Well Location

Submitted by fkirwan82 t3_10vbvd1 in vermont

Good Afternoon,

Does anyone here have any resources for locating a well on a property? Online maps, anything like that? I have a family member who has owned a home in central Vermont for about 25 years. The home is very old and the family member is having cognitive issues so I am trying to help them out. I’ve already used a local well company and they haven’t had luck locating the well head as it may be below grade. I was just hoping that maybe there was somewhere I could get my hands on a map with the wells location on it. Unfortunately the person I’m helping has lost any information that could help in this. Thank you for any help you can offer. I appreciate it.

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BackgroundCat t1_j7gj8cp wrote

Wells are a mapped layer in the Vermont GIS database. If you’re lucky, it was mapped and will show up. If this isn’t something you’re familiar with, I can see if I can find a link to get you closer.

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Nauticalknots t1_j7gn5vh wrote

It might be there. They can also be plotted 1000 feet off on the ANR database any day of the week.. so take it with a grain of salt.

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fkirwan82 OP t1_j7gzwlq wrote

Thank you. I have been searching through there hoping to have some luck.

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2q_x t1_j7gjq8b wrote

If it's a drilled well with all the paper work, maybe it can be found here:

https://anrweb.vt.gov/DEC/WellDrillerReports/Default.aspx

If you get someone with the right equipment, they can find a wire with current going through it just about anywhere. The more sophisticated the equipment people have, the more expensive it is to have them use it.

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fkirwan82 OP t1_j7gzzph wrote

Thank you for the link. It seems I don't have enough information to get a proper search for it, but this is very helpful.

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Street-Yesterday-125 t1_j7gt6n9 wrote

Try Vermont Underground Locators in South Burlington. They can trace the water line from the house out to the well.

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Grnmtn802vt t1_j7i7pxw wrote

These guys are pricey but worth it! They use Ground penetrating radar and other methods, we’ve used them before on property surveys to find buried utilities, water lines etc, they’ll find it!

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8valvegrowl t1_j7grdzz wrote

If all else fails with the above suggestions (ANR, DigSafe, etc), I think the UVM Archaeology Dept has a GPR (Ground Penetrating Radar) setup, that would definitely find it. Maybe they'd do it cheap as training for student researchers. Most bigger Civil Engineering firms probably have GPR, too. I'm sure that's not a cheap option, though.

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thisoneisnotasbad t1_j7i1ho1 wrote

Look at the deed for the house as well. I owned a place in Moretown for a little bit that got its water from about 1/2 mile away. Lots of underground plastic pipe to bring it in. Once the pipe broke underground and we found the spot by walking the path and looking for the new swampy area.

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swarm32 t1_j7jngzg wrote

Are you sure it’s a well and not a spring & cistern setup?

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Nutmegdog1959 t1_j7gmoq7 wrote

If you can't find the well head. Find where the water line enters the house. Get a metal detector, go out from there. You won't be able to trace the water line, but once you get to the well head, it's likely only a foot or 18" under the surface, if that.

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fkirwan82 OP t1_j7h0358 wrote

I was considering doing this as well. I do know which way the water line is running so I will most likely go this route if all else fails. Thank you.

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2q_x t1_j7h1lfi wrote

I've never tried to do it with a metal detector, but 60hz current is a fairly distinctive sound with electrical wiring with telephony toning equipment.

You could point the metal detector (on ferrous setting) at a wall near where something was plugged in, then go outside following the same sound, with the pump running.

Rental shops can hook you up with a cheap metal detector.

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o08 t1_j7hmodc wrote

I just did this. Run a snake in the conduit through where the water line enters the basement. Put a piece of tape where your snake stops. Then map a radius (pipe can turn not always a straight shot) and dig that line.

If metal cap use a metal detector along that line and that can potentially reduce digging time.

There may be a map or coordinates where the water line enters in the basement.

Also town office should have a map.

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