Private Water Wells

If your family gets drinking water from a private well, do you know if your water is safe to drink? What health risks could you and your family face? Where can you go for help or advice? EPA regulates public water systems; it does not have the authority to regulate private drinking water wells. Approximately 15 percent of Americans rely on their own private drinking water supplies, and these supplies are not subject to EPA standards, although some state and local governments do set rules to protect users of these wells. Unlike public drinking water systems serving many people, they do not have experts regularly checking the waters source and its quality before it is sent to the tap. These households must take special precautions to ensure the protection and maintenance of their drinking water supplies.

Basic Information

There are three types of private drinking water wells: dug, driven, and drilled. Proper well construction and continued maintenance are keys to the safety of your water supply. Your state water-well contractor licensing agency, local health department, or local water system professional can provide information on well construction. The well should be located so rainwater flows away from it. Rainwater can pick up harmful bacteria and chemicals on the lands surface. If this water pools near your well, it can seep into it, potentially causing health problems. Water-well drillers and pump-well installers are listed in your local phone directory. The contractor should be bonded and insured. Make certain your ground water contractor is registered or licensed in your state, if required. If your state does not have a licensing/registration program contact the National Ground Water Association. They have a voluntary certification program for contractors. (In fact, some states use the Associations exams as their test for licensing.) For a list of certified contractors in your state contact the Association at (614) 898-7791 or (800) 551-7379. There is no cost for mailing or faxing the list to you.

To keep your well safe, you must be sure possible sources of contamination are not close by. Experts suggest the following distances as a minimum for protection farther is better:

• Septic Tanks, 50 feet
• Livestock yards, Silos, Septic Leach Fields, 50 feet
• Patroleum Tanks, Liquid-Tight Manure Storage and Fertilizer Storage and Handling, 100 feet
• Manure Stacks, 250 feet

Many homeowners tend to forget the value of good maintenance until problems reach crisis levels. That can be expensive. Its better to maintain your well, find problems early, and correct them to protect your wells performance. Keep up-to-date records of well installation and repairs plus pumping and water tests. Such records can help spot changes and possible problems with your water system. If you have problems, ask a local expert to check your well construction and maintenance records. He or she can see if your system is okay or needs work.

Protect your own well area. Be careful about storage and disposal of household and lawn care chemicals and wastes. Good farmers and gardeners minimize the use of fertilizers and pesticides. Take steps to reduce erosion and prevent surface water runoff. Regularly check underground storage tanks that hold home heating oil, diesel, or gasoline. Make sure your well is protected from the wastes of livestock, pets, and wildlife.

Dug Wells

Dug wells are holes in the ground dug by shovel or backhoe. Historically, a dug well was excavated below the groundwater table until incoming water exceeded the diggers bailing rate. The well was then lined (cased) with stones, brick, tile, or other material to prevent collapse. It was covered with a cap of wood, stone, or concrete. Since it is so difficult to dig beneath the ground water table, dug wells are not very deep. Typically, they are only 10 to 30 feet deep. Being so shallow, dug wells have the highest risk of becoming contaminated.To minimize the likelihood of contamination, your dug well should have certain features. These features help to prevent contaminants from traveling along the outside of the casing or through the casing and into the well.

Dug Well Construction Features

• The well should be cased with a watertight material (for example, tongue-and-groove precast concrete) and a cement grout or bentoniteclay sealant poured along the outside of the casing to the top of the well.
• The well should be covered by a concrete curband cap that stands about a foot above the ground.
• The land surface around the well should be mounded so that surface water runs away from the well and is not allowed to pond around the outside of the wellhead.
• Ideally, the pump for your well should be inside your home or in a separate pump house, rather than in a pit next to the well.

Land activities around a dug well can also contaminate it. While dug wells have been used as a household water supply source for many years, most are relics of older homes, dug before drilling equipment was readily available or when drilling was considered too expensive. If you have a dug well on your property and are using it for drinking water, check to make sure it is properly covered and sealed. Another problem relating to the shallowness of a dug well is that it may go dry during a drought when the ground water table drops.

Driven Wells

Like dug wells, driven wells pull water from the water-saturated zone above the bedrock. Driven wells can be deeper than dug wells. They are typically 30 to 50 feet deep and are usually located in areas with thick sand and gravel deposits where the ground water table is within 15 feet of the grounds surface. In the proper geologic setting, driven wells can be easy and relatively inexpensive to install. Although deeper than dug wells, driven wells are still relatively shallow and have a moderate-to-high risk of contamination from nearby land activities.

