Get matched with top well and pump technicians in Continental Divide, NM

Both can deliver clean water to your taps, but well water and city water carry a few differences. City water is delivered and connected through a main water line, and it travels through a network of underground private and public pipes to service various buildings and structures once it’s been treated.

Well water is derived from dug or drilled wells that source groundwater from the water table. City water is often more expensive than well water, but it eliminates the need for you to test and treat your own well water.

Most well pump pressure switches have a factory setting of 30 to 50 PSI. There’s some flexibility with this if you’d like a lower or higher water pressure, but remember that it should sit 2 to 3 PSI above your well tank’s general pressure setting.

The inside of your pressure switch cover will usually indicate minimum and maximum settings—going below and above the numbers might damage your well pump.

If your well pump gets stuck in its casing, you may be able to free it loose by gently wiggling the line or by vibrations from tapping the line with a hammer. However, if your pump is stuck in a buildup of minerals around the casing, you’ll probably have to call in a well pump contractor to get it out. They’ll likely use a muriatic acid solution—a strong, corrosive acid—to break down the minerals and free the pump loose. 

To avoid a stuck pump in the future, experts recommend a professional well cleaning once every 10 years. 

Age is certainly a factor in well pump failure. The older your pump, the more likely it is to fail. 

Beyond age, other factors can cause your well pump to fail, too. Things like poor water quality can cause sediment buildup in your pump. Without proper cleaning, your pump can seize up and fail. Having a dry well for too long can also cause your pump to fail, as it keeps working even though there's no water for it to pull.