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What should I do if my drinking water well goes dry?

Last Updated: May 04, 2010

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If your drinking water well goes dry, you need to consider local conditions affecting your well. Is there a drought that is worse than usual? Has this happened during other droughts? Are your neighbors experiencing similar problems? Have you observed other changes in your well, such as changes in taste or smell of the water? Answers to these questions will help you determine if you have problems due to a falling water table or a failing well.

Deepening a well may be beneficial and ensure a more drought-resistant water supply if you have a dropping water table. Deepening a well is not a guarantee, however, that you will get more water.

Redeveloping an existing well may also make it more efficient. Hydrofracturing, a technique that uses high-pressure water to open fractures in surrounding rock, and thereby increase water flow, may also improve your water supply.

If your well does go dry, contact a licensed well driller in your area for recommendations and assistance to determine which strategy may work best in your situation.

Browse related Faqs by tag: drinking water, drought, private wells, dry well


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