Pump replacement on a nonconforming wellhead
You are called to replace a failed 3-wire, 1/2 HP submersible in a 6-inch steel-cased well at a lake cottage. The well is 120 ft deep, static water level 28 ft. At the wellhead, the casing stops about 8 inches above a cracked concrete pad, there is no well cap, and the drop pipe and cable pass through a loose concrete lid with a wide open gap. You can see standing water and debris in the annular space. The well is roughly 38 ft from the septic tank, 65 ft from the edge of the drain field, and 12 ft from the property line. No well log is on file with the state. The old pump's equipment grounding conductor was cut off at the splice, and the owner says the well has always been fine.
1. Before or while you replace the pump, what wellhead work do you require, and why is it not optional in your view?
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An open casing with a loose lid is a direct pathway for surface water, insects, and rodents into the aquifer. That is a contamination issue, not a cosmetic one. Most jurisdictions require a sanitary well cap, a casing that terminates at least the minimum height above finished grade (commonly 12 to 18 inches, per your state), a pad sloped away from the casing, and a screened vent. When a well is opened for pump work, many states also require the wellhead to be brought up to current standards, so check the rule before you start rather than after.
On this well I would require a sealed sanitary cap, extending and sealing the casing, and repairing or replacing the pad. I would also restore the equipment grounding conductor, since a cut ground on a submersible is a shock and fault-current hazard. Explain the cost in writing and be clear which items are code requirements versus recommendations.
2. Assess the setbacks to the septic system and property line and tell the owner what can and cannot be done.
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Setback numbers are state-specific, so the first step is to look up the actual rule rather than guess. Common minimums are on the order of 50 ft from a septic tank, 100 ft from an absorption field or drain field, and 25 ft or more from a property line. Against those figures, the 38 ft tank distance and the 65 ft drain field distance are both short, while 12 ft to the property line may or may not be a problem depending on local rules.
A short setback does not automatically mean you abandon the well, and an existing nonconforming well is often allowed to remain. But you should not make the situation worse, you should document the distances, and you should tell the owner in writing. Given the proximity to the septic system and the open wellhead, I would push for a bacteria and nitrate sample after the work and would not certify the water as safe on the basis of appearance. If the state requires abandonment or treatment because of contamination risk, follow that path.
3. The owner wants to skip the well cap and disinfection to save a few hundred dollars. How do you handle that request?
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Distinguish between items the owner can decline and items you will not leave behind. A sanitary cap and a sealed casing are not optional for me: leaving an open well creates a contamination pathway and exposes me to liability for every illness traced to that water. Disinfection after pump work is standard practice, typically a chlorine dose in the range of 100 ppm with a contact period, or whatever the state specifies; if I cannot do it, I will not represent the job as complete.
I would put the scope in a written change order with the price, explain the reasoning, and have the owner sign that they were informed. If they still refuse the optional items, I document the refusal on the invoice and keep a copy for my file. What I will not do is quietly skip the cap, skip the ground, or skip disinfection and let the invoice imply a completed, compliant job.