Driven Well Construction Features

• Assembled lengths of two inches to three inches diameter metal pipes are driven into the ground. Ascreened well point located at the end of the pipe helps drive the pipe through the sand and gravel. The screen allows water to enter the well and filters out sediment.
• The pump for the well is in one of two places: on top ofthe well or in the house. An access pit is usually dug around the well down to the frost line and a water dis-charge pipe to the house is joined to the well pipe with a fitting.
• The well and pit are capped with the same kind of large-diameter concrete tile used for a dug well. The access pit may be cased with pre-cast concrete.

To minimize this risk, the well cover should be a tight-fitting concrete curb and cap with no cracks and should sit about a foot above the ground. Slope the ground away from the well so that surface water will not pond around the well. If theres a pit above the well, either to hold the pump or to access the fitting, you may also be able to pour a grout sealant along the outside of the well pipe. Protecting the water quality requires that you maintain proper well construction and monitor your activities around the well. It is also important to follow the same land use precautions around the driven well as described under dug wells.

Drilled Wells

Drilled wells penetrate about 100-400 feet into the bedrock. Where you find bedrock at the surface, it is commonly called ledge. To serve as a water supply, a drilled well must intersect bedrock fractures containing ground water.

Drilled Well Construction Features

• The casing is usually metal or plastic pipe, six inches in diameter that extends into the bedrock to prevent shallow ground water from entering the well. By law, the casing has to extend at least 18 feet into the ground, with at least five feet extending into the bedrock. The casing should also extend a foot or two above the grounds surface. A sealant, such as cement grout or bentonite clay, should be poured along the outside of the casing to the top of the well. The well is capped to prevent surface water from entering the well.
• Submersible pumps, located near the bottom of the well, are most commonly used in drilled wells. Wells with a shallow water table may feature a jet pump located inside the home. Pumps require special wiring and electrical service. Well pumps should be installed and serviced by a qualified professional registered with your state.
• Most modern drilled wells incorporate a pitless adapter designed to provide a sanitary seal at the point where the discharge water line leaves the well to enter your home. The device attaches directly to the casing below the frost line and provides a watertight subsurface connection, protecting the well from frost and contamination.
• Older drilled wells may lack some of these sanitary features. The well pipe used was oftene ight-, 10- or 12- inches in diameter, and covered with a concrete well cap either at or below the grounds surface. This outmoded type of construction does not provide the same degree of protection from surface contamination. Also, older wells may not have a pitless adapter to provide a seal at the point of discharge from the well.

Hydrofracting A Drilled Well

Hydrofracting is a process that applies water or air under pressure into your well to open up existing fractures near your well and can even create new ones. Often this can increase the yield of your well. This process can be applied to new wells with insufficient yield and to improve the quantity of older wells.

How can I test the quality of my private drinking water supply?

Consider testing your well for pesticides, organic chemicals, and heavy metals before you use it for the first time. Test private water supplies annually for nitrate and coliform bacteria to detect contamination problems early. Test them more frequently if you suspect a problem. Be aware of activities in your watershed that may affect the water quality of your well, especially if you live in an unsewered area.

