48

Ch1
Water Supply and Sanitary Engineering
3-12. CLASSIFICATION OF WELLS
Following is the general classification of different types of wells:
(1)
Shallow wells
Tube wells
(3)
(2)
Deep wells
(4)
Artesian wells
We will now discuss cach of the above type of well at length.
(1) Shallow wells
Construction of shallow wells: The shallow wells are constructed in the
uppermost layer of the earth's surface. They obtain their quota of water
supply from the ground water table as shown in fig. 3-18. The diameter
of shallow wells varies from 2 to 6 metres. They may be lined or unlined
from inside. The lining is also called the steining and its thickness varie
from 300 mm to 500 mm
(i)
bel
L
G
pla
2 to 6 m
Surface of
ground water
Steining
of thickness
300 mm to 500 mm
Shallow well
FIG. 3-18
Fig. 3-18 shows a shallow well with steining. The unlined wells are generally
constructed upto a maximum depth of about 7 metres or so. But for greater
depths, the soil cannot stand vertically and hence, the steining becomes
essential for such wells. These wells are also sometimes referred to as the
draw wells or gravily wells or open wells or dug wells or
percolation wells
Quantity of water from shallow wells: The quantity of water available
from shallow wells is generally limited as their source of supply
uppermost layer of earth only. They sometimes even dry up in summer
In order to ensure the supply of water from shallow wells, even in dry
years, they are taken much below the surface of ground water table. The
depth below water table is
the water table falls by 3 to 5 metres, some water will be available from
the shallow wells. In any case, the discharge of shallow wells does no
exceed 5 litres per second and hence, they are not suitable for public
water supply schemes
(ii)
is the
pres
kept
as about 6 to 8 metres so that even if
(iii) Quality of shallow well water: The quality of water obtained from shallow
wells is better than river water. But it is not reliable and requires
purification. The quantity of water from a shallow well is quite inferior
to that from any other Ssource. All the impurities of the ground may
6 to 8 m