• Drilling a well can sometimes be the only affordable way to get water to very rural homes. This process has been practiced for thousands of years and provides clean and affordable water to homeowners for years if properly managed. A number of steps are required to drill a quality well for the home.
  
  

Safety First

• Before beginning, make sure to include all of the proper safety equipment for all workers including gloves, eye protection such as goggles or glasses, protective masks and any other incidental protective equipment you may need to complete the job safely.
  
  

Check the Water

• To get the most out of your well, have a professional check the ground water for pests or other contamination. This contamination can include coliform bacteria, mildew or other microbial pests or it can come in the form of man-made contaminants such as pesticides, herbicides, fertilizer or oil. Even if the well is being drilled miles from any farms or industrial areas, contamination of the water table is possible.
  
  

Maintain the Water

• Once the water has been given a clean bill of health, the next step is to keep the water clean after building the well. Keep water clean by building the well wall casing at least one foot from the ground. This ensures that buildup does not spill over into the well water with possible contaminants. Also, cap the well and cover it completely while not in use. This ensures that spores, feces or wild life do not contaminate the well.
  
  

Materials

• The materials used to build a well vary greatly according to the type of well being built. For steel pipes that are part of a pump and spigot design, the pipe must be thick enough to handle the water pressure while still maintaining against the elements. An 8-inch wide steel pipe, for example, should be at least .322 inches thick according to the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality. A plastic pipe system must be approved by your state's appropriate department before building can begin.
  
  

Setting

• If building a traditional brick well, time must be afforded for brick and mortar to dry before removing the temporary piping system. This system is a framework that not only helps a well hold its shape during construction, but also helps avoid contamination of the well water by tools and materials used during construction.