Human Health

Well Pumps and Trouble Shooting

Submersible Well Pump Installation

A 2-wire pump actually requires a 3-wire strand of wire as one of the strands is used as the ground wire. 2-wire pumps do not require an external control box, as the starting capacitors and relays are in the motor body. A 3-wire pump requires 4 wire strands as a ground wire should be included. An external control box containing relays and capacitors supplies the starting voltage when the pump is required to start. Submersible motors are designed primarily for operation in the vertical, shaft-up position. During acceleration, the pump thrust increases as its output head increases. In cases where the pump head stays below its normal operating range during startup and full speed condition, the pump may create upward thrust. This creates upward thrust on the motor upthrust bearing. This is an acceptable operation for short periods at each start, but running continuously with up thrust may cause excessive wear on the upthrust bearing. For normal thrust bearing life expectancy with motor positions other than shaft-up, minimize the frequency of starts, preferably to fewer than 10 per 24-hour period. Submersible Pumps vs. Jet Pumps Submersible and jet pumps are both used in domestic groundwater systems. When high flow rates and pressure settings are required at high operating efficiencies, submersible pumps are generally preferred. Submersible pumps have the advantage of performing well both in shallow well applications as well as at depth to several thousand feet. An extensive range of submersible pump models is also available allowing a precise match to exact system requirements. Pump Selection & Inspection 1. Select the right pump & motor Gallons per minute desired + pressure required + depth to pumping level determines which pump size and model is right for your water well system. 2. Inspect your new pump & motor After purchase, check the pump and motor and other contents of the shipping container for possible damage. Do NOT lift the submersible pump by its attached electric motor cables. Find the loose owner information plate and check the listed model number against the label data on the outside shells covering the motor and the pump. The entire pump was thoroughly tested at the factory. However, to make sure there is no hidden damage caused during shipment, we suggest checking for free rotation of the shaft prior to installation.   Pre-Installation Preparation 1. New wells a) Location of pump. Your submersible pump can be installed at nearly any well location for years and years of dependable, trouble free service. For new wells, always locate well to provide for easy removal and replacement of pump. The water tank and electrical controls can, of course, be located some distance from the well. b) Determine depth of pump in well in order to purchase electrical cables of sufficient gauge and length to reach from pump motor to electrical motor control box - and to purchase galvanized iron pipe, PVC rigid plastic pipe or flexible plastic pipe of sufficient length to reach from pump discharge to water tank. (See cable length and cable-size charts in Sections C2 and C3.) c) Location of water tank and electrical controls. Always install the pressure tank and electrical controls in a clean dry basement or utility room to avoid dampness and temperature extremes. In any installation where the pump pressure could exceed the storage tank pressure, provide a pressure relief valve piped to a suitable drain. 2. Replacing pump (or motor only) in existing well a) Turn off power at electrical control box. b) Remove well seal from top of well. c) Remove old pump from well. 1. If galvanized iron or rigid plastic PVC pipe was used originally you'll find a number of rigid sections joined together. Pull pipe upward and dismantle each section as your go, untaping or unbanding electrical motor cables from each section until you reach pump. 2) If flexible plastic pipe was used originally, pull pipe upward - coiling pipe and cables in a big circle as you go - until you reach the pump. 3) When old pump is out of well, cut electrical cables as close to original splice connection as possible. 4) While new cable is preferred (because it will remain submerged for a number of years), you may wish to reuse the old cable. Wipe off and clean the insulation, examining carefully for cuts, cracks and abrasions. If in doubt, purchase new cable. 5) If new cable is necessary, measure length of old cable (from pump motor to electrical control box) and purchase sufficient replacement lengths. (See wire-size and cable-length selection charts in sections C2 and C3.)   Electrical Preparation 1. Splicing power cables to pump After making sure your power cables are the proper AWG size and specified length, splice them to the pump cables (see illustrations):   A. Slip shrink tube over end of each power cable.   B. Match pump cables to power cables and crimp connectors on each pair.   C. Slide shrink tubes over center of crimped connectors and apply heat (from propane torch) from center to both ends of shrink tubes.   D. Splice is complete when sealant flows from ends of shrink tubes. Note: Splice kits are not included with pumps. WARNING! Splice and wires should be checked for nicks and insulation breakdown prior to installation. To isolate ground leakage in splice and cable, refer to Figure 3 and proceed as follows: 1. Set selector switch on the highest scale (RX 100K) and follow general instructions for ohmmeter tests. 