It's not unexpected if you're thinking of putting a private well on your property given the growing expense of water bills and the uncertainty surrounding the treatment of the local drinking water.

There is no doubting the long-term financial benefits of establishing a full well water system. So how much does a private well cost up front?

We've covered all you need to know about the typical cost of well drilling in this guide, including the pricing of various well types and the variables influencing well drilling costs.

Cost of Well Components

The price of each component that makes up the well system determines the overall average cost of establishing a new well.

Well Casing

In order to sustain the well's walls and keep dirt and debris from contaminating the water, well casing is crucial. Depending on the soil's characteristics, 25 feet of casing for a typical well might cost anywhere between $250 and $2,500.

Three styles of well casing are frequently used:

Stainless Steel Pipe Casing (most robust and long-lasting casing): $120

Galvanized Steel Pipe Casing (reasonably robust and lasting): ranging from $30 to $55

PVC Pipe Casing (softer and less stiff): $6

Well Pump

A well pump typically costs between $500 and $2,000. The cost of a well pump depends on a number of factors, including: whether it is for a shallow or deep well; the pump's output, whether it is submersible, and how much of a drop there is from the storage tank to the well.

Well Storage Tank

Before being distributed throughout your home, well water is stored in a pressurised atmosphere in a well storage tank, also known as a water tank or pressure tank. A pressure tank minimizes the frequency with which the pump turns on and off while giving you an immediate supply of water.

Costs for well water storage tanks typically range from $100 to $700. The size of the well storage tank has a significant impact on its price. A huge 44-gallon tank can cost $800 or more, compared to a tiny 2-gallon tank that might cost less than $100.

Well Seals and Caps

A well seal or lid can be purchased for $20 to $40. To stop impurities from entering the well at ground level, a seal or a cover is required.

The water and electricity lines in a sealed well pass via a gasket. The water and electrical cables are set up underground in capped wells.

Cost Per Foot to Drill a Well

For the sole purpose of drilling a well, the typical cost per foot ranges from $12 to $25. Its price is determined by the kind of well and the local market rates. The total price per foot ranges from $25 to $65 and includes the price of the well system itself.

Residential Wells

A residential well may be drilled for $25 to $65 per foot. Depending on the size, depth, and location of the well, this equates to a total cost between $3,500 and $15,000. This price includes drilling costs as well as all well-related costs, such as casing, a pump, first water quality tests, a permit, and wiring.

Shallow Wells

Shallow wells cost between $1,800 to 3,000 for the whole well, or $15 to $60 per foot. The typical diameter and depth of shallow wells are 3 to 10 feet and 25 to 50 feet, respectively.

Although shallow wells are less expensive than deep wells, they are not the most sustainable investment since they are susceptible to contamination and have inconsistent yields.

Geothermal Wells

A geothermal well may be drilled for $10 to $40 per foot. A geothermal well is generally 4 to 8 inches broad and 100 to 500 feet deep. An whole geothermal well will cost between $3,500 and $5,000, including the drilling and the parts.

A vertical geothermal heat pump typically costs between $20,000 and $35,000. This expense covers the price of the drilling materials as well as the cost of moving the drilling equipment to the drilling location.

Geothermal wells employ a drill rig to move heat from and to a building in order to heat and cool the building.

Sand Point Wells

A sand point well typically costs between $500 and $3,000 to drill. Wells at Sand Point are 1 to 2 inches in diameter and 20 feet deep. These wells include choices for a hand pump and a jet pump and extract water from sand that contains water.

A sand point well is the safest and simplest well to DIY install if you intend to do it yourself. Unfortunately, sand point wells only function with a shallow water table and seldom give continuous water availability or endure for very long (average depth below 25 feet).

Irrigation Wells

Only the drilling of an irrigation or agricultural well costs between $25 and $50 per foot. A complete installation costs between $85 and $110 per foot, including the components.

A domestic irrigation well typically costs between $10,000 and $15,000. Drilling a high-yield commercial agricultural well costs between $50,000 and $75,000, not counting the water pump.

Artesian Wells

Costs for artesian wells range from $30 to $85 per foot. The entire cost for this kind of well is $5,000 to $15,000, which includes the cost of casing as well as drilling to an average depth of 150–450 feet in order to locate an aquifer.

Compared to other types of wells, artesian wells require less maintenance and cost less to run. As aquifers are highly pressured areas, water enters the well system naturally without the use of energy or a water pump.