What is a Water Well?
A water well is a hole dug or drilled into the ground to reach underground water. Hence, water drawn from these wells are called “groundwater”.
If you know how to build your water well right, you will be able to access a reliable source of clean drinking water, even when your site is out of city water supply reach.
In this modern age, are water wells still widely-utilized?
Yes, and they are still a crucial water resource in Southeast Asia!
In the Philippines, while refilling stations and piped systems dominate, a significant portion of the population continues to rely on various types of wells for drinking water. The 2020 Census of Population and Housing (CPH) provides the most recent and detailed official breakdown of households using wells as their main source of drinking water.
According to the 2020 CPH results, the specific categories of wells reported as the main drinking water source, and their corresponding percentages of total households, are as follows :
- Shared, tubed/piped deep well: 5.4%
- Own use, tubed/piped deep well: 4.0%
- Tubed/piped shallow well: 1.4%
- Protected well (typically referring to a protected dug well): 3.1%
- Unprotected well (typically referring to an unprotected dug well): 1.0%
Summing these individual categories reveals that 14.9% of all Philippine households still reported using some type of well as their main source of drinking water in 2020.
This signifies that approximately one in seven households nationwide primarily relies on well water for drinking purposes.
Moreover, water wells remain vital for sustaining food production in agricultural settings and supporting numerous industries.
The following outlines additional reasons for the importance of water wells:
- Reliable Backup Water Source: Water wells offer a dependable alternative water supply during power outages or disruptions to municipal water systems, providing a crucial resource when other sources are unavailable.
- Potentially Cleaner Groundwater: Groundwater accessed through a well can be naturally filtered, often resulting in clearer water compared to surface water sources, potentially conserving energy associated with extensive treatment processes.
- Supports Agriculture and Livestock: Direct access to water wells is highly beneficial for farms, simplifying the process of providing clean water for livestock and crops, reducing effort and ensuring a consistent supply.
- Economic Advantages via Energy Conservation: By providing a direct water source, wells can reduce reliance on energy-intensive municipal water pumping and distribution systems, leading to potential savings on household expenses and contributing to business growth through lower operational costs.
So, what kind of water wells can you build?
In the Philippines, water wells are broadly categorized based on their depth and construction method. Here are the common types:
1. Shallow Wells (Dug Wells):
- These are excavated by hand or with backhoes until water is reached. They are often lined with materials like stone, brick, or concrete to prevent collapse and are typically shallow, often around 15 meters deep. (about 50 feet).
- Shallow wells are more susceptible to contamination from surface sources because there isn’t a thick layer of soil to filter out pollutants.
- They are common in rural communities.
- Types of shallow wells include:
- Dug Wells (Open Wells): Large diameter wells constructed through manual excavation. They can store a considerable amount of water but have lower discharge rates.
- Bored Wells (Augered Wells): Constructed using hand-operated or power-driven augers in areas with very shallow water tables. They are suitable for formations that do not easily collapse.
- Driven Wells: Made by driving small-diameter pipes equipped with a well point into shallow, water-bearing sand or gravel. They are typically 10-15 meters (30-50 feet) deep.
2. Intermediate Wells:
- These wells utilize a medium-duty hand pump with a cylinder pump.
- They often use a 50mm (2″) galvanized iron (GI) casing pipe with a well point.
- Intermediate “Salt & Pepper” wells (3-4″ diameter, 220-320 ft deep) are location-dependent and may contain sulfur or sand. They can be reliable for drinking water in some areas and usually need a deep well jet pump due to their depth.
3. Deep Wells (Borehole Wells):
- Constructed using machinery like percussion or rotary drilling rigs, allowing them to reach much greater depths, typically ranging from 30 to 300 meters (about 98 to 984 feet).
- Access deeper and often cleaner groundwater sources as the thicker soil layers act as a better filter for contaminants.
- Borehole wells generally have access to more water due to penetrating deeper into the aquifer.
