Question
Hello,

I have a 1 1/2"-2" steel pipe sticking out of the ground next to my house.  The previous owners stated that it was a well.  I would like to use it for an in-ground sprinkler system.  How do I determine if the pipe/well is still good?  Can I hook up a pump to it and see if water comes out, or is there an easier way?

Thanks.

Answer
It is probably a shallow well. The first thing I would do is remove the cap and check for water. A string with a fishing sinker or bolt will work. A cheap white cotton twine works best since it absorbs water easily. Lower it slowly till you feel the bottom. Use a marker or piece of tape to mark the top of the well pipe. Remove it and check for moisture as you bring it up.  Also note any color change. Obviously, red or orange indicate rust water which could stain if used for irrigation. Measure from the top-of-well mark you made to the first area of water on the string. This is the "suction lift" needed by the pump. If the water is more than 25' below the top of the pipe it is a deep well and changes the pump system you will need and adds to the costs.
So lets say the pipe has water. Now will it produce enough for sprinklers. A trick well drillers use is to lower an air hose down to the bottom of the well and turn on the air. The air rises and also lifts some water with it. This give you an idea if the well is capable of producing water. To measure the water flow. Cut a hole in a 5 gallon bucket just big enough to fit over the well snugly. It needs to be tight. Turn on the air again, it maybe helpful to have a valve on the air hose so you can regulate the amount of air. Time how many seconds or minutes it take to fill the bucket. If you get 4 gallons in 30 second, you have 8 gallons per minute. ie; 4 gallons in 1/2 a minute X 2 = 8.
I would say if your getting 6-8 gallons per minute or more proceed with a pump. If you choose not to use the well. It is a good idea to "seal" the well. Dump some dry concrete mix down the well, it will harden over time and plug the hole into the ground water. This practice has been ignored for many years, hence we now have a lot of contaminated ground water in the world.