Well Drilling FAQs in Newark, OH

Well depth varies by property and cannot be predicted exactly before drilling begins. Licking County well logs show a median drilled depth of 140 feet, though wells in Licking County can produce water from glacial deposits or bedrock at depths of roughly 40 to 400 feet, with yields varying widely. Keen Well and Pump evaluates each site individually before drilling begins. A free estimate from our team gives homeowners the most accurate expectation for their specific property. 

Keen Well and Pump serves a broad region across Central Ohio well beyond Newark. The service area includes Knox, Licking, Holmes, Coshocton, Morrow, Richland, Wayne, Summit, Stark, Tuscarawas, Muskingum, Fairfield, Delaware, and Franklin Counties. Homeowners in communities such as Heath, Granville, Johnstown, Pataskala, and Mount Vernon can all request service. 

Tank size depends on your pump's flow rate, not simply the size of your home. The standard sizing rule is one gallon of drawdown per gallon per minute of pump flow; a 10 GPM pump therefore needs at least 10 gallons of drawdown, typically met by a 32- to 44-gallon tank, though going larger reduces pump cycling and extends motor life, with most residential systems doing well with a 44- to 86-gallon tank. Keen Well and Pump can assess your existing pump output and recommend a properly matched pressure tank. 

Vertical geothermal boreholes are typically drilled to depths that allow stable earth temperatures to support efficient heating and cooling year-round. In Ohio, a vertical loop field is composed of borings 75 to 500 feet deep with a pair of pipes joined at the bottom of each boring. Keen Well and Pump offers vertical loop drilling installations for geothermal heating and cooling systems, which may help homeowners save up to 60 percent on heating and cooling costs. Actual boring depth depends on soil conditions, system load, and available land. 

A drilled well reaches far deeper and offers significantly better protection from contamination than older well types. Drilled wells are the modern standard, being deeper, more reliable, and better protected from contamination, while dug wells are older, shallow, and more vulnerable to problems, and driven wells are the simplest and cheapest option but only work in limited conditions. Both dug and driven wells stop in the shallow, unconfined water table, while drilled wells go far deeper into confined bedrock or deep sand aquifers and are the only type built with a continuous casing and grout seal from top to bottom. For new residential construction in Licking County and throughout Central Ohio, a drilled well is the standard and most code-compliant choice. 

A laboratory water test showing bacteria present is the clearest indicator that shock chlorination is needed. Other signs can include cloudy, muddy, or discolored water after heavy rain or flooding, sudden changes in taste or odor such as a sulfur-like rotten-egg smell from sulfur-reducing bacteria, and slimy biofilm buildup in toilet tanks, pipes, or faucets, which is common with iron bacteria. Bacteria and nitrates do not change how water looks, smells, or tastes, so the EPA recommends testing for both at least once a year regardless of apparent water quality. Keen Well and Pump provides well shocking services for bacterial issues throughout the Newark, OH, area. 

The right chlorination interval depends on your well's age, depth, and recent water test results rather than a fixed calendar schedule. Shock chlorination is generally performed only when needed, such as after a positive bacteria test, after any work on the well, after flooding, or annually as preventive maintenance in high-risk situations. For wells with recurring iron bacteria, periodic shocking, typically once or twice a year, becomes part of responsible well ownership. Annual water testing is the most reliable way to determine whether treatment is due. Keen Well and Pump can test your water and advise on the appropriate maintenance schedule for your system. 

Families should not drink or bathe during the active chlorination contact period and should wait until the water is fully flushed and tested before resuming normal use. Humans or animals should not be in contact with water until the system has been flushed, which requires at least 12 hours after beginning the process to allow the chlorine time to disinfect, and toilets or faucets should not be used during this time if possible. After completely flushing all chlorine from the system, waiting 5 to 10 days before collecting a water sample for bacteria testing is recommended, and drinking water should only resume after receiving negative test results for coliform bacteria and E. coli. Keen Well and Pump can guide Newark, OH, households through this process and arrange follow-up water testing. 

Shock chlorination will not remove nitrates or lead. Standard water softeners do not remove nitrates, and carbon filters, UV systems, and chlorination are also ineffective against nitrates. The only proven home treatment methods for nitrates are ion exchange for whole-house removal and reverse osmosis for point-of-use reduction of around 70 to 90 percent. Lead and nitrate contamination require targeted water treatment solutions such as reverse osmosis or specialized filtration. Keen Well and Pump offers water treatment options including reverse osmosis systems for homeowners in Newark, OH, and surrounding Licking County communities. Call (740) 397-7336 to discuss the right solution for your test results.