Protecting your well head from fire, impact, sun, and freezing

[dfkrug]

I have been meaning to do this for years: protect my water well head from wildfire, impacts from trees, the sun, and even freezing.

Wildfire damage in the Santa Cruz Mountains a few years ago was a real wake-up call to those of us who have unprotected well heads. I know of several cases where fire destroyed the well head, causing the pump to fall, and the well to get contaminated.

Since freezing is not a Big Problem around here, enclosing the well head is often not done at all. I have tarped mine for the 27 years since it was installed, but my biggest concern is falling trees and branches. Last year, I suffered damage to buildings from the storm of FEB23.

Here is my well head. The white PVC pressure pipe is 1-inch sched 40, and easily degraded by the sun. It feeds a 5000 gallon water tank 500 feet away, and at about 160 feet higher elevation. The conduits are supposed to be UV-resistant, but the box cover looks sad, despite the tarp.

 

[dfkrug]

So, I decided to go with a small brick wellhouse, with steel cover.

The sanitary seal is a 2x2' concrete slab that seals the 5" PVC well casing to the rough hole. This concrete goes down 25' from ground level and keeps surface contaminants from getting into the well.

It is not square to the adjacent workshop building, so I planned a wellhouse that fixes that.

 

[dfkrug]

Next, the top.

I cut up some steel joists I had here, on a taper, then I welded them up to form a 3x3' frame. It sits in a bed of mortar.

Finally, I used some 16-gauge galvanized sheet steel, and some 1/2" EMT conduit to make the lid and the rounded edges.

 

[Racer4]

That’s much different than what we have in PA.

Casings are steel. Water connection is below frost line via a “pitless” adapter that goes through the side of the casing. Electric comes from the same depth as the water line to the house, up along the side of the casing through a 1” black poly pipe (same as what feeds into the house). Connection is made under the metal well cap (mine has a lock on it), with heat shrink covered butt connectors).

Pump is accessed by threading a 6’ piece of 1” galvanized or black iron pipe (with a T fitting at the top and 2 short pipes as handles), into the pit less adapter. Then pull it up.

 

[CalG]

Freezing temps all winter means a pitless adapter, under ground plumbing, and a cast iron well case head.

My neighbor has a decorative "Wishing Well" cover that just lifts off.
My own well head is a foot down in a brick lined pit due to landscaping needs.

 

[Racer4]

Next, the top.

I cut up some steel joists I had here, on a taper, then I welded them up to form a 3x3' frame. It sits in a bed of mortar.

Finally, I used some 16-gauge galvanized sheet steel, and some 1/2" EMT conduit to make the lid and the rounded edges.

Looks good!

 

[camshawn]

My first thought would be to put a concrete pipe ring around it with a concrete top.
That is how shallow wells are done here. My neighbour made his look like a wishing well by wrapping it with wood and a little roof with fairy people all around the area.
I do like your solution. Here the branches that fall can be quite large so I would have made the lid a little heavier.

 

[BackRoad]

That's a well thought out design and a very well executed build Mr. DFKrug! (See what I did there? )

It looks great and solid enough to keep the well protected from falling trees, mountains and meteors!

These kind of projects are what keep us thinking and moving forward!

 

[mikester]

Not as pretty as yours but they make precast concrete lids for round and square culverts for wells.

Pitless wells are recommended here since critters like to move in to those beautiful structures creating contamination risks and potential health hazards.

 

[Egon]

Well built and looks good.

Is there enough room inside to allow work on the well/well head components?p