Some Costs of Maintenance of Motor-Driven Deep-Well Pumps

There seems to be very little published information concerning the cost of operation of deep-well pumps. The following notes, although not as complete as might be wished, may therefore be of value. The water supply of the University of Illinois comes from five wells drilled about 140 feet deep in the glacial drift of this region. The water bearing stratum is about 15 feet thick and consists of sand containing much fine material. The water level in the wells when the pumps are not running is about 95 feet below the surface and when the pumps are running about 110 feet below the surface. The water is pumped from the wells by means of motor-driven Luitwieler deep well pumps. The working barrels are 5f inches in diameter and the stroke is 15 inches. The pump on Well 2 is geared directly to its motor, the other pumps are belt-connected. Table 1 gives information concerning the wells and pumps, and Table 2 the cost of labor and material to operate the pumps for sixteen months.