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bucklessyooper
10-23-2007, 07:01 PM
Is it legal to to drive a hand driven well for non drinking use in Michigan? :confused:



JackAm
10-23-2007, 08:33 PM
Why Non-drinking?

There are thousands of shallow wells in Michigan. Just have your water checked before drinking.

As far as legalities go..... I dunno! Ten years ago I put one in and there was no law against it. The twp did want to know how far down I had to go to get the water though.
bucklessyooper
10-23-2007, 10:51 PM
Why Non-drinking?.

I just assumed if it was for drinking you would have to have a well driller do it.
tdejong302
10-23-2007, 11:29 PM
Maybe illegal due to zoning, permits and or location. ie... if you live in a town and want to water your lawn with it. I would suggest contacting your local health dept. about your local standards and the township/city in reference to their codes.
CL-Lewiston
10-28-2007, 03:56 PM
Have been doing it for 100 years. Why make some rule for the well drillers?
snowman11
10-28-2007, 04:20 PM
Duh, to protect you from yourself. That's what the government does for us, protects us from ourself!
res
10-28-2007, 09:35 PM
It has been several years since I have dealt with the regs but I believe you can hand drive but the well must be deeper then 25' if you will use it for drinking water. (Gets you below the level of contaminated surface water) I also believe you are required to still grout the casing to be sure no surface water gets to the well point. If it is shallow well only not for drinking then just put it in. They may scream if the find it but I do know a lot of lawns and gardens get sprinkled this way!!!:lol: Rick
res
10-28-2007, 09:42 PM
It has been several years since I have dealt with the regs but I believe you can hand drive but the well must be deeper then 25' if you will use it for drinking water. (Gets you below the level of contaminated surface water) I also believe you are required to still grout the casing to be sure no surface water gets to the well point. If it is shallow well only not for drinking then just put it in. They may scream if the find it but I do know a lot of lawns and gardens get sprinkled this way!!!:lol: Rick
http://www.michigan.gov/deq/0,1607,7-135-3313_3675_3694-159891--,00.html

Check out this link for info. I am scanning but there is a bunch of info on the DEQ site. Hand driving is listed as a method in one of the PDF guidelines. Rick
jim84
10-29-2007, 04:53 PM
I think the pro well drillers have to go 25 feet or more. Theirs a lot of wells less than that in michigan.
Steve
10-29-2007, 05:10 PM
Does anyone know if you have a pre-existing hand driven well in an enclosed pit and you decide to build a new place on the existing property if one can get the water tested from the old well and ok'd for use as a water source?
jim84
10-29-2007, 10:53 PM
I think it's ok in some place may not be in others steve. as long as its deep enough and far enough from the septic system . check with health dept.
duckman#1
11-06-2007, 10:31 PM
Yeah, check with the health dept. Example:in Allegan new wells have to be at least 4" in dia(possibly 5") and be a min depth. and i just talked to the health dept in Reed city and they said a hand well would be ok if used for irregation ONLY (watering lawns) again theres a min dia and depth which you can't do by hand.
I've been thinking putting in a hand driven with the old fashion hand pump up at some vacant land i have. Have herd it could be alot of work, but I think next summer I might try it.
Paul Thompson
11-06-2007, 11:03 PM
We lived with a point, never drank through it, always bought water or took jugs to be filled at the store from a water machine. Anyway, the point would plug up every 5 or 6 years just from rust and crud, even on a stainless steel screen, they would plug over. Rust stains in the washer and sink/toilet were constant. If I used a point today, it would be for washing the car or a hand pump in a cabin for flush water.
TrekJeff
11-07-2007, 08:57 PM
It varies from county to county. What may be illegal in Oakland may be a common practice in Kalkaska County. So just check with your local health department.
Millersburger
11-08-2007, 08:53 AM
We once tried to hand drive a well, found it rather slow going and difficult.
Went out and rented a trash pump as we were close to water source
put together some pvc pipe approx 24 ft this was connected to the pump using hose to form a jet. Put the assembled well tip and pipe next to the jet
ran the pump.... in about 2 minutes we were down 24 feet.... we just pulled up the pvc while the pump was still running..... stay away from any septic tank/field .....