Installation of a water well. / Photo by ISWS staff.
There are several different types of water wells and each one is designed for specific geological and hydrological conditions. The three most common types of wells are:
Drilled Bedrock Wells are wells that are finished in bedrock and rely on fractures in the rock to provide water.
Sand and Gravel Wells are a type of well that is finished in a sand and gravel geologic unit called an aquifer.
Large Diameter Dug and Bored Wells are large diameter boreholes that are typically three or more feet wide and less than 100 feet deep. They are usually constructed in areas where no traditional aquifer is available, making them the only option.
(Click on each type to watch a video that explains it in more detail.)
Some people refer to the way a well is constructed as the type of the well. If you are interested in learning more, check out the National Groundwater Association's Wellowner.org webpage, Types of Wells, which discusses the difference between dug, driven, and drilled wells.
Want to learn more about your private well and how to care for it?
Sign up for the free 10-week email course from PrivateWellClass.org. The class is a project of RCAP and the University of Illinois, with funding from USEPA.
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