You sink your own water well in the garden by driving or jetting a well point filter (a steel pipe with a screen) into the ground until you reach the water-bearing sand layer, usually at 5 to 9 metres deep. After that you fit a pump to draw up groundwater for your garden. Doing it yourself costs roughly 100 to 300 euros in materials and works well on sandy soil. On clay or peat it is difficult to impossible. Two things are often forgotten: in most cases you have to notify the water authority of the abstraction (through the relevant permitting portal, usually a couple of weeks in advance), and well water is not drinking water. In this article you will read exactly how to go about it, which pump suits which depth, and what to watch out for with the law and water quality.
Why your own well? And when does it pay off?
Your own well gives you free water for the garden: sprinkling, the vegetable patch, filling the pond. Especially in dry summers, when there is sometimes a hosepipe ban on mains water, that is attractive. You save on your water bill and you are not tapping the expensive, treated drinking water network for something that does not need it at all.
But be honest about the payback time. A simple well with a hand pump pays for itself in a few years if you sprinkle a lot. Go for a neat system with an electric pump and it takes longer. It is mainly worthwhile if you have a sizeable garden or vegetable patch, or if you simply like being self-reliant.
Can you do it where you live? Soil type and groundwater level
Before you put a spade in the ground, there are two questions that decide whether this will work at all. This is exactly where many sales pages are too rosy.
What kind of soil do you have? On sandy soil, sinking or jetting a well yourself is very doable. On clay or peat it becomes a different story: you often cannot get a well point filter through a dense clay layer by hand, and then you have to drill. Not sure what lies under your garden? Neighbours with a well are your best source of information, and the soil map from your regional geological survey also gives an indication.
How high does the groundwater stand? That varies enormously, not only by region but even by street and by plot. If the groundwater is high (within about 2 metres below the surface), then a shallow well of a few metres is already enough. If it sits deep, it gets harder and you need different equipment (see the pump section below).
The three methods for sinking a well
There are three ways to get your filter to depth. Which one fits depends on your soil and your tools.
1. Driving (sinking)
The classic method. You drive a galvanised steel well point filter (a solid point with a screen above it) into the ground with a striking or driving head. As it sinks deeper, you screw extension pipes on top. Works well in relatively loose, stone-free sand. If a stone or a hard layer is in the way, that is the end of it.
2. Jetting (well jetting)
The cleanest and often easiest method on sand. You first bore down to the sand layer by hand, and then jet deeper with a jetting lance under water pressure. The washed-out sand comes up alongside the pipe. As soon as the lance is at depth, you quickly pull it out and put the filter pipe in. Important: for this you mainly need a lot of water (volume), not so much high pressure, and you do it best with two people. One jets, the other operates the pump or the water tank.
3. Drilling
With an auger (a bucket auger) you bore down to the sand layer by hand. For deeper or more difficult ground, you hire an expert with a percussion drilling rig. Machine drilling easily reaches 30 metres, but you rarely need that for a garden well.
How deep can you get yourself?
Realistically: on your own you drive or jet a “shallow” well down to about 7 metres. With a favourable groundwater level, a filter pipe down to 6 metres is often already enough, and sometimes you find enough water from 6 metres already.
If you have a professional do it, they typically go to 8 or 12 metres, which is almost always ample for a garden. Deeper than that is rarely needed for garden water.
| Do it yourself | Have it done | |
|---|---|---|
| Achievable depth | Up to approx. 7 metres | Usually 8–12 metres |
| Suitable soil | Mainly sand | Also clay/peat (drilling/percussion) |
| Material/costs | €100–300 (indicative) | Ready-made 7 m from ~€420, +€50 per extra metre |
| Time | Half a day, with two people | Often within a day |
The DIY material price is an estimate: exact prices depend on diameter, pipe length and whether you hire or buy the tools.
Which pump? The law of physics you need to know
This is perhaps the most important part, and exactly what most garden articles get muddled. The depth of your well determines not only whether you find water, but also which pump you can use at all.
A pump that stands above ground (a pitcher pump, a booster set or an irrigation pump) has to suck the water up. And suction has a hard physical limit. In theory the maximum suction height is about 10.33 metres (that is atmospheric pressure at sea level). But in practice an above-ground pump never manages more than 7 to 8 metres because of pipe losses and friction.
The consequence:
- Is the water level within about 7 metres? Then an above-ground pump can handle it. A manual pitcher pump draws water up to about 7 metres (cheapest, on average around €100). If you want to sprinkle automatically, you choose an electric booster set or irrigation pump (from about €179, quiet and energy-efficient models run up to €700 or more).
- Does the water sit deeper than about 8 metres? Then above-ground suction is physically impossible. You then need a borehole pump (submersible pump) that hangs down in the well and pushes the water up rather than sucking it.
So choose your depth and water level first, and only then your pump. Do it the other way round and you get stuck.
What does your own well cost?
Everything at a glance, because here too most sites are vague (they mainly show their own service price).
| Component | Guide price |
|---|---|
| Sinking yourself (well point + pipes, materials) | €100 – €300 (indicative) |
| Having it sunk, ready-made 7 m incl. 63 mm pipe | from ~€420 (+€50 per extra metre) |
| Well point filter installed, without pump | roughly €500 – €700 incl. VAT |
| Drilling to approx. 25 m (deeper/harder) | €800 – €2,500 |
| Manual pitcher pump | ~€100 |
| Booster set / irrigation pump | €179 – €700+ |
A complete DIY system (well + simple pump) is achievable in a favourable case at around €1,000 to €1,100. Have it all done with a decent pump and it naturally goes up.
Important: notifying the water authority
This is the part that almost all garden articles skip, and it can cost you a fine. Groundwater is a protected resource, and the authorities want to know who is tapping it.
