Focus on the Environment: What can you do if your well starts to dry up?

Friday, February 29, 2008

During last summer's critically dry conditions, many well owners suffered extreme water shortages. Some tips from an expert on how to diagnose and deal with your problem

by MARY JANE CONBOY

Newspaper headlines across Ontario last summer high-lighted the critically dry conditions the province experienced with headlines that read ""Driest summer since 1936."" At the Well Wise Resource Centre, a new non-profit organization set up to help well owners (www.wellwise.ca), we received calls all summer and fall from well owners who experienced extreme water shortages.

Some callers reported filling their well with tanks of water once a week. Another told us that he had rigged a foot-valve to the creek and pumped water to flood the area around the well to try to increase the quantity available. Many callers asked for referrals to people who could clean out the sediment in their well, hoping that cleaning the well would return the water supply to pre-drought conditions.

Since 1999, we have seen drought conditions in many parts of southern Ontario throughout the growing season. Generally, the fall rains and winter snow make up for these dry times and return stream flows and long-term precipitation to expected levels. But the winter of 2006-2007 was very dry and resulted in critically low precipitation which carried on with greater intensity into the summer and early fall.

""The majority of my practice this year has been drilling replacement wells,"" says Greg Bullock, vice-president of the Ontario Groundwater Association and principal of Eades Drilling. Many shallow dug wells have become unreliable and, after years of managing, the dryness of last summer resulted in a crisis.

The Ministry of Natural Resources has been monitoring stream flows and precipitation in a co-ordinated fashion since 1999. The maps for southern Ontario show that most areas of the province have returned to normal stream flow and precipitation as of January 2008. The map (see Figure 1 page 34) shows precipitation during the summer 2007 growing season, compared to historical patterns, and you can see that large parts of southern Ontario experienced record and extreme lows in precipitation this year.

Many people are questioning whether their water supply will ""come back."" Others wonder if the problem originates with their water supply or another larger user nearby. These questions all need to be looked at on a case by case basis, but in general you should look at the surface water in your immediate area. Are the lake and pond levels lower also? Have there been significant changes that have not coincided with dry weather? How deep is your well and how much standing water do you normally have in it?

Well owners should be checking their well regularly. Look for any signs of damage or water leaking in from the surface and assess the level of water.

Try to document your conditions so that you are aware of changes over time. Contact a licensed well contractor to ask about a pump test.

What else can you do? Start by talking to someone with expertise in this field to help you understand your situation. If you need to haul in water invest in - or rent - a storage vessel. Your well loses water and the water you put in it will move out of the well quickly. Some callers have reported that filling their well actually worsened the problem.

Talk to neighbours and experts about the different options for water supplies in your area. In many cases, drilling a deeper well will access a supply that is less affected by seasonal precipitation and will be less likely to dry up during the summer and fall.

If you think that your supply has been reduced by another user, document your situation and concerns and talk to the appropriate agency. Keep good records of water quality and quantity.

For more information on wells, keep your eyes open for local community forums. There are many occurring across the province this winter where you can talk to the local experts about your situation. The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) also has a fact sheet entitled ""Private well owners dealing with water shortage."" This can be found online or through OMAFRA offices. BF

Mary Jane Conboy is the Executive Director of the Well Wise Resource Centre and has written two books on wells.