Well Water

I would like any information of the advantage or
disadvantage of replacing the public utility water
with a well to supply our irrigation system.

Yes, there would be an advantage. But the will the cost of the well, hookup, and maintenance - be worth it?

Is there any way you can determine the actual cost of your irrigation water, with a meter?

Frank - I'm not sure that you're going to find your answer here, but I can tell you that this is a very common practice in the south where the water table is so high. In coastal North Carolina (Wilmington), the soil is very porous, and more or less a swamp, so you don't have to go down very far to establish a well. If you lived in an area where you knew that you will have to drill deep, it may not be cost effective. They have tightened up on the codes in Wilmington, but it's still worth it. If you the least bit handy, this is not a difficult task. Check out your local codes and a local expert.

A "shallow well" here means that there is 25' or less between the well point and the pump. You will likely need a residential well permit, so contact your local Health Department for permit and inspection requirements. (A well cannot be closer than 100' to any part of a septic system, for instance, and also cannot be connected to a public water supply.)

I see another reference comment to "Perk Test", but we're not putting in a septic tank and drain field, so it would seem that the Perk test doesn't apply here.

LOL - Thanks Mary.