2. Immerse motor, pigtail, splice and cable in tank of water with leads out of water. If cable only is being tested, be sure to have both ends of the cable out of water and the ends connected as shown in Figure 3. 3. Slowly remove cable from water starting with the end which is connected to the ohmmeter. Observe the needle, and when it falls back to left toward infinity or no reading, the damage will be at the point where the cable, splice or pigtail is just above the water. 4. Repair damaged cable, splice or pigtail. 5. If the motor is grounded, it must be replaced. WARNING! After the pump is installed in the well insulation test and motor continuity test should be run.   Installation of Pump in Well 1. Attach the safety hook to the pump Connect the safety hook to the pump using pliers to squeeze the sides of the hook so it fits into the slot in the pump. 2. Attach the pump to the pipe A back-up wrench should be used when riser pipe is attached to the pump. The pump should only be gripped by the flats on the top of the discharge chamber. Under no circumstances grip the body of the pump, cable guard or motor. When tightened down, the threaded end of the first section of the riser pipe or the nipple must not come in contact with the check valve retainer in the discharge chamber of the pump. 3. Before lowering pump a) Smooth out any rough spots or sharp edges on the top lip of the well casing with a hammer or metal file to prevent damage to the pump or power cables when lowering into well. b) As you add additional sections of galvanized iron pipe or rigid plastic PVC pipe, apply pipe compound only to the male threaded ends of each section and tighten to next section. c) Tape the power cables and safety lifting cable to the pipe, straight up from bottom to top. Do NOT spiral cable around the pipe. Use waterproof tape or nylon lock bands every 20 feet on galvanized iron pipe. Do not allow any excess cable between bands; cable must be as flat against pipe as possible. 4. Lowering the pump a) Align pump carefully when beginning to lower it down the well casing. Do not let the pump, cables or pipe rub against the well casing. Take care that cable insulation is not dragged or scraped over the top lip of the well casing. b) Depth of pump setting. Lower pump into well slowly without forcing. Use foot clamp to hold galvanized iron or plastic PVC pipe while connecting the next length of pipe and taping the power cables. (On deep settings, we recommend that a check valve be installed in the pipe 200 ft. above the pump and every 200 ft. thereafter to prevent water shock from traveling back to pump.) Lower pump to at least 10 ft. below the maximum draw down of the water level, if possible, and never closer than 5 ft. from the bottom of the well. c) Pipe fitting to support pump. When a well seal is used, either a coupling, elbow or tee is installed on the top end of the last vertical length of pipe and is allowed to rest on the outside of the well seal to support the pipe, power cables, safety cable and pump. Most well seals provide a fitting to seal the power cables; but if no such fitting is provided, conduit must be used to protect cables and to prevent water and any foreign matter from leaking into well around cable. d) Frost-proof pitless installation. In installation where the pipe from the well seal to the water tank is subject to frost or freezing conditions, a pitless installation is recommended.     Above-Ground Pipe & Tank Connections 1. Check pump before connecting piping to tank With all electrical connections complete and pump now lowered to desired depth, install a gate valve in the discharge pipe near well for preliminary test run (see diagram). Turn on power. Gradually open gate valve and let pump run until water is clear of sand and other impurities. Fully open gate valve. If pump lowers water in the well to a point at which the pump loses its prime, either: a) Lower pump further down well (if possible); or b) "Throttle" the pump to the capacity of the well by using a flow valve (see Section F). 2. Connecting diaphragm tank system a) Connect all piping as shown in diagram. b) Precharge tank to specified pressure (see instructions furnished with tank). If the system is to be set to operate at 30/50 pressure settings, the tank should be precharged to 28 psi (or 18 psi if system pressure is to be 20/40). Tank precharge pressure should always be 2 psi below the "cut-in" of the pressure switch with no water in the tank. c) Start pump. Pressure in tank will build up to cut-off pressure of pressure switch setting. d) The system should now operate automatically. 3. Connecting standard galvanized tank system a) Connect all piping as shown in diagram. b) Start pump. Pressure in tank will build up to cut-off pressure of switch setting. c) The system should now operate automatically.   Connecting Bleed-back Valve System a) Install the bleeder orifice 5 ft. or more below snifter valve. Check and snifter valves can be installed inside the well casing under the well seal or outside the casing just ahead of the pressure tank. Refer to installation diagram and the table at left for recommended distances on various tank sizes. b) Connect all piping as shown in diagram. c) Start pump. Pressure in tank will build up to cut-off pressure of switch setting. d) After pump has cut-out, open faucet and drain tank pressure to cut-in point of pressure switch. e) Run the automatic cycle several times and check the air charging cycle. Each time the pump stops, the surface check valve closes and water starts to drain back through the bleeder valve. This causes a vacuum in the discharge pipe and air is drawn in through the snifter valve installed in the check valve. Water will drain down to the bleeder valve, filling the pipe between the check valve and bleeder valve with air. When the pump restarts, this air will be forced ahead of the water into the pressure tank. This method always supplies excess air which is vented off by the automatic air volume control. f) To check proper operation, a vacuum should be felt at the snifter valve when pump stops. (See illustration for position of bleeder valve, check valve and snifter valve.)   