- They use larger diameter steel or block iron casing pipes and screens, along with suction pipes and a cylinder.
| Well Type | Pros | Cons |
| Shallow Wells | Relatively inexpensive to construct (especially dug and driven). | High susceptibility to contamination from surface sources due to shallow depth and less filtration. |
| Simpler technology, can be constructed manually. | Water yield can be lower, especially for dug wells with lower discharge rates. | |
| * Common in rural communities, potentially easier for individual households to manage initially. | Water levels can fluctuate significantly with seasonal changes and droughts. | |
| Dug wells can store a considerable amount of water. | Driven and bored wells have limited applicability based on soil type (loose, non-collapsing formations). | |
| Intermediate Wells | Reach slightly deeper water sources compared to shallow wells, potentially better water quality. | Not suitable for upgrading to Level II communal water systems, limiting their potential for community-wide solutions. |
| Utilize a medium-duty hand pump, potentially more robust than very basic shallow well setups. | Depth range still makes them potentially vulnerable to some contamination compared to deep wells. | |
| Deep Wells | Access deeper, often cleaner groundwater with better natural filtration. | Higher initial construction costs due to the need for drilling machinery and specialized materials. |
| Generally have a more reliable and consistent water supply due to deeper aquifers being less affected by surface conditions. | Require more complex pumping systems. | |
| Typically yield more water due to penetrating further into the aquifer. | May require more technical expertise for maintenance and repair. | |
| Utilize larger diameter casings and screens, potentially allowing for higher water flow. | Geological aspects can still influence water quality, though generally less so than shallower wells. |
If you need experienced professionals to guide you in assessing the safety and environmental compliance of your water well drilling project, we’d love to speak with you and see how we can serve you best.
Work with experts, consider your needs, and choose well – your future water source depends on it!
But, wait! You should know that…
Whether you currently own a well or are planning its construction, here are key areas that you also need to look into:
- The Significance of Well Depth and Construction: Understanding how the depth, from shallow dug wells to deep drilled wells, affects water quality and availability.
- The Role of Diameter in Water Accessibility: How wells with large diameters, like those traditionally dug, offer greater water accessibility but also pose higher risks of contamination.
- Modern Drilling Techniques vs. Traditional Methods: The advantages of modern drilled and bored wells in ensuring water purity and the enduring relevance of traditional methods for certain landscapes.
- Navigating the Water Table: Insights into how the variability of the water table across regions.
- Professional Consultation for Optimal Results: The critical importance of consulting with professional well drillers to achieve a well that meets your specific needs and complies with local geological conditions.
These factors are very important for you to consider the distinct advantages and disadvantages of each well type, from simple hand-dug wells to complex drilled wells.
No matter what kind of well you have, building it right and taking care of it regularly is highly important to avoid getting contaminants in your water, which can be a real health concern.
If you own a deep well, making sure it’s covered and placed in a safe location matters a lot, because what’s underground can really affect how clean your water is.
Remember, water is life!
It’s easy to forget just how essential water is. It’s not just something we drink; it’s what keeps us going every day, and it’s the backbone of businesses and industries. Also, it is vital for all living things and keeping our environment healthy.
When you’re looking into getting a water well, doing it properly – from how it’s built to how it’s looked after and where it’s located – should be non-negotiables!
Talking to seasoned experts can really help you make the right choices for a safe and dependable water supply down the road.
References:
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- Capital City Well Drilling. Why are water wells so important.
- GreenDev Solutions. Groundwater contamination: What you need to know to protect it.
- GSI Drilling. (2023, May 11). Well water: What are the benefits & why consider drilling a well?.
- Joint Monitoring Programme. (2023). Progress on household drinking water, sanitation and hygiene 2000-2022: Special focus on gender. UNICEF and World Health Organization.
- Kocher Geo Well Drilling. Are water wells sustainable? Eco-drilling development.
- Kocher Geo Well Drilling. Types of wells.
- Lee, B. (2025). Kentucky Well Education KY Division of Water Regulations Well Types Bored Wells Bored Well Construction. University of Kentucky.
- Niranjana, T. (2016, August 26). Let’s go back to the open well. The Hindu.
- Partridge Well & Drilling. (2023). Types of Water Wells.
- The Water Project. (2023, November 15). Even in the modern era, hand-dug wells can still be the best choice. The Water Project.
- Wateroam. Your well water cleaning & filtration guide.
- Well Driller Association. (2024). Boreholes & Wells.
- Wild Heron Drilling. (2023). Well Types.