People used to dig wells simply by guessing where they thought that there would be water and then digging down until they found it. Much of this was done by trial and error - by digging wells that failed until they dug one that worked. If you lived by the coast, this might still work since the water table should be rather consistent in that area, but what about if you live far from an obvious water source? Trial and error takes too long and is far too expensive. You need another way to do things.
One tactic is to use geophysical equipment from Advanced Geosciences, Inc. to find underground waterways before you even start digging the well. The electrical impulses from the equipment will report back to you on the resistance levels of any materials below the surface, mapping out what that looks like on a small screen. You can look at this screen to determine if there is water below you, or you can check the reported resistance levels with known resistance levels for things like soil, water and stone. If the numbers match, you know what is below you and how far down it is.
Once you locate the underground waterway, it is a simple matter to dig down and tap into it. This is often done for houses in rural areas. In the city, there is a water grid that all of the houses are part of, which pumps water into the homes. In the country, though, the nearest water tower could be far too far away. Do you really want to pay to have pipes run all the way from the city to your new house? You can if you want, but it is not very cost-effective since there is so much labor and so many materials involved.
It is far better to dig your own well. Remember that the underground waterways work like rivers on the surface; they are constantly flowing and moving. You are not just tapping into a reservoir that is going to run dry in a few years. You are tapping into a constant flow of water as it moves from the surface, where it was deposited as rain or snowmelt, to the nearest open body of water. There are even underground lakes that are always being fed and replenished by all of the waterways and rivers that move below the surface.
One tactic is to use geophysical equipment from Advanced Geosciences, Inc. to find underground waterways before you even start digging the well. The electrical impulses from the equipment will report back to you on the resistance levels of any materials below the surface, mapping out what that looks like on a small screen. You can look at this screen to determine if there is water below you, or you can check the reported resistance levels with known resistance levels for things like soil, water and stone. If the numbers match, you know what is below you and how far down it is.
Once you locate the underground waterway, it is a simple matter to dig down and tap into it. This is often done for houses in rural areas. In the city, there is a water grid that all of the houses are part of, which pumps water into the homes. In the country, though, the nearest water tower could be far too far away. Do you really want to pay to have pipes run all the way from the city to your new house? You can if you want, but it is not very cost-effective since there is so much labor and so many materials involved.
It is far better to dig your own well. Remember that the underground waterways work like rivers on the surface; they are constantly flowing and moving. You are not just tapping into a reservoir that is going to run dry in a few years. You are tapping into a constant flow of water as it moves from the surface, where it was deposited as rain or snowmelt, to the nearest open body of water. There are even underground lakes that are always being fed and replenished by all of the waterways and rivers that move below the surface.
