The Abyssinian or Assyrian well is simple in design. It will easily provide clean water to a small house. A sealed pipe is used to lift the liquid, due to this the risk of penetration of wastewater and microorganisms is minimized. There is no excess mineralization, since the depth of the shaft is not too large. Creating such a well is easy with your own hands.
Operational Features
Wells of this type are 2.5–5 cm wide and extend to a depth of 10–15 m into the aquifer of the earth. A metal pipe with a filter at the end is placed in this hole. To pump out water, a manual or electric pump is used with a capacity that should be sufficient for water intake from a depth of 15 m. When water is taken, a vacuum is created in the well and fresh fluid flows into the pumped-out place.
If the filter element is clogged, the pipe can be purged with water. If there is no result, you can try changing the filter part of the tip.
The Abyssinian well will serve well and for a long time if used regularly. If seasonal use is expected, the installation must be mothballed for the winter. Empty it to avoid freezing and cover the pressure head with waterproof material from snow and melt water. In the spring it is necessary to make pumping, just as before the initial launch of the water intake structure.
Advantages and disadvantages
The advantages of the installation include:
- simplicity of design, which contributes to the construction of a well in a short time;
- the ability to supply water to a nearby building;
- small dimensions of the installation, which allow you to hide it from prying eyes in the basement or other utility room;
- profitability in the costs of installation and maintenance of the structure.
The pluses include high efficiency: the device is capable of pumping liquid in unlimited volumes. But this indicator depends on the size of the aquifer and the power of the pumping equipment used. The larger the water core and the more powerful the unit, the greater the productivity. Duration of service with proper operation reaches half a century.
The downside is that the creation of a well is possible only in the area where the depth of the aquifer does not exceed ten meters. In another case, the installed pump will not cope with the rise of water to the surface.
It is necessary to regularly check the filter so that it does not silt, otherwise the water intake will be ineffective.
User reviews of the Abyssinian water well are mostly positive. Owners of installations note the possibility of self-creation of a well in a short time, low equipment costs and the inability to penetrate into the well of groundwater. Negative reviews that are associated with a small flow rate of water or a high speed of siltation, as a rule, are left by those who made mistakes in the construction of the water intake structure.
Choosing the right site
To equip a well, first of all, it is necessary to determine the place of its installation. The following points are taken into account:
- The depth at which water layers occur. Only the first layer will be used, the location of which is not more than ten meters from the surface of the earth. You can find out the depth of aquifers by measuring the distance from the earth to the water surface in a neighboring well. It should not exceed 7 meters.
- Useful properties of water. The site should be located as far as possible from sewer wells or cesspools, as well as farmland.The minimum distance is 10 meters. Water intake is carried out from the upper layers, into which the chemical and bacterial wastes get the most. In order not to pump out contaminated water, you need to take samples and make an analysis in the laboratory.
- The volume of water in the passing layer. An indicator can only be determined by research conducted by specialized organizations.
You can not drill a well on the slopes of ravines, steep hills and cliffs. The type of soil should be taken into account. Well, if the composition is dominated by sand and clay. In hard rocky soil to establish the design is almost impossible.
Drilling technology
There are three ways to equip a driven well:
- Punching Earth with a barbell. In this embodiment, a small diameter rod is used, which is made of a high-strength metal alloy. This rod inflicts strong blows on the shank of the filter element until it reaches the first water layer.
- The use of "grandmother". By design and principle of operation, this option is similar to the first method. But instead of a percussion instrument, a weight with a hole is used. When driving, constantly add water to the pipe.
- Auger drilling. A manual modified drill is used for it. This is the most convenient, non-hazardous and effective way to create a well. But the height of the hand drill does not even reach the horizon of the tip, therefore, after a 1.5 m deepening, the rod is extended by the next section.
When performing work, maximum care must be taken, because if the tip stumbles upon a stone during drilling, the entire structure will collapse.
You can’t simplify your task by using a power tool. The reason for this is the large mass of the lowered pipe string. The puncher and chipper will simply bounce off the structure.
Steps for creating a well
To build a well device, you will need a piece of stainless steel pipe with a spear-shaped tip - a “needle”, polypropylene elements to create an external water supply, a filter screen, a hand pump or surface-mounted pumping equipment with an electric motor. Of the tools you need a device for drilling and driving, its type depends on the selected type of installation.
A needle tip can be purchased already complete with a filter at a price of 2400 rubles or make a filter device yourself. For this purpose, an inch pipe is required a little longer than a meter. A cone-shaped tip is welded to it. On the walls of the pipe segment, cuts are made about 2.5 cm long, in increments of no more than 2 cm.
The prepared filter is tied with a thin wire and a metal mesh is attached by soldering. Subsequently, it is increased by pipe segments.
If you are worried that you will not find the right elements, you can purchase a complete set for the well with a filter needle, couplings, pipes and a damper. The price tag starts at 4,700 rubles.
Creating a water intake structure is carried out in four stages:
- Cleansing the surface of the soil from vegetation. To do this, you need to use a shovel to remove the topsoil.
- Digging a hole 30 cm deep and 50–70 cm wide.
- Installation of the first pipe with a pointed end.
- Its immersion in the ground by means of a bar, "grandmother" or a sledgehammer. As the pipe deepens, it builds up.
When a meter level of liquid in the pipe is reached, operation stops. When using a drill, a hole is first drilled in the ground, then a pipe with a pointed end is inserted and driven into the soil by half a meter.
A manual air pump-column is connected to the upper end of the pipe segment or pumping equipment with a non-return valve is connected. In the final, the well is pumped until clean water arrives.
To make the pipe easily enter the ground, take breaks every hour, during which feed the hole with water. Under the influence of liquid, the earth softens, the drilling process is faster and easier.
Those who cannot or do not want to do earthwork on their own can turn to specialists. Prices for professional drilling of Abyssinian wells start at 15,000 rubles.
To prevent the entry of groundwater into the well, it is necessary to equip the surface part of the pipe outlet. The area around is poured with concrete to a height of 8-10 cm above the soil level. You can put a reinforced concrete ring in the ground, install equipment in it and cover the well with a lid.
Abyssinian well is perfect for a small private house or cottage. The cost of its installation is much lower than that of other water intake structures, and the performance is no worse.
