Sealing a Sand Point Well

[Black_Bay]

I have an old sand point well in my backyard that I haven't used in years. Is it ok for me to cut the pipe at ground level and fill with cement or do I need to get a pro? I don't want to pull the pipe out and run the risk of the old well collapsing.

[buddha]

Years ago I worked for a county agency that was responsible for wells and septics. All wells need to be sealed by a professional and documented. Chances are you can seal it yourself and no harm done. However, if you sell and there is any record of that well on your property and you do not have records to show it is sealed properly you will need to get it sealed and the cost can be very high. This does happen because I sold a property and 6 years later the new owners were going to sell and there was a well issue and I was responsible for sealing the well. My situation was not quite the same as yours but similar. The safe bet is to have a well company come out, pump in full for a couple hundred at the most and now you know that you are for sure safe. That is the safe way of course.

[Redlantern]

I'd call the county and see what they require. Even if you had to hire it out, I can't believe it would be very expensive. A sand point is typically rather small diameter and not normally deeper than twentyfive feet.

[Chris Haley]

Sand point wells were not intended to be deeper than 20ft. If you have a high lift jack or know someone with one just pull it out. Wrap a chain around the pipe and over the hook of the high lift and start pumping. If you dig down around the pipe as far as you can go it will come out easier.

[speednut]

I had one capped in 2001. It's a state law in Minnesota. According to the guy that did the work and issued the sealing record, it's illegal to just pull the pipe. It has to be sealed by someone licensed. BUT, after it's sealed, it's no longer legally a well, and you can legally pull the pipe. His words, not mine.