BUILDING A SAND SUCKER WELL - QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
 
 
----- Original Message -----
From: Phil & Tricia DeVries <pdv@iserv.net>
To: A Brent Cook <brent1@InfoAve.Net>
Cc: Fred Dungan <fdungan@gnww.net>
Sent: Sunday, October 10, 1999 12:34 PM
Subject: RE: Question



-----Original Message-----
From: A Brent Cook <brent1@InfoAve.Net>
To: pdv@iserv.net <pdv@iserv.net>
Date: Sunday, October 03, 1999 8:43 AM
Subject: Question


Phil,

I came across your article about your Sand Sucker well.  I am obviously researching the possibilities of putting in a well myself.  Unlike you I am in Georgia.  There are wells everywhere here so I  am certain I will find water.  Your article is very short and raises a couple questions I hope you can answer for me.

1. Did you just auger down until you found wet sand?

Yes.  The water table here is at 20 feet.  I augered and kept adding 5' sections onto my auger until I hit the wet sand.

2. You mentioned "At this point, I placed a 2" PVC pipe with a 5' PVC point attached into the 3" pipe and attached sections of 2" pipe until the point was resting at the bottom of the well."  Could you give me some more info on this?  (i.e. is the 2" pipe glued into the 3" or just what?)

No, the 3" PVC pipe is what I worked into the ground (down to 29') with the sand sucker.  First I augered a hole down to 20'.  Then I placed the 3" pipe into the hole (I pieced together two 10' sections and one 5' section to begin with).  Then I sand sucked the 3" pipe down to 29' (I added
one more 5' section when the end of the pipe got down to ground level).  The sand sucker simply fills up with sand via the up-down motion you create by pulling it up and down by hand with a rope you have tied to it.  When it's full, you pull it up, empty it, and repeat...).  This allows the 3" pipe to 'jiggle' down, little by little until it is at the depth you desire (typically so the top of your point will be at least 4' to 5' below the water table)  Then I placed the the 2" pipe (with the 5' PVC point attached to the bottom of it) into the 3" pipe.  Now you have both pipes sitting in the hole.  They are not attached to each other in any way, simply one inside of the other with the 5' point at the bottom inside the 3" pipe.  The key is that you have to pull the 3" pipe up.  Pull it up 5' so that the 2" PVC point is fully exposed to the ground (and water).  Cut both pipes off at the top.  Cut the 3" pipe just about ground level, and cut the 2" pipe high enough above the ground so you can attach your pump to it.  The 3" pipe remains a part of your well, although it is not used for anything other
than a head start if you ever have to pull up the 2" pipe to service it.

3. Did you have to create a filter pack and if so what did you use (gravel, sand, a mixture...)?

No.  The soil here is made up of sand and gravel therefore no filter pack is necessary.

4. Where on the Internet did you find any additional information you used?  Things are still somewhat limited.

You are correct, info is limited!  I went to the local hardware store where the owner helped me along (he had a sand sucker that he let me borrow).  I was convinced I could do it based on Freds page (the page that has my info on it that you read).  If you have soil made up of sand/light gravel, then a sand sucker may work for you.  Otherwise you would probably be better off pounding down a steel point with 2" galvanized pipe.  You can still auger down a hole as far as you can; it will likely reduce the work of pounding quite a bit.  If you would like info on a sand sucker, I can give you the name of the hardware store that I went to in MI.  He may be able to help you.

Thanks for any help you can offer.  A well will be great for my lawn and for emergency water in case there is an outage.  Yes, hurricane Floyd could have hurt us bad!


Brent Cook
Hinesville, Ga.
 
 
 
 
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This page last modified on October 15, 1999.