Guide
Bored vs drilled wells
Most private wells are either bored or drilled. Bored wells are large-diameter and relatively shallow, drawing from near-surface water; drilled wells are small-diameter and can go hundreds of feet down to deeper, more protected aquifers.
Drilled wells are generally less responsive to drought and less prone to surface contamination than bored wells, which is why they are the default for a reliable year-round household supply. Bored wells can still be the right call where a shallow, productive aquifer sits close to surface, but they need careful sealing and maintenance to keep surface water and vermin out.
Which one fits your land depends on the aquifer under it — a question for a registered driller who can look at nearby well records and, if needed, run a test hole, not something to guess at from a table.
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AcreageWell is a referral service, not a well drilling company. When you call, we connect you with an independent, Water Security Agency–registered drilling contractor serving your area. We do not perform the work ourselves.