Signs Your Well May be Running Dry

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Seasonal observations of the UCCE Master Gardeners

Author: Kathy Low

Published on: March 21, 2014

Practicing water conservation in your gardening during this drought is important even if you aren't on metered water. If you live in an unincorporated area of the county like I do, you may get your water from a private well. But unless you have a very deep well, your well could run dry during this predicted historic drought.

I have an old, not too deep well that survived the drought during the seventies with no problem. But back then there were a lot fewer people. Now there are more homes and farmers drawing upon water from private wells, thereby lowering the water table. So I'm cautiously planning my summer vegetable garden with water conservation at the top of my mind. The last thing I need is for my well to run dry.

If you get your water from a private well, there are some warning signs that your well may be going dry. The first sign is the water is sputtering out of the tap, indicating air pockets in the well. The second sign is the water is not clear, but muddy or filled with sediment. But any of you who have been on well water for a long time knows not to panic just yet, because it could be just a problem with your water pump or the piping up to your tank. The only way to be sure your well is going dry is to open the cover to the well and to check the water level. Since this generally involves lowering some type of probe down your well to check the water level, be sure you decontaminate your well after checking the water level.

If you are on a private well, you may want to check out the document A Guide for Private Domestic Well Owners issued by the California State Water Resources Board. You can download a copy from their website at www.waterboards.ca.gov.

Do you need help troubleshooting or repairing your well system, or drilling a new well? If so, the Solano County website lists area licensed contractors. You can click through to the list at http://www.solanocounty.com/depts/rm/environmental_health/technical/well_n_on_site_sewage_disposal_program/default.asp.

Comments: 17

Comments:

by Launa Herrmann

on March 22, 2014 at 7:18 PM

Your post about wells brought back memories of country living. I will never ever forget standing at the bathroom sink at 2 a.m. listening to air spitting from the faucet into an empty glass. In that moment, I discovered the true value of the water we too often take for granted and the horror of a dry well.

by derrick

on January 2, 2016 at 9:48 PM

i have a 2 year old well...this well survived the first dry season with no difficulty...just this dry season, my well dont work anymore...there is no sign of muddy water..taste hasnt change and when i check the and of the submessible pump i fell no water coming out of if..we gave changed the submersible pump but problem still exists...we dont know if we should go for blowing out of flacking...help me

by Kathy

on January 2, 2016 at 10:55 PM

Derrick,
It may be time to call in a water well professional to diagnose your problem. A list of local professionals can be found on the Solano County website at https://admin.solanocounty.com:4433/civicax/filebank/blobdload.aspx?blobid=20800

by Violette Lebrac

on September 1, 2017 at 2:20 PM

I'm glad you talked about how muddy water could be a sign that there's a problem with the pump. My water has been cloudy ever since my family returned from vacation, and I'm worried that the well dried up. Maybe a well water pump repair service would be able to tell what the problem is.

by Hannah Schroeder

on September 22, 2017 at 5:29 PM

Every time I fill my bathtub up for my daily bath, the water sputters out of the tap, and recently it's been a little murky. I'm glad you said that sputtering water might mean that your well is running dry. It might be a good idea to call a well pump repair service to see if they can do anything about the problem.

by Spencer Montgomery

on October 16, 2017 at 10:40 PM

Thanks for sharing this informative post. I was not aware that well water that is not clear could be a sign of it running dry. We have a well in our yard that's showing this sign, and we just didn't really pay much attention to it. I'll make sure to call a professional and have it checked out right away. http://www.coastwaterwellservice.com/services

by Emery Jean Chambers

on May 7, 2018 at 5:26 PM

It sure was nice when you mentioned that water sputtering or muddy water can be a sign that there is a problem with the pipe or the water pump. Still, that means there is something wrong and needs to be fixed in the well. If so, then I will get a professional to give it a look since we rely on the water pump for so many things in the household. Thanks! http://www.jamisonwelldrilling.com

by tezach.ir

on June 26, 2018 at 4:32 AM

Good idea. Very usefull article.

by Hazel Owens

on July 2, 2018 at 7:01 PM

Thanks for the tip about if your water is sputtering out of the tap the well may be running dry but that you have to check the water level outside by opening the cover. My sinks have been sputtering water, so I went to check the cover and found the water line is pretty low. We'll have to see if we can find a drilling service that can come out and drill us a new well.

by Taylor Bishop

on July 25, 2018 at 6:30 AM

Thanks for explaining when a well may be running dry. I didn't know that one of the first signs is that water sputters out of the tap. I'm curious to know if the sputtering is just a quick thing or if the sputtering should last a while.

by Ellie Davis

on September 11, 2018 at 6:34 PM

Thank you for pointing out that water sputtering out of a tap is a sign of an issue with your well. My husband noticed that our taps started to do this and I think we should get it looked at. I'll have to look into finding the best well repair company in our area.

by Sam Li

on March 15, 2019 at 1:19 PM

I appreciate what you said about more homes and farms drawing from private wells. Water boring requires the help of a company that has access to proper equipment. If I were to drill a well on my property, I would not hesitate to contact a company that can hook me up with the best service possible.

by Deborah

on August 20, 2020 at 4:19 PM

My well is a shallow well and no well driller will check it out because now it is a illegal well,,it started with the air sputtering and now it's loosing pressure,, I am on Disability and don't know what to do

by Kate Hansen

on August 25, 2020 at 11:29 AM

It's good to know that muddy water could be a sign of something wrong. My husband and I recently moved into our very first home a couple of weeks ago, and we want to look into getting a well installed for in, and we want to make sure that we know the signs of when something is wrong. We'll make sure to keep these tips in mind once we get a well installed for our home.

by Gregg Swan

on December 10, 2020 at 1:17 PM

Pump is on as i was loading sink to do dishes the wayer ran out like i shut off the main ..any ideas

by Kathy Low

on December 10, 2020 at 2:08 PM

Gregg - Have you checked the mini electrical control box on your well for ants? Sometimes ants will crawl in there and get fried, and their fried bodies prevent both sides from making contact thus preventing electricity. Just make sure you turn off the main power to your well system before checking so you won't get electrocuted. And if that is the problem, use something like a paintbrush to clean out their fried bodies. Kathy

by John Carston

on November 12, 2021 at 5:34 PM

It helped when you mentioned that if the water is not clear, it is a warning sign that your well may be going dry. My uncle mentioned to me last night that they are having issues with their water pump as he is hearing a strange noise and asked if I have any idea what is the best option to do. Thanks to this informative article and I'll be sure to tell him that it will be much better if they consult a trusted water pump repair service as they can answer all his inquiries and will provide good-quality service.