Well Expectations

Considerations on Your New Well

Drilling Time: A well can take anywhere from 1-3+ days to drill: depending upon site conditions, geology, and depth of the well.

Expect a Mess: The two trucks (drill rig and rig tender) each weigh >65,000 pounds and tend to leave tracks/ruts in the yard: more so when the ground is soft. Also, while drilling, the rig is continually lifting the drill cuttings out of the well and these are deposited on the ground as a slurry.     

• Access to the site must be provided: In addition to the weight, the rigs are 35 feet long and 8 feet wide each, and the rig is 35′ tall with the mast up.  Occasionally, we are restricted from getting onto the site and will require interventions, including waiting until the site is dry or frozen (solid), using mud tracks ($400/hour), or even needing the customer to build a road.   
• Cleanup: Hawk Drilling Company is not responsible for cleanup after the job is complete. This being said, we will do our best to limit the mess by using the drill cuttings to fill the water line ditch during pump installation. The yard will not look exactly the same afterward as it will be just a “rough” grade. We would be happy to provide recommendations for yard cleanup and “finish/mower ready” grade if the customer would like them.   

Actual Well Depth: Your estimate is only an estimate. We take great care in our estimates, but you can never really know what the well will be until you start drilling.

Pump Installation: The well and pump installations are not done at the same time. As noted above the well may be different than estimated. We will need time to update the pump estimate(s), get your approval, and schedule excavation.

Chlorination: As per NYSDOH (Department of Health) regulations we chlorinate each well during the pump installation. We encourage the owner to run the water via an outside faucet (or off the Pressure Tank) to clear before using the water in the house. This can take anywhere from 20 minutes to a couple of hours (depending on well depth and yield). You may notice the chlorine as either a smell or a red tinge to the water. Once these are gone, feel free to use the water normally.

Clearing the Well: Some wells need time to clear sediment or cloudiness/color.  This can take anywhere from a couple of hours to weeks. We encourage you to take daily samples in separate clear bottles to be able to evaluate changes and settling. As a general rule, if it swirls, it settles – which means that it will likely clear from the well. If the cloudiness does not go away or settle, there is treatment available to filter the water. This issue is locational and is related to the strata the well is drilled through. Typically shale wells require more time to clear. There is no way to tell whether a well will need treatment prior to drilling. Click here to learn more about running the water to clear after a new pump is installed.

You May Need Water Treatment: Not all wells need treatment, but water sources, locationally, can have elevated amounts of naturally occurring elements and compounds that may benefit from treatment. You can contact your local drilling company or talk with your neighbors (who have drilled wells) about potential water problems in your area. See our Water Problems and Solutions pages for more information and water treatment options.

When to Call:

• Gritty sediment in the water (you can feel it when you rub it between your fingers)
• No water or low-pressure
•  Leak at the fittings
• Bursts of air when you turn on your faucet
• You would like to discuss Water Treatment
• Any other questions or concerns you have with your new well