Should wellheads be above or below the ground surface? Posted:
June 2, 2010 Many private well owners in Pennsylvania have
wellheads that are buried below the surface of the ground. This
may be appealing to homeowners that don’t like looking at a pipe
sticking up in the middle of their yard, but research studies
have demonstrated a clear benefit to having an extended
wellhead. What problems can a buried well cause? Wells that are
buried below the ground can have numerous disadvantages to wells
that are extended above the ground surface. The most obvious
disadvantage is that the well is not easily accessible by the
well driller in the event that it needs to be serviced. Often
the homeowner is unaware of the wells exact location
underground, which can lead to added expense if the driller
needs to do some investigating. Wells buried below the ground
surface are also more susceptible to bacterial contamination.
Research studies conducted at Penn State University have found
that wells buried in pits are more likely