How to Drill a Shallow Well for Animals

Water is present at various depths under most of Earth's surface. A well is a hole that is drilled far enough beneath Earth̵7;s surface to reach water. These holes are typically circular, and people create them by drilling through layers of soil and rock to reach an aquifer, which is a layer that contains water. The top of the aquifer is termed a water table. It is necessary to wall a well with concrete, pipe or stone, to protect it from caving in. Hand-powered equipment is usually sufficient to drill shallow wells to supply animals with water.

Things You'll Need

  • Wooden tripod with horizontal beam
  • Heavy steel bit
  • Shovel
  • Rope
  • Container to hold water
  • An assistant
  • Bailer
  • Steel pipe
  • Sledgehammer
Show More

Instructions

    • 1

      Erect a wooden tripod or rig over your chosen site. Ensure that the tripod incorporates a horizontal beam, over which rope can slide.

    • 2

      Attach one end of a piece of rope to the heavy steel bit and pass the free end of the rope over the horizontal beam on the wooden tripod.

    • 3

      Use a shovel to break the earth and dig down as far as you can.

    • 4

      Place the steel bit into the hole pointing downward and take hold of the free end of the rope. Pull on the rope, so that the bit rises into the air. Let the bit fall into the hole and continue the pulling action, by which the steel bit rises and falls into the ground. This action causes the bit to cut or break the earth at the bottom of the hole.

    • 5

      Ask an assistant to fill a bucket with water and pour some into the hole, until mud begins to form.

    • 6

      Pull the bit out of the hole and untie the rope once there is enough mud at the bottom of the hole.

    • 7

      Attach the bailer to the rope and lower it into the hole. This hollow tube incorporates a door, or flap valve, which opens once the tube makes contact with the mud. This tube fills with mud, which can subsequently be pulled to the surface and discarded.

    • 8

      Remove all of the mud and then remove the bailer.

    • 9

      Re-attach the steel bit to the rope and continue to drill into the earth.

    • 10

      Remove the bit as soon as underground water begins to seep into the hole.

    • 11

      Place a hollow steel pipe, the same diameter as your hole, above the well and push it or drive it down the hole with a sledge hammer. This pipe prevents the sides of the well from caving in.

    • 12

      Lay a concrete slab around the well.