Well water is drawn from the underground layer of the soil, serving as a traditional method of obtaining natural water supply for household purposes.
The ease of extracting water depends on location, soil type, and land terrain, with lowlands generally yielding water more quickly than uplands due to land permeability.
Water retrieved from a well can be manually fetched using plastic or iron fetching cans or pumped out with a pumping machine, also known as a sumo, for circulation within the property.
While manual fetching from a well is cost-effective compared to a pumping machine, it can be physically demanding. Manual extraction of well water is prevalent in medium- and high-density areas.
Although water from shallow or deep wells is natural, it is often disregarded by the affluent due to the presence of dirt and particles if not properly treated.
Wealthier individuals opt for pipe-borne water from boreholes despite the higher cost, while those with fewer resources appreciate the well as the primary source for household needs.
Uses of well water:
The uses of a well include washing dishes and vehicles, bathing, flushing waste, watering gardens, wetting floors, moistening soil for farming, and cleaning in local factories. However, it is not recommended for cooking or drinking.
How to maintain clean water:
To maintain a shallow well’s cleanliness, various methods can be employed, such as using alum, filters, dislodging to allow fresh water to flow, sanitizing, covering the top for protection, disinfecting with a strong chloride solution to eliminate microbes, and connecting a surface tap for public water dispensation.
Circumstances that can lead to alternative sources of water supply:
In the dry season, some wells may not provide the needed amount of water for a household, alternative water supply will have to be provided to have enough to go around the household until enough rain falls to supply water for the well. The idea of a borehole or buying water from water tankers may be an option. This is usually a viable alternative for large families or facilities.