So, you have a sand problem?  You have options:

  • The easiest way to solve the problem is to put an inline filter before entry to your house. The inline filter must be changed often, which can be costly, and you are still running all the sand through your pump, which will eventually destroy the pump.
  • The best way to fix the problem is to install a screen in your old well or to replace the well and install an in-well sand screen. An in-well sand screen is installed in the well during construction.

What is an in-well sand screen?

In-well sand screens are made out of various materials, but the best screens available now are the V-Wire stainless steel screens. These screens are a V-Wire wrapped around a cage, with an opening slot tapered so the opening gets larger towards the inside of the screen. This means that they don't have a flat surface to pack off and plug up. They also allow the highest flow rates of any of the other options.

The well driller sizes the screen’s slot width to the formation sand. Finer sand will have a tighter slot width; gravel will have a wider slot. During development, fine sand will pass through the screen leaving the coarse sand to pack (gravel pack) around the screen which filters out the remaining fine sand.

Wells that are properly drilled and have a properly sized stainless screen installed are the most trouble-free water source available and will last many years.

If you would like more information or you have a well question, feel free to contact us today.