The core: in almost all cases you have to notify a groundwater abstraction to your water authority, even if you do not need a permit. You make that notification through the relevant permitting portal, and the advice is to do it at least about two weeks before you sink the well.
Permit or just notification? That depends on how much water you abstract, and the limits differ by authority. As a rule of thumb: for an ordinary garden well that you sprinkle with now and then, a notification is almost always enough and you do not need a permit. Larger abstractions (think commercial quantities) do need a permit. Always check the exact thresholds with your own water authority, because they are not the same everywhere.
Two more things that go with it:
- Utility search before you dig. If you dig or drill mechanically, do a utility location check first so you do not hit any cables or pipes.
- Prohibited and restricted zones. In groundwater protection areas, drilling-free zones and around drinking water extraction, it is often not allowed or only under conditions. In coastal regions there is also a risk of salinisation (water that is too salty). And during a drought a temporary abstraction ban may apply, even to your own groundwater.
Just fifteen minutes on your water authority’s website prevents trouble afterwards. Do it.
Water quality: well water is not drinking water
Another point that gets too little attention. Well water is fine for the garden, but do not put it on the table.
Not drinking water. Groundwater from a shallow well can contain bacteria and contaminants, certainly under 6 metres. It is not treated and not monitored like mains water. Legally you also may not give it to others as drinking water. Use it for sprinkling, the vegetable patch (carefully, not over edible leaves just before harvest) and filling the pond.
Iron and salt. Groundwater often contains iron, and sometimes salt. Too much iron gives a brown discolouration: stains on your paving, your façade, your fence and your car’s paintwork. So better not sprinkle right along a light-coloured façade. In coastal areas the water can be too salty for sensitive plants.
If you still want to use it for something where quality matters, then have a water sample tested. For plain sprinkling that is not necessary.
Maintenance: prevent your well from silting up
Over time a well can give less water or “silt up”. The screen of the well point filter clogs with fine soil particles and iron deposits. A few things help:
- Choose the right filter diameter for your soil. Very fine sand calls for a finer screen, but that silts up faster; a professional or supplier can advise.
- Pump through firmly on a regular basis. A well that stands idle silts up faster than one that is used firmly now and then.
- Backflush the well when the yield drops: briefly flushing through with plenty of volume can clear the screen again.
- If the yield stays low, the water-bearing layer may be locally exhausted (certainly in a dry summer) or the filter is simply sitting wrong. Sometimes a fresh, slightly deeper attempt is the solution.
Common mistakes
- Starting without notifying. The notification rule with the water authority is forgotten on a massive scale. Sort it out in advance.
- Using well water as drinking water. Not treated, not monitored. For the garden only.
- Buying the wrong pump. Water deeper than 8 metres and still ordering a suction pump: it will not get a single drop up. Measure your water level first.
- Wanting to sink it yourself on clay or peat. Good chance you get stuck. On sand it works, on clay you often have to drill.
- Not doing a utility search before digging. One wrong blow and you are in a cable.
- Sprinkling iron-rich water along a light-coloured façade. Brown stains that never come out again.
Frequently asked questions
Am I allowed to just sink a water well in my garden?
Usually yes, but not without notifying it. You almost always have to notify a groundwater abstraction to your water authority, at least about two weeks in advance, even if you do not need a permit. In groundwater protection areas or drilling-free zones it may be prohibited. So always check the rules of your own water authority.
How deep do I have to sink a well?
Usually until you reach the water-bearing sand layer, roughly 5 to 9 metres. On your own, driving or jetting, you realistically get to about 7 metres. Exactly how high the groundwater stands differs per plot; if it stands high, a few metres is already enough. Neighbours with a well and the soil map for your region give a good indication.
Is well water drinkable?
No. Well water is not treated and not monitored, and can contain bacteria, iron and sometimes salt. It is suitable for the garden, the vegetable patch and the pond, not for consumption. Legally you also may not give it to others as drinking water. If you want certainty about the quality, have a water sample tested.
Which pump do I need for my well?
That depends on how deep the water stands. Up to about 7 metres an above-ground pump works: a manual pitcher pump (cheapest) or an electric booster set/irrigation pump for automatic sprinkling. If the water level is deeper than about 8 metres, an above-ground pump can no longer physically suck and you need a borehole pump (submersible pump) that hangs down in the well.
What does it cost to sink a well yourself?
Sinking it yourself costs roughly €100 to €300 in materials (well point filter and pipes), plus a pump from about €100 for a pitcher pump. A complete DIY system is achievable in a favourable case at around €1,000. If you have a well sunk ready-made, that starts at around €420 for 7 metres, with about €50 per extra metre, excluding the pump.
Can I sink a well on clay soil?
Tricky. You often cannot get a well point filter through a dense clay layer by hand, and then sinking or jetting yourself does not work well. On sandy soil it works fine. If there is clay or peat under your garden, machine drilling (percussion drilling) by a professional is usually the only option.
How do I prevent my well from silting up?
Choose the right filter diameter for your soil type, use the well regularly (an idle well silts up faster) and briefly backflush the well with plenty of volume when the yield drops. That clears the screen, which fills up with fine sand and iron deposits, again.
Get started in the garden yourself
Your own water well is one of the finest ways to supply your garden with water for free and independently. Choose the right method for your soil type, measure your water level before you buy a pump, and arrange the notification with the water authority in advance. Then you have free garden water for years, even when the tap gets shut off in summer.
Want more garden projects with a clear step-by-step approach and precise measurements? At Fred’s DIY Plans you will find worked-out build plans for your garden, so you can get started without guesswork.
Happy building.
Fred