How to fill a well?

Boondox · Nov 10, 2001

My downhill neighbor has an old well that was abandoned decades ago when it was fouled by septic. It's been a three foot diameter by twenty foot deep hole ever since, and he'd like to fill it in before a kid falls in.

So the question is, do you simply dump rocks and dirt till the hole is filled, or is there a better way to do it?

Pete

www.GatewayToVermont.com

alan40 · Nov 10, 2001

I guess it depends Pete. On if they ever think of using it again for lawns, etc. If they don't then people I know fill them with rocks and dirt. As you know in Vermont we have plenty of rocks. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif If they have any inkling that they may want to use it again build a nice cover and put a heavy object on top. I'm running into the same situation here. I let the family next door dig a well when there's went dry but now they are going to drill a well in the spring on there property!!!!/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif Good thing here in Fairfield we grow our own rocks.
Take care,
Al

beenthere · Nov 10, 2001

Talk to your state water people. In the midwest, there are very particular rules to follow to abandon a well so the surface water never gets into the ground water. After two years, if a well hasn't been used, it is required that it be abandoned. A neighbor had to seal his with concrete in a particular fashion, done by a licensed plumber. Seems like too much big govt., but protecting the ground water is important.

GlueGuy · Nov 11, 2001

Since it's only 20' deep, I would say that there's not too much chance of if causing contamination to the aquafer. One of the concerns about old wells is that they "can" open up a pathway to an aquafer (or even provide a path between multiple aquafers). Really deep wells here are sealed with concrete to prevent that from happening.

So, with this one, I think I would probably fill it with rocks & dirt. Let's see now.... That'd be about 5 or 6 yards of material....

The GlueGuy

MikePA · Nov 11, 2001

We have an old hand dug well in our front yard that had a nice field stone wall (2' high) around it. The previous owner had 2 large regtangular concrete slabs placed on top of it. Since I have never moved the slabs, I don't know what they put in the well.

MarkV · Nov 11, 2001

Pete,

I am not sure what the right way to fill it is, but it sure sounds like a job for a backhoe./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

MarkV

Boondox · Nov 11, 2001

Mark -- I like the way you think! /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

Pete

www.GatewayToVermont.com

dmccarty · Nov 12, 2001

Boondox,

My father in law just retired as an inspector from the NC DOT. A few years ago we were looking at some property that had an old pit well. We got ticked since the wooden structure around the pit had rotten away many years ago so there was this deep hole sitting in the ground. VERY dangerous. There had been kids living in a trailer up front not that long ago. /w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif He said the state required the DOT to fill in a well like this with concrete. I guess because of the risk of fouling the ground water. Talk to thy State and see what they say.....

Later...
Dan McCarty