Introduction to Water Well Drilling Cost in Arizona
Water wells are an ancient technology that still play an important part in the lives of many in the modern world. Roughly 13% or 42 million people use a household well in the United States every day. With that many Americans using wells, the well-drilling industry has grown to meet the demand.
If you need a well, we can help you to make some decisions. We’re going to take you through some ways to decide if you need a well, as well as some information about how they’re drilled and serviced, and also how much they cost.
Please bear in mind that this is a very general guide, and not necessarily representative of the well-drilling companies around you. We’ll give you some more guidance later on how to decide on who to trust to drill your well. This should give you a good idea of the overall water well drilling cost in Arizona.
How to Decide You Need a Well
Many Americans live with challenges when it comes to water availability. In many areas, lack of groundwater and lack of rainfall have contributed to creative solutions for water. Most of the cities in the South-West have access to water through municipal water treatment. However, if you live outside of the city limits, your options become much more limited.
That’s why many ranches and off-grid homes choose wells as the source of their water. When done correctly, wells can be a perfectly serviceable source of drinking water.
Many homes in areas without regular water sources turn to water tankers, including deliveries. This is absolutely an acceptable choice for water, with a few caveats. Firstly, the cost may become prohibitive over time. Also, it puts a significant strain on the water delivery as, without it, a home could very quickly run out of water.
How are wells drilled?
To understand how much a well should cost to be drilled, we will start by running through some of the terms and technology associated with the drilling. This will give you an overall view of how the industry works and will empower you to communicate with the company you eventually choose for this work.
There are three main types of wells. Dug wells are exactly what they sound like, wells that are dug out by a backhoe. These are shallow and very wide. They’re often used in areas where the water table is accessible close to the surface. These types of wells aren’t very common in Arizona as the water levels and soil makes this method inefficient.
Driven wells are made by forcing pipes into the ground. These are also more common in areas with water near the surface, as these types of wells usually don’t run deeper than 50 feet.
Drilled wells are made using drilling machines. They drill a hole into the ground and encase the hole with a tube-shaped structure. These wells can run thousands of feet deep and can be created on most types of soil. That’s why these are the most common type of well found in Arizona by a wide margin.
These drilled wells are created using specialized drilling techniques and machinery, making them one of the more expensive types of well. However, most Arizona residents won’t have access to another type of well.
Now that you understand some of the industry lingo, you can begin to understand what the water well drilling cost in Arizona is, and how it’s derived.
Water Well Drilling Cost Arizona
Depth
This is one of the main factors when looking at well-drilling. In Arizona, we’ve seen prices from $20-$44 per foot, just for the drilling. Some of the factors that could affect the price include the type of soil, ease of access for the drilling equipment, and diameter of the well. Since people have different needs, different wells would be appropriate, depending on the potential usage. Someone using a well for agricultural purposes would likely need a wider diameter pipe than a small family just using a well for drinking water. Bear in mind that your well needs to be drilled until it hits sufficient water levels. The level at which depends entirely on the water table in your area. This is often the main factor when looking at the water well drilling cost in Arizona.
Location
Each state has an average well-drilling cost. Arizona has a fairly high average cost, partially due to the climate. The locations of your actual home and well site are also very important, as places that are more out of the way are more likely to cost a bit more.
Length of Travel
One factor that is often overlooked is the length of travel for the water. If you’re drilling very close to your home, it will be much cheaper than drilling farther away and pumping the water into your home.
Testing and Permits
One of the first things you want to is to test your water. Arizona has the potential for groundwater contamination, so you want to make sure your water is acceptable for your purposes. This can cost anywhere from 50-500 dollars depending on the types of testing that are necessary. Make sure you ask your drilling contractor about this. \
Equipment
This refers to the ancillary equipment that is associate with your well. Most wells require a pump. Have you budgeted for a pump? They can cost anywhere from $500 to $2000 depending on the type of pump and the required use. Again, you should make sure you understand the pump cost if your drilling contractor is installing one.
Choosing the Right Contractor
This is arguably the most challenging and important part of getting a well. You need to find a trustworthy, safe contractor who understands your needs and can give you a solution that ends with you getting access to the water you need.
Start by looking at the reviews. They can be manipulated, but they’re often a good barometer of what type of company you’re looking at. If you live in a reasonably developed area, consider reaching out to your neighbours. They can tell you who did the drilling and the approximate depth at which water was found. Make sure you ask them how their experience with the contractor went.
Consider reaching out to friends and family who have had experience with drilling contractors, as they will most likely have your best interests at heart and can help you find the right match.
Once you’ve got your water running the way you want, if you’re looking for other residential water services, like water softening, check out American Home Water & Air. They have a unique appreciation of Arizona’s hard water issues and can help direct you to the available solutions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost of drilling a water well in Arizona?
The price can vary a lot, based on some of the factors we’ve listed, but the overall cost is likely somewhere in the range of $27 – $58 per foot. You also need to be sure you understand all the costs, including pumps, pluming the water into your home, and powering the pump.
Why are wells in Arizona so expensive?
Compared to the national average, wells in Arizona are on the higher end of the scale. This is due to several factors, but the main ones are the hard, challenging soil that contractors have to drill through, and the State regulations and guidelines that have to be followed. Arizona doesn’t have enough water for drills to be unregulated, so there are additional costs and challenges associated with drilling in Arizona.
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