Controlling Weak Wells The flow valve method is the simplest way to prevent draw down to pump inlet. The capacity of the pump discharge is throttled to equal the well yield. A DoleĀ® Flow Valve delivers a constant capacity regardless of pump discharge pressure. The flow valve is installed in the discharge line between the pump and the pressure tank. The usual way to determine what size of flow valve to use is to throttle the discharge gate valve to a capacity that the well will yield without drawing down to pump inlet. After pump has operated at this capacity for a sufficient time to be sure it is suitable, measure the flow in gallons-per-minute and select a flow valve size nearest to this capacity. Install the flow valve and recheck to be sure operation is satisfactory   Trouble-Shooting The vast majority of service calls on water well systems are caused by either waterlogged tanks or by problems which are electrical in nature. The submersible pump and water well system should be checked periodically for quality of water, draw down, pressure, GPM, cycling periods (how often the pump starts and how long it runs) and proper operation of all automatic controls. Never operate the pump for long periods of time with the discharge valve closed. This could cause overheating resulting in damage to the pump and its motor. A properly sized relief valve should be installed before the tank to prevent the pump from operating with the discharge valve closed. Familiarize yourself with potential problems and trouble-shooting solutions. Problem Probable Cause Solution Pump won't run Blown fuse, broken (or loose) electrical connections. Check fuses, capacitor, relays and all electrical connections. Pressure switch not closing. Adjust or replace. Motor overload protection contact open. Contacts will close automatically within short time. Incorrect control box. Check and replace if necessary. Improper wiring connections. Check wiring diagram. Low voltage. Check voltage at control box. Pump stuck or clogged with foreign matter. Pull pump and examine. Pump runs, but no water pumped Check valve installed backwards. Reverse and reinstall. Setting too deep for rating of pump Check rating table. Pump not submerged; not deep enough in well. Lower pump if possible. Check recovery of well. Pump in mud, impeller plugged or intake strainer clogged. Pull pump and clean. Check well depth. Raise pump if necessary. Reduced capacity Strainer or impellers partially clogged or plugged. Pull pump and clean. Corroded discharge pipe. Replace pipe. Excessive pump wear. Pull pump and replace worn parts; or replace pump. Pressure switch won't cut out Pressure switch not set correctly. Revise setting: 20-lb cut-in, 40-lb cut-out; or 30/50 (depending on tank size). Water level too low in well for rating of pump. Check pump setting. Switch opening clogged. Clean out openings or, if necessary, replace switch. Excessive wear on parts. Replace worn parts. Pump starts too often runs too long Waterlogged tank (loss of air pressure. Check tanks for leaks. Recharge with air pressure to proper level. Check air volume control. Check valve leaks. Replace or repair. Pressure switch out of adjustment. Adjust to proper setting and check to assure setting remains. If not, replace pressure switch. Leaks in pipe. Check above-ground piping for leaks. If none, pull pump and check all pipe connections and connection of pipe to pump. RULE NUMBER 1 - EVERYTHING EVENTUALLY FAILS RULE NUMBER 2 - USUALLY THE DAY AFTER THE WARRANTY RUNS OUT RULE NUMBER 3- THE PERVERSE NATURE OF MACHINES REQUIRES THEM TO FAIL WHEN YOU ARE EXPECTING THE GREATEST NUMBER OF GUESTS. BEFORE YOU EVEN READ THIS: GO OUT AND TURN THE PUMPS CIRCUIT BREAKERS OFF THEN ON AGAIN OR REPLACE THE FUSES WITH NEW ONES .IF IT RUNS, LISTEN FOR WATER RUNNING WHEN OR WHERE IT SHOULDN'T. GIVE YOUR PRESSURE GAGE A THUMP AND MAKE SURE IT WORKS, IF NOT REPLACE IT FIRST SO YOU CAN TELL WHAT IS GOING ON. BASIC COMPLAINT 1. No water     A. Motor runs - you can hear it or feel the pipe vibrate or amp check if you have an amprobe.         a) Hole in drop pipe or coupling, bleeder valve blown out.         b) Massive leak in your system. Pump is delivering water just not where you want it to go.         c) Jammed or backward check valve. It happens.         d) Pump is out of the water         e) Pump inlet screen plugged. Very rare.         f) Pump worn out. Impellers worn. If it has pumped sand or is very old this is possible.         g) Pump shaft broken or coupling stripped. Very rare these days.         h) Pump air locked.         j) Water level has dropped so far pump can't lift to surface.     B. Motor doesn't run         a) No power to pump - this is the most common thing.         b) Motor failed         c) Wires down well broken or bad splice.         d) Control box problem, bad capacitor or relay or cover is not on.         e) Pressure switch problem - easy to fix but usually wishful thinking. 1) Look at the contacts. If they aren't closed figure out why.                  