RE: Welcome to Darfur, Michigan
September 30, 2014 at 10:50 pm
(This post was last modified: September 30, 2014 at 10:53 pm by vorlon13.)
Municipalities typically regulate private wells and septic systems.
Among their reasons for doing so are that the city may already have a well near where a citizen might want to put one. This can affect the amount of water available in the existing city well and create a shortage.
Also, the well driller may inadvertently hit infrastructure underground; subways, existing water or sewer mains, tunnels, or gas lines. There are tunnels up to 600 feet beneath Chicago, for instance. Drilling a hole into one of them could create a disaster. In the case of septic systems, proximity to existing wells can be an issue as most people don't want to drink your excreta.
Well drilling is a noisy and cumbersome operation too, your neighbors may not be thrilled you're disrupting the neighborhood.
In some locales, there may not be potable water beneath your land, finding that out can be expensive since well drillers don't drill on spec. Also, potable water rights beneath your land may be regulated by other agencies, like the county or the state. Additionally, a prior owner of your land (or yourself) may have already sold or assigned the water rights beneath your land.
I recently had a well drilled, and I live in the country. Just the well is over $20,000, the county wanted a building permit ($), the state wanted a 10 year fee of over $300, and there is also a $95/year fee on top of that. Just running the well is a significant expense, the pump takes quite a bit of power. I have a problem with the well, it is pulling quite a bit of sediment up, and the water also turns red upon exposure to the air because of the iron content. My water also contains 85 grains of calcium and is extremely 'hard'. The well driller also hit a boulder he could not drill through, so the well is not as deep as it should be, and in a severe drought, it may have reduced, or even no water for me.
Still want a well ??
Among their reasons for doing so are that the city may already have a well near where a citizen might want to put one. This can affect the amount of water available in the existing city well and create a shortage.
Also, the well driller may inadvertently hit infrastructure underground; subways, existing water or sewer mains, tunnels, or gas lines. There are tunnels up to 600 feet beneath Chicago, for instance. Drilling a hole into one of them could create a disaster. In the case of septic systems, proximity to existing wells can be an issue as most people don't want to drink your excreta.
Well drilling is a noisy and cumbersome operation too, your neighbors may not be thrilled you're disrupting the neighborhood.
In some locales, there may not be potable water beneath your land, finding that out can be expensive since well drillers don't drill on spec. Also, potable water rights beneath your land may be regulated by other agencies, like the county or the state. Additionally, a prior owner of your land (or yourself) may have already sold or assigned the water rights beneath your land.
I recently had a well drilled, and I live in the country. Just the well is over $20,000, the county wanted a building permit ($), the state wanted a 10 year fee of over $300, and there is also a $95/year fee on top of that. Just running the well is a significant expense, the pump takes quite a bit of power. I have a problem with the well, it is pulling quite a bit of sediment up, and the water also turns red upon exposure to the air because of the iron content. My water also contains 85 grains of calcium and is extremely 'hard'. The well driller also hit a boulder he could not drill through, so the well is not as deep as it should be, and in a severe drought, it may have reduced, or even no water for me.
Still want a well ??
