure has it continuously flowing thanks to mother nature.

If your well is the latter style I'd reconsider my earlier suggestion but add that plugging with more concrete would do the trick as concrete will actually cure under water and as well there exists special mixes to do that chore.

 

[Egon]

The ground geology as well as all the well information should be looked at before a decision is made.

If you are in Limestone country [Karst formations] for sure look up the well logs and see what underlies you formation wise. The depth of well, casing depth and cementing method all come into play.

 

[dmccarty]

If you want to try to use the well for the house, check with your county sanitation people regarding well placement. The state might actually set the rules with the rules being enforced by the county.

In NC the well has to be a given distance from any part of the septic system, termite treated structures, and the property line. In our area, getting a perc that allows a house to be built is difficult so the septic field goes where there can be a septic field. Everything else follows. Usually the best spot for the house follows the placement of the septic and then the well site is chosen.

A house near to us had water problems in their crawlspace. My glance at the problem made me think they had a problem with the drainage of the lot running into the crawlspace and it looked like there might be a spring in there as well. Not sure what they did to fix the mess but the house was new and the crawlspace was crawling with mold from the moisture.

In NC I did not see how you could have a well under the house for house hold use under the current regulations. If one of the waste pipes in the house failed or was opened and your well was in the crawlspace you now have a very bad problem.

Later,
Dan

 

[The Dougster]

as stated, we don't have enough data to make an informed decision. An artesian well is, generally speaking, is one that flows to the land surface, but not always. Water seeks it's own level. Artesian conditions apply when the overburden forces the water up in the well and sometimes to the surface. Untill we know more about the circumstances, all we can do is guess.

 

[MossRoad]

We're buying a piece of property, and have found out there is an artesian well under where the footprint of our house will be. Some local drillers have said that once they fill it w/grout/abandon it...it should never cause any problems to our foundation.
Our builder is worried that this isn't true?
All new to us..Any recommendations?

Are you sure it is an ARTESIAN well? Do you know what an artesian well is? Is it actually a pipe that they say they can plug? Is it a flowing artesian well or just a high water table? Lots of questions you need to ask and education you need to undertake.

I would definitely NOT locate my house on top of a true artesian well. For one thing, it means there is probably an aquifer higher in elevation than your house nearby. One break in the impermeable layer that is holding it back and your home will be wet fast.

 

[forgeblast]

I would go to your local dept of ag and talk to them, they will put you in touch with the people you want to be talking to.
When working for a landscaper years ago the mantra was "overestimate water", never do the bare minimum when it comes with water.
One house we looked at was sitting on two artisian springs, there was no walk in basement just a crawl space that was sooo damp under it. the pond was higher then the house. We walked away from that one, along with one that had two sumppumps that ran 24/7 just to keep the basement damp, needless to say that one is not the one we are living in.
I would worry about the pressure, if you plug it up in one spot i would think it will find another way out, if not this year then probably right after you finish the basement.