Some people with a well problem search for well drilling near me when what they need is a repair. Drilling and repair are different trades, and a new well is a far bigger job than fixing the one you have. Here is how to tell which you need.
Water Well Repair Near Me is an independent referral service, not a well driller, well contractor or pump installer. When you send the form, your request goes to this site’s operator, who passes it to an independent local well pro who can contact you and prepare a quote for the work. The site does not arrange well drilling.
Two different jobs
| Well repair and service | Well drilling | |
|---|---|---|
| What it works on | An existing well and its equipment | A new hole in the ground and its casing |
| Typical tasks | Pump, pressure tank, switch, wiring, cap, seals, water treatment | Boring the well, setting casing and sealing it, before a first pump is fitted |
| Who does it | Well and pump contractors | Well drillers |
| Licensing | Pump work is licensed in many states | Drilling is licensed in many states |
In Texas, for example, TDLR says a license is required both to drill a water well and to install a pump for one, and it regulates each. Elsewhere, well drilling and pump work is licensed by the state in many places. Ask any contractor which license they hold.
When repair is the answer
If the well has given good water and the trouble is in how it reaches the house, look at the equipment first. No water, low pressure, a pump that clicks or will not stop, a tripped breaker, a waterlogged tank: these are repair jobs. See well pump repair, well pump replacement and well pressure tank replacement.
Water problems can be treated without drilling too. EPA notes that on-site treatment such as disinfection, distillation and filtration may remove the contaminants found in a well. The well water treatment page explains how treatment is chosen from a test.
When a new well comes into the picture
EPA is frank that some wells cannot be fixed: depending on the contaminant, its concentration and the condition of the well, an owner may need a new source of water or to drill a new well. Situations where a driller may come into the conversation include:
- Damage to the well itself, such as a casing that has failed, that a repair cannot put right
- A contaminant that treatment cannot deal with in that well
- A well that no longer gives enough water for the household (see a dry well)
- A new house or a property with no well
- An old well that needs to be closed properly
Not sure if it is a repair? Say what the well is doing and give your ZIP code.
New construction, changes and closing old wells
EPA’s advice to owners is to hire a certified well driller for any new well construction, any modification of a well, and for the abandonment and closure of a well. Closing an old well properly matters: EPA also says never to dispose of wastes in abandoned wells or dry wells. Florida’s Department of Health lists poorly built wells among the ways bacteria and nitrate reach groundwater wells, which is a reason to have a new well built and an old one closed by someone qualified.
Ask before you call a driller
- Has a well pro tested the pump, tank, switch and wiring?
- Has the water been tested at a certified lab, and could treatment deal with the result?
- Is the problem the amount of water, the quality, or the well’s structure?
- Which license does the driller hold in your state?
- Is there an old well on the property that also needs closing?
If the answer to the first two is no, start with a well pro rather than a driller. A repair or treatment may solve the problem, and if a new well is needed, the pro’s findings, test results and well records will help the driller plan it.
Send what the well is doing and your ZIP code. An independent local well pro can contact you.
Questions people ask
Can I drill my own water well?
Rules differ by state; in Texas, TDLR regulates private water well drilling. Check your state’s rules first; EPA advises hiring a certified well driller for new well construction.
Is it cheaper to repair a well or drill a new one?
This site gives no prices. A repair works on equipment that already exists, while drilling builds a new well, so ask a well pro to rule out repair first.
What is your well doing?