08-31-2006, 10:21 AM
We had a well at our home in the Santa Cruz Mtns in the SF Bay Area, CA. It continued to produce water past the Loma Prieta quake and it was great, aside from the calcium. We also had a septic system there and very few neighbors. I wonder how much has to be done to assure the water quality from wells on the BI with so many cesspool systems? It may be that rainwater takes a long time to filter down through the volcanic rock and gets purified in the process (this is how it's explained on O'ahu). But we also know how rainwater doesn't pool here because of the porous soils. So, how does this work with cesspool effluent? I haven't heard about sewage intrusions into well water on the BI, but then I don't hear about a lot of stuff. I would guess that the well water providers have to test frequently to assure purity.
Here, I've heard that wells are more affordable, from the drilling depth standpoint, near the coast than further up in elevation. The Ghyben-Herzberg Lens principle shows that the fresh water will be closer to the ground surface near the coast. But it also shows that there is some sea water intrusion to consider near the coast. I guess that one is not very likely to find a perched spring in volcanic structures.
Of course, I'm not a hydrologist, or whatever, so I'm just babbling.
Les
Edited by - Les C on 08/31/2006 14:24:47
Here, I've heard that wells are more affordable, from the drilling depth standpoint, near the coast than further up in elevation. The Ghyben-Herzberg Lens principle shows that the fresh water will be closer to the ground surface near the coast. But it also shows that there is some sea water intrusion to consider near the coast. I guess that one is not very likely to find a perched spring in volcanic structures.
Of course, I'm not a hydrologist, or whatever, so I'm just babbling.
Les
Edited by - Les C on 08/31/2006 14:24:47