The switch thinks the pressure is at shutoff level. Did it freeze last night?                 Possibly bad pressure switch or plugged inlet. 2) Burned contacts don't mean much. Bugs in the contacts are a common problem. Clean them off with the eraser end of a wooden pencil. These contacts are always electrically hot.         f) Overload tripped. Look for a red button on or under control box.         g) Pump locked up.         h) Both wires to motor or control box are connected to the same leg in the panel. 2. Not enough water, or pressure - motor runs, perhaps runs all the time     A. Leaks - surprisingly small leaks can lose a lot of water. Common problem.         a) Leaks in your house system.              Shut off line between tank and house and see if pump builds up pressure normally.         b) Down the well: Holes in drop pipe or bleeder valve.     B. Pump problems         a) Pump too small for demand         b) Pump impellers worn by sand         c) Water level has dropped below what pump is designed for         d) Check valve jammed either down well or on surface.              The nut can also come off the plunger and improper pipe fittings can prevent plunger travel.         e) Plugged inlet screen. Very rare.         f) No water in well or pump not set deep enough.         g) Motor coupling stripped or shaft broken. Sometimes can still pump. C. Tank problems     a) Waterlogged tank will cause pump to go on and off continually.          This also results in apparent low pressure. This is very common.     b) Surface check valve stuck open allowing water to run back down the well or stuck closed preventing water from         getting up. D. Electrical problems     a) Improper connections at control box. If color codes were not kept the pump will attempt to start on the          run winding and will not be able to continue running     b) Low voltage. 230 volt pumps will run on 115 volts but not very well and will cut out and reset.          This happens when one pole of a two pole circuit breaker has tripped. Pull both poles all the way to off,          then back to on.     c) Motor has internal short which is not bad enough to make it stop totally but results in intermittent operation         or less than full speed operation. This is a frequent motor death mode. 3. Bad water A. Milky -air or gas in water.     1) Natural entrained air or gas - not much you can do about it.     2) Tank air problem         a) Bad air volume control         b) Pumping water level too low allowing air to be sucked into pump         c) Excessive draw from tank allows air into house lines B. Sandy - well problem, made worse by frequent starts, well driller problem C. Tastes bad - try an activated carbon filter D. Looks bad - particulates in water, try a cartridge filter E. Stains sink -Iron and/or manganese in water, water treatment problem F. Stinks - hydrogen sulfide gas or methane G. Slime in strainers - iron bacteria, chlorinate well 4. Fuses blow, breakers trip, overloads trip A. Happens immediately when power applied to motor     1) Short to ground in motor, cables or supply wires to pressure switch.         Remove control box cover or disconnect leads to motor to see where the problem is.          Shorts make things trip very fast.     2) Worn out breaker, wrong size breaker, non-time delay fuses can't take starting current.     3) Control box problem causing start winding in motor not to operate. Usually times several seconds to trip.     4) Low voltage     5) Pump locked up B. Happens when motor has been running     1) Low voltage     2) Short cycling, too many starts     3) Control box too hot due to sun or other heat source.     4) Control box problem - bad capacitor, relay, or wrong size     5) Fuses or overloads too small.     6) Circuit breakers worn out - they will only trip so many times.     7) Frequent low head starting causing up thrust     8) Worn pump - usually causes low amps but can also cause high amps.     9) Pumping a lot of sand.     10) Wires too small or contacts somewhere very bad causing high voltage drop.     11) Well is so crooked the pump and moor have been forced into a bind. You have to work at it to create this one. 5. Pumps starts and stops too often. This is very hard on submersible pumps and motors. A. Water logged tank.     1) Galvanized tank         a) No air charging system - drain tank and open a fitting to break vacuum.              This can always be used as a temporary fix on any tank.         b) Air leak in tank above water level         c) Surface check valve is leaking and preventing snifter valve from taking in air.         d) Snifter valve (usually screwed into check valve) is not working. It should suck in air every time             the pump stops. Frequent problem area.         e) Bleeder in well is not letting water leak out of the pipe so air can be sucked in by the snifter.         f) Pump runs constantly and so never cycles to put air in tank.         g) Air volume control letting too much air out. 2) Bladder tank a) Bladder is ruptured. Tank will feel heavy and water will come out of tire core valve on top of tank. b) Tank has too little pre-charge air in it or, too much. It needs to be just right which is 2 pounds    less than the start pressure of the pump, measured with the tank drained and the pump off. B. Air logged tank - air volume control bad or too much air being pumped in. C. Defective pressure switch or set wrong D. Tank too small for pump size and demand. E. Check valve on surface may be jammed or partially open