Where’s the Rain?
It’s been an unusual spring so far, hasn’t it? From an extended winter into summer-like weather back to cold weather. We even had SNOW on May 28th! But what we haven’t had enough of is water. You can tell by looking at nature just how desperate things are already starting to get. The trees are looking wilted and producing more pollen and seeds than normal. Other plants are slowly growing and animals and bees are searching for water.
We can help nature by providing some life saving water. Water plants in the early morning so they can get through the day. For bees (to provide us with delicious honey!), place a container of water with a floating piece of bark or something in it for bees to land on. You’d be surprised how much they drink!
This unusually dry weather could also devastate many local crops and may cause numerous wells to run dry. With so little rain this year and snow over the past winter, the aquifer, or underground water supply, is extremely low. The aquifer relies upon surface water to replenish itself so without rain the water level drops.
Water is key to our quality of life. Proper care and maintenance of your water source, in particular wells, will protect your water supply and ensure its quality. Any changes in water levels and quality need to be recognized and addressed for your health and convenience as well as for increasing the lifespan of your well, pump and pressure tank.
During extended periods of dry, hot weather, there is a decline in the water level. If you rely on a well for your water, you could quickly run into problems during a drought by using water as you regularly would. If water is pumped at a greater rate than the aquifer is capable of producing, you will run your well dry. Being patient and waiting an hour or so for the water to recover can be inconvenient but will prevent more serious complications. A well run dry may cause the pump to burn out, sediment to get into your home’s equipment or sediment plugging up the area where the water flows into your well.
Until we get some good rainfall, please be mindful of your water usage. Refrain from filling the pool, watering the lawn, washing multiple loads of laundry and so on to give your well water the time to recover.
If you DO run out of water, turn off your pump immediately to prevent pump and pressure tank damage and don’t try to use ANY water for at least an hour so the water level can come back up. After that, use water sparingly to prevent any further loss of water or other problems.
If your well doesn’t recover or if you have a pump problem, please call the well experts from Plumb Perfect at 1-888-458-1979.
For more helpful tips, please see our FAQ, Plumbing Tips or Blog.