Summary: Here’s why you need to find a water finding company before you start drilling for water in Kansas.

When you are planning to drill a well anywhere, it’s a good idea to plan ahead and actually locate the water before you start drilling for it. It’s a step that, while it may seem like a needless additional cost, can actually save you a good chunk of money—and it can save your yard from looking like you just played the most serious game of whack-a-mole in your life.

How much can you save?

While the cost of drilling your well depends on a number of variables, on average, the cost of drilling a well usually falls between $4,000 and $7,000. That covers materials, machinery, other equipment, and the cost of the pump system. It’s a hefty enough expense, but those costs aren’t static. The cost can be influenced by the characteristics of your property, and they can also be driven up—by a lot—if you have to keep drilling and re-drilling to locate your water source. Further, if you locate a water source that simply isn’t deep enough for your needs, you can find yourself having to endure the process and costs all over again. Using a water finding company the first time around can save you a lot of money—and stress.

But money isn’t everything

The added cost is a pretty significant point, but it isn’t the only risk you are taking if you drill a well without using a water finding company to locate the best possible source of water first. In order for your well to be safe from any possibly leaching of contaminants, its proximity to potential contamination points, like your septic tank, an old septic tank you may not even be aware of, gardens and fertilized fields, neighboring landfills (current or repurposed), and roadways, needs to be factored in.

Kansas has its own region-specific risks and challenges, too.

A water finding company knows how to survey for pre-existing property features that may present a risk to your water quality after you drill and set up your well; however, a water finding company in Kansas will also be able to help you avoid potential geological hazards that are specific to Kansas’s geological landscape.

Kansas is known for some unique geological features—like the chalk monoliths, mineral deposits and old mining sites, and even fossil sites. While these features make Kansas an amazing place to live, they also point to some risk potential when it comes to attempting to blindly drill a well. An experienced water finding company will survey your area and familiarize itself with the geological features of your region, and that can prevent you from attempting to drill a well in an area whose geological features could negatively impact the functionality or healthiness of the well. For instance, a water finding company can ensure you are not attempting to drill a well in an area of the Smoky Hill Chalk Member, which is highly susceptible to erosion. A water finding company can also survey for other geological hazards, like proximity to abandoned mines, or to mineral deposits (like lead) that could negatively impact your water quality—and your safety. And, of course, the can survey to ensure your water drilling project won’t end up unearthing the next great paleontological find.

For more information about the benefits of hiring an experienced water finding company before you start drilling the well for your Kansas home, contact us at American Water Surveyors today.