When you open a tap in your home, you expect water to come out immediately. If you are on well water and it seems that the water is just a trickle or that there is no water at all, one of the following issues could be the problem.

1. Equipment Malfunction

A water well depends on several components other than the pump in order to move water into your home. The most likely points of failure are in the electrical system or within the valves. Fortunately, electrical systems within the well's control box are usually a straight forward repair, and valves can be tested and any that are stuck in a shut position can be replaced.

Other types of equipment failure include the water delivery lines and pressure switches along them. A burst line can prevent water from making it all the way to your home, but a well service can locate and repair the leak. Failed pressure switches means that not enough pressure is in the water to move it through the line, so the switch will need to be replaced.

2. Pump Failure

If there is no noise coming from your well when you leave the taps open for some time, then the well pump has likely failed. The failure could be mechanical, such as a worn out pump motor. In this case, the pump will usually need to be replaced.

Clogs are also a common cause of pump failure, and these can sometimes be repaired. Sediment and mineralization can build up in a pump, particularly if you have hard water. Cleaning out the mineralization solves the issue. Pumps that sit too low in a well are also prone to clogs, particularly in summer when the well's water level tends to be lower and the pump is exposed to more of the sediment at the bottom of the well. Cleaning out the sediment and then raising the pump slightly may solve the issue.

3. Groundwater Depletion

How quickly your well recharges, or refills with ground water, can have a major affect on your water supply. If taps seem to work in the morning but you lose water by evening, you are using the water more quickly than your well can refill. You may need to have the well dug deeper.

If your well seems to completely dry up in summer, then drought could be the cause. A deeper well may be necessary, or you may need to move the well to a location with a more dependable year-round water source.

If your well isn't delivering water to your home or if the amount of water is greatly reduced, contact a well repair service as soon as possible so that the cause can be found and addressed.