Water is becoming more expensive and clean. Purified water is unnecessary if you want to wash your garden or wash your car. You can also collect and use rainwater for these applications, for example. There is also another method, and that is drilling a well. But is that allowed? And how do you do that?
Let’s start with how to drill your own water well.
You can drill a well yourself up to a depth of 10 meters. If you go deeper, you have to engage a specialist. You can make a hole with a drill or with a water lance. Do ask the Water Board whether you need a permit or whether there is only a reporting obligation.
Above is a brief explanation of what is allowed and what is not allowed and how you can drill a well yourself. There is a lot more about drilling well, which is covered in this article, from municipal regulations to drilling the well.
Read also: How to Collect and Conserve rainwater
Drilling water well
The water from a well is ideal for watering your garden. You don’t have to use precious, clean tap water for your garden. Tap water also contains a lot of lime, which is unsuitable for plants.
But what are the rules regarding a well? Can you drill them yourself, and do you need permission or a permit for this?
For answers to these questions, you need to visit the water board website in your region. The water boards call the drilling of a well a “withdrawal of groundwater. For example, all water boards have drawn up rules for this.
- Some water boards allow this if the pump capacity does not exceed 10 m3/hr.
- Sometimes there is only a reporting obligation.
- In addition, it is not allowed in a protected area.
- Sometimes a permit has to be applied for.
In short, the regulations differ per water board. In addition, they also make a difference if you need water for watering your garden (the depth of the well is then about 10 meters) or if you also use the water as drinking water (the depth of the well can go up to about 60 meters).
Check the website of your water board for the rules. If you don’t know your water board, ask a specialist. It would be best if you visited the water board office to learn about groundwater and the rules and permits.
Whether anyone who has dug a well has adhered to the rules will always remain a question. Way out in the backyard, it’s hard to control if all it ever gets condoned by the water board!
How to drill a water well yourself
If you want to drill a well for watering your garden, you can build this well yourself, provided you do not go deeper than 10 meters.
Water can often be found between 6 and 10 meters, which you can use for the garden but is not suitable for drinking water. If you go deeper than 10 meters, you must engage a recognized (mechanical) earth drilling company. They have the right equipment to drill so deep. The simple drilling tools of the do-it-yourself are then no longer sufficient.
Ways to drill a water well
Now that everything from laws and regulations has been discussed, you can start hitting the source. There are only two ways to dig or make a well. These two are discussed below.
But what do you need to dig a well:
- Use an earth auger to drill a hole or a water lance.
- The PVC tube is slid into the spot so that the hole cannot be plugged in.
- Suction stroke/tube
- non-return valve/foot valve, including filter
- Well pump
Other things to consider before you start drilling
- Once you are at the water level, drill another 25 centimeters deeper, so the PVC pipe is well in the water layer. If the PVC pipe is too high (not enough in the water), the good pump cannot suck up the water in the event of drought.
- I also recommend making slits at the bottom of the PVC pipe with a hacksaw so the water can flow into the pipe faster. As a result, the PVC pipe is always filled with water, and you can always water your garden.
- Also, fill up the sides of the PVC pipe after installation so that the pipe is well anchored in the ground. You can use gravel for this.
- (Most) well, pumps are not self-priming, so you need a foot valve. This valve keeps the water in the pump and the suction stroke when the pump is off.
- You apply a filter to prevent stones and the like from getting into your pump. They can clog the pipes and sprinkler systems if they get into the pump.
- A lid can also be placed on top of the PVC pipe. Drill a hole in the cover for the suction hose to pass through; this way, the top of the suction tube is closed correctly. No dirt, such as leaves and twigs, can enter the tube.
If you need a longer suction hose, you can make it yourself from an armored hose, a separate non-return valve, and a few hose clamps. Keep an eye on it! Can your good pump handle this suction height?
Therefore, first, drill the hole for the source and determine which suction height you need. Then buy the good pump!
Water Well Drilling By Hand
Drilling a well is not something that happens, especially if you want to do this by hand!
Keep an eye on it! You can drill yourself up to a depth of 10 meters. If you have to drill more, you must engage a specialized company. You are no longer allowed to drill from 10 meters.
For a well, a hole usually has to be drilled between 7 and 10 meters deep, sometimes much deeper, and that isn’t easy to do yourself. Often, you do not have the necessary materials and must purchase them or build a structure capable of drilling to this depth yourself.
And then hope that nothing crazy happens and you have to start over. If you end up on roots or rock and the drilling doesn’t go any deeper, you can start again. Even with a water lance or water spray, you will not get through this. And if you work with a water hose, it is also a complicated process because you can’t see well which soil layer you are, and the lance can get stuck.
Of course, you can do it yourself, and below, two ways are briefly discussed how you can drill a well.
However, if you hire a company, it often happens in the morning. The cost of digging a well differs depending on your location and company.
If you select a company, hire a drilling company near you. They know the ground situation in your area and immediately understand what kind of material they need. They also know to what depth they have to drill.
If you wish to do it yourself, you can try any drilling methods below.
How to dig a well with Auger
In some parts, you can reach the groundwater level fairly quickly. In contrast, it is possible to reach groundwater after only digging 1.5 meters. Actually, this is not groundwater but above water. It is rainwater that has sunk into the ground, and that has to sink further.
If the groundwater is not deep enough, you can make a well with an auger.
If it is deeper than the auger, you can also dig a hole first and then switch to the auger. The auger is intended for driving piles into the ground and usually has a small diameter of about 7–10 centimeters. If you have the chance, use at least a drill with a diameter of 100–110 millimeters.
In addition, there are drills for sale, and probably also for rent, that do it mechanically.
Can I drill well with Water Hose?
You cannot hit a well with a water hose. You need a lot of water and very high pressure to drill a hole with a water lance, and then you can’t with the pressure and yield of tap water. It also does not work with a high-pressure sprayer because it supplies too little water.
A water lance/water drill sits at the end of a tube through which water is squeezed out with a large amount of pressure. The drill sometimes spins, and the water loosens the soil and pushes it out of the hole. While flushing, you immediately insert the PVC pipe into the hole; otherwise, the hole walls will collapse.
This job is not done lightly; when you start it, you have to ensure that the water is not too deep. If this is the case, you can spend 3–4 days hitting your well. In short, call in the specialists!
Disclaimer: On this page, various “tips and tricks” are discussed for building a well (s). Applying one of these methods and following the recommendations is entirely at your own risk.
