If you are catering to a massive agricultural setting, whether it is crops or animals, your water usage can be incredibly high. Regardless of whether you have access to a public water system or not, it is a good idea to make use of a private well for your agricultural water needs. There are a handful of reasons why farm owners choose to skip out on the private well water and opt instead for the public water made available in their area. Here are a few of the biggest misconceptions about relying on a private well in an agricultural setting.
Misconception: Well pumps are expensive to operate in a large-scale setting.
Fact: You will most likely have to have a good well pump that runs the majority of the day, which can bring along some concerns of excessive power use. However, most well pumps don't use as much power as you would expect. In fact, according to the Runestone Electric Association, a ½ horsepower well pump running for 120 hours per month will only drive up your bill about $6.96 per month. So even if you have to run a pump double that to get the amount of water you need, your power bill will not be increased substantially.
Misconception: It is easy for well water to get contaminated and pose a risk to your crops and livestock.
Fact: As long as you have your well installed by a professional (such as one from Advanced Drilling) who takes the time to assess the best location before well drilling begins, you should not have problems with your well becoming contaminated. Most well contamination tends to come from poor runoff and underground waterway assessment during installation. Additionally, it will be your responsibility to have your well water tested regularly for contaminants.
Misconception: Water wells are excessively expensive to have installed.
Fact: The price you pay to have your well installed can vary according to three factors:
- the depth of the well you need
- the density of the terrain
- the availability of water on your property
For example, for a well up to 100 feet, you will generally pay between $15 to $30 for every foot, which includes the drilling of the well, installing a well casing, and also installing a cap to keep the well clean. However, if the ground is harder to access, with a lot of hard rock involved, you could pay something closer to $30 to $50 for every drilled foot.
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