Why do I keep running out of water?
There are several reasons that nothing comes out of the tap when you turn it on. Our customers often ask if the drought is making their well go dry. While long periods of drought can decrease water availability over time it is only one of several factors to consider. In this article we’ll explore several of those reasons and some of the potential solutions to running out of water. If you’d like to understand if a storage tank will help resolve your water problem check out this article!
1) The most common reason for lack of water is equipment failure. A component in your well pump, tank fill system or pressure booster pump has failed and the equipment is not capable of delivering sufficient water. Something simple as an insect in an automatic switch, a leak in a pipe, problem with a circuit breaker or mineral deposits in your pressure switch port can make it seem like you are “running out of water” or have a “dry well.” Proper troubleshooting and repair can frequently restore and ensure consistent water flow and availability. Oakville Pump Service has technicians that can effectively troubleshoot these problems and effect repairs quickly to restore your water. Call (707)944-2471 today if we can help!
2) Water demands change over time as a property develops. Many properties start with a small house and limited landscaping/gardening. As time progresses, landscaping is added, gardens & water features are put in, the house is remodeled/expanded and granny units constructed. Each of these additions place larger and larger demands on the water system while the well or well equipment that supplies water has not changed. The solution for this involves reviewing how much water is available from the well/aquifer, and the water demands. Once this information has been gathered a decision can be made about wether a water management strategy, well pump replacement or storage tank installation is the best solution. Often the solution involves several components to resolve water availability issues.. Please see our article “Will a storage tank solve my water problem?” to help you get more in depth information on this topic.
3) Age of system: Water systems include components such as pipes, pumps, tanks, landscaping valves, sprinklers and emitters, each with the potential to age/degrade. Degradation leads to leaks in the piping, sprinkler malfunction & landscaping valves leaking. A well pump will often reduce output as it ages. Old wells that have metal pipe going down to the well pump often have holes in the metal pipe caused by corrosion! Wells frequently show signs of age by, you guessed it, decreasing output. This decreased output is often because the well casing and the gravel/sands surrounding the well casing become plugged with mineral deposits over the years. When you combined the possibility for increased leakage from rusted pipes, worn pumps with decreased output, and decreased production from mineral choked wells, the combined result is often water shortage. Oakville Pump Service can help diagnose potential equipment failure and clean wells to help restore productivity! Call us today at (707)944-2471 if you suspect your well could be performing better.
4) Landscaping Contractor: Many of our customers utilize a landscaping service to ensure that their landscaping needs are properly care for. In order to keep their customers happy, many landscapers simply boost the watering times significantly to ensure the lawn & shrubs stay green and the roses are blooming. To ensure your landscaper isn’t overwatering and knows what they’re doing, here is a check list to work through with your landscaper:
How many gallons per minute does each of my landscaping zones flow?
What are the watering times for each of the zones?
How much water does my landscaping use every day?
Do you know how much water is available from my well?
How much water do my grass, roses, shrubs actually NEED?
If your landscaper can answer these questions intelligently and in a reasonable amount of time (a day or two), great! You have a qualified and competent landscaper. If your landscaper doesn’t understand the questions, doesn’t have answers and doesn’t get back to you, it is likely large amounts of water are being wasted on overwatering and it may be time for you to find a landscaper that has an in-depth knowledge of his trade.
Oakville Pump Service has helped many of our valued customers successfully manage their available water resources. Please contact us at (707)944-2471 if you need help implementing a solution to your water shortage.