How Fast Does Well Water Replenish? An Easy Explanation

Last Updated on February 24, 2023 by Mattias

A well system replenishes its water at the rate of five gallons per minute (GPM), which means that if your well system has a 300-gallon tank, it is expected to refill its tank in 1 hour, and if your well system has a 600-gallon tank, it is expected to refill its tank in 2 hours, and so forth.

So, if your well isn’t refilling up to these gallons of water per minute or hour, there is something wrong with it, possibly due to several factors.  

Let’s take a look at these factors. 

Factors That Prevent Your Well From Refilling As Fast As It Should 

A Broken Submersible Pump 

A submersible pump is a type of electric pump which pulls water to your home’s well water system using electric power. 

When this pump gets broken, it becomes unable to draw water to the well, reducing the refill time rate of your well.

This will also make it difficult for your well to supply adequate water to your home.  

A Damaged Well Screen 

The well screen is placed at the bottom of your well to allow water into your well and prevent the entrance of sand, dirt, and sediment. 

However, suppose your well screen gets damaged. In that case, it will be unable to prevent sediment and dirt entrance into your well, leading to a prominent position of your well being occupied with dirt, reducing the total space that water can occupy in your well. 

Unlike some other factors, in the case of a broken well screen, your well replenishes faster, but the space that water can occupy in your well is reduced.

The Depth Of Your Well

Well, depth is another factor that could prevent your well from refilling at the supposed pace.

Wells are drilled until they reach the underground aquifer of a particular location where water is located, so a well’s location will determine whether it will be dug to a shallow or deep level before the water table is reached. 

A shallow well refills faster than a deep well, and this is because the hole and space that the latter has, are more significant than that of the former, and this causes the time taken for its water to be used up and refilled to be more, as compared to its counterpart. 

But while shallow wells have a higher refill time than deeper wells, they also lose the spaces allocated to fresh water faster and have sediment filled at their bottom more quickly. 

So, if you have a deep well, your well tends to have a slower refill time than shallow wells, but at the same time, you tend to have more quality water supplied to your home. 

Read also: How To Fix A Frozen Well Pump

A Damaged Pitless Adapter

The role of a pitless adapter in your well system is to protect your well water from freezing, but when it gets damaged, it loses its ability to carry out this role, leading to your well refilling slower than usual. 

To restore high-pressure water in your home, ensure you fix this adapter once you notice it has developed a fault. 

A Broken Well Cap

Covering your well with a well cap protects it from the entrance of direct rainfall and sediment, but when it gets broken or damaged, it gives way for all-natural elements to enter your well without restrictions. 

And while the entrance of direct rainfall into your well will cause it to refill faster, it will also give way to the entrance of pollutants and sediments, which could harm you and others using the water from the well as drinking water, and for other purposes.

So once you notice that your well cap is broken or damaged, fix it or replace it to keep these sediments and natural elements from entering your well directly.

The State Of Your Well Casing  

A well casing is a preservative and protective shield built around your well to keep the water in place and protect the well from the entrance of organic matter and sediment.

However, when the well casing collapses due to its average lifespan being exceeded or starts to crack, no matter how much water enters your well, it will leak out through the damaged we’ll casing, hence making it difficult for the well to refill correctly and at its usual refill time. 

The Geology In Your Environment And The Number Of People Using The Same Aquifer As You Are

The geology in your surrounding and the number of people using the same underground aquifer in your environment are significant factors in the reduction of the time which your well refills, so ensure you get the correct information about your surrounding concerning them. 

 First, enquire if your surrounding has an aquifer from which your well taps. 

The absence of an aquifer in your environment will cause your well to take forever before it refills and will also cause your water pressure to reduce.

Secondly, ensure there isn’t much sediment in the water source which your well is using. 

When your water source has much sediment and silt and is constantly sent to your well, it could build up in your well over time, block your water flow, and damage your water pump.

Next, check the weather and climate condition in your region. 

If the region you live in experiences severe droughts in a year and frequently encounters a dry period, then rest assured that it will take much longer than usual for your well to refill. 

This is because the groundwater supply and water flow rate are low during these times of the year. 

Lastly, check how many people in your surroundings have wells and how many homes are tapping from the same water source as you are. 

Your well will take much longer to replenish if the number is much.

How To Know If Your Well Water Is Getting Dried Out And How To Prevent It 

The inability of your well to replenish properly could cause it to dry up, and here are some signs that you will notice when your well is drying out. 

• Your water has an unusual smell and taste.  

• The look of your water is strange, and you start experiencing murky or muddy water in your home. 

• The water pump of your well system runs more frequently than usual. 

• Your water table and pump intake decrease, causing your faucets to spit and allowing air into your pipes, fixtures, and entire plumbing system.

Here are a few ways you can use to prevent the water in your well from drying out: 

Do Not Waste Water 

Using well water from a natural source doesn’t mean you should use it extravagantly. 

Ensure you use your water wisely and take deliberate steps to work on any activity that makes you use water carelessly. 

Your water use should be restricted to essential chores and activities, even when you have an adequate water supply. 

For example, during raining season, ensure you place a container outside your home when it is raining and collect water that you can use later, even if there is enough water in your well at the time. 

Know When The Ground Water Level In Your Region Rises and Falls

Knowing when the groundwater levels in your region rise and fall will inform you beforehand when there will be water shortages and less water in your aquifer so that you can cut down on how you use water in that period. Your water supply won’t run dry. 

Ensure There Are No Leaks In Your Plumbing System

A leak in your plumbing system increases your water output without minding if you are using water.

When there is a leak in your plumbing system, your water dries out much faster, leaving you with less water to use for your activities, except if the level of your well’s groundwater recharge is as much as the level of water wasted.

The best way to prevent this issue from happening is to constantly check your pipes, faucets, and your entire plumbing system from time to time for leaks and fix them when you notice them. 

How Fast Does Well Water Replenish Summary

Unlike municipal groundwater supplies, private wells aren’t treated or taken care of by the city. Still, by you who own it, it is now up to you to ensure that your well is in good condition and is supplying enough water to meet your family’s peak demand. 

So, ensure you check your well’s refill time, and if it isn’t working at the expected timeframe, then check all the factors stated above which could be responsible for it and work on them.