Thread: Ground Water - Well or Bore?

Ok, here is the next question as i work my way through the construction process in LoS.

Whats best, have a Bore drilled down for deep ground water or dig a well to pick up surface ground water? The land is in Ban Chang near Eastern Star Golf Course. At the moment there is no government water available and probably won't be for a couple of years. I will need water for the constuction, so since i will be using ground water my thoughts are why not go for artesian water that can also be used in the house rather than just the garden. A friend a few blocks of land away has a well but the water is really muddy and so he brings his house water in by Truck.

1. Anyone have any idea how deep you would need to go for a bore in that area?
2. Bore sizes vary, 2" / 4" / 6" what is the recommended size?
3. What sort of pumps would you use and how deep would they draw from?

Regarding my previous post about contractors in Ban Chang, i have been in discussions with Sea Travellers builder ( plus others ) and his builder is now proceeding with the land fill and establishing the access road. Next step water, then perimeter wall. Then the big one!

Without a doubt, deep bore is the best.

A 6 inch bore will allow you to go to any depth with a submersible pump.
You will need to ask a local driller how deep you will need in that location or get a diviner in to help.

^What he said.

^^ Exactly what he said..
I got a driller to drill for me at Nongua, Changwat Phetchabun on the deal no water, no pay, he went down 158 meters and still dry so pulled the string and left.
But he had told me that it most likely would come up dry there and which I kind of knew as my fgather in law had drilled deeper than that and came up dry.

so we settled for harvested roof water, Stored for house water and a 4 met driven well for yard irrigation which comes from the cesspits and dry wells,

We have a 6 inch bore 85 metres deep.
We had a diviner in to show us the best spot.
The water is clean but a bit alkaline.
With a bit more filtering it would probably be OK to drink

Not a clue about these things, but seems you guys know what it's about so I'm listening as long as you keep it simple, real simple, in fact so simple that I can understand...

Ok, we have a well, concrete sides that seem to be eroded or part collapsed, can see the water 2-3 metres below ground level, looks filthy on top but I guess the water's drawn from below before being pumped through a hose; something about a dynamo but that means as much to me as subatomic particles.

Source is probably a stream or reservoir, I imagine a stream being cleaner and safer because of the flow, and many or all of the village houses depend on it which I'm not happy with because it seems any contamination could cause serious problems to all, esp if it's a reservoir.

Now, recently noticed pa playing with the pump, asked and was told sand or something got in and it's in trouble, but he seems to have fixed it. Interrogation then revealed there's a problem below, not sure what, but the pumped water is not as clean as before, or at least not clean enough for them to drink. I don't know if it's just them or also other houses.

So, is it better to leave things as is and hope they don't grow second heads, or install a filter and or a water tank, as we have in the rented place, with taps all over the place feeding from it?

Then, seems straightforward but would be nice to know in view of silent resistance each time I've mentioned it, how difficult or complicated it would be to convert the water supply from a pump and hose, as now, to proper taps that don't issue the stuff in a dribble (with/without a filter/tank)? And, out of total ignorance, what is it I don't understand about him shaking his head and walking off whenever I suggest laying pipes so they can water the furthest parts of the yard without having to hump the hose around?

Last question, should I do the dragon fruit bit and just bring someone in, or clear it with them first?

Great stuff, appreciate the comments.

Would agree with a 6" bore hole, will allow to get a decent submersible pump down if it ends up pretty deep. Don't like the idea of a 2 or 3" bore for an injection type surface pump. If end up going too deep, will need to start again with a larger bore.
Is there any other alternatives to an injection type pump and a submersible?

Back home in Oz we always divined for water, will give it a go before getting a contractor around. The thought of contractor doing the divining in my mind is akin to going to the local foretune teller with the missus.

Now the interesting bit. What sort of price per meter would you be expecting for a 6" bore to be drilled and sleeved?

Also can anyone suggest pump requirements, decent brands

How about 2 or 3 2,000 litre tanks and some raingutters? You can catch your rain and not have to worry about cadmium poisoning or any of the other things that industry regularly dumps in the open here.

How about I use 21 1400 liter Thai water jars all hooked togather with 1" plastic pipe and filled from my roof with 2" lines, one from each side of the house and that will last me for 6 months between monsoons with no rain.

you could use both!

one can be for sanitary and one for washing, then your combining the best of both!

or is this too easy a solution.............

Originally Posted by BugginOut

You can catch your rain and not have to worry about cadmium poisoning or any of the other things that industry regularly dumps in the open here.

Industry also pollutes the air which comes back down in the rain.
Well water from over 50 metres underground is about the best you are going to get.

Originally Posted by blackgang

How about I use 21 1400 liter Thai water jars all hooked togather with 1" plastic pipe and filled from my roof with 2" lines, one from each side of the house and that will last me for 6 months between monsoons with no rain.

Well, there you go. Do you filter that water before you use it or straight out of the jars?

Due to a few leaves getting thru the First Flush things I built to catch the dirt from the roof I did put in a sediment filter that I change every month or so because some dirt does get thru too and it would plug the strainers on the hot water heaters and on our whirlpool front loader, makes for nice sanitary water and never need to worry about evil smelling water from a shallow well and maybe getting some in your mouth and stinking cloths or coming out of the shower smelling worse than you went in..
late in the season before the rains start I shut off the lines of jars, pump the water into the other string and clean the bottoms of the jars of mud and crap, a sump pump with a 2 meter fixed discharge pipe and let it suck and vacume the crap off the bottoms of the jars and spill onto the slab, then go to the other line of jars, transfer the main part of water back and do the same to that string of jars and then open the valves and I am read for the rain to start.

Originally Posted by Bung

I used divining sticks at my place, it works! Found a spot where two underground streams converged, got water at 25m.

Pardon my scepsism, but how exactly do you know that "two undergroud streams converged"?

I would think in a tropical climate like Thailand, you would find water pretty much anywhere you drilled.

Originally Posted by Whiteshiva

I would think in a tropical climate like Thailand, you would find water pretty much anywhere you drilled.

it has nothing to do with tropics, just what the geology is

Skidley,I Have been looking at the same thing myself,and as far as I can tell,you ony have to pay if they find water.we have been quoted 15.000Bht but that is in Issan,so don,t know how much it would be where you are.also LoomB sent me a really good link,when I ask the question about whats the best way with hot water.if you have a look at that thread you will see all of the links that were sent to me.in one of the links there is a Solar powered Submersible pump,which is what I will be using.hope this helps