Owning your own well provides you with great benefits as a property owner. You get to forgo the monthly water bill and gain complete control over the safety of your own water supply. Even though beneficial, many homeowners choose not to have a well installed on their property due to some fairly common myths about the whole well drilling and installation process. Here are a few of the more prevailing myths concerning water well drilling and the real facts that you should know as a property owner. 

Myth: Well drilling is a lengthy process. 

Fact: The longest part of the well installation process is actually the planning phases in the beginning. A well contractor will work with a geological surveyor to track down the most reliable ground water source in the area and then start making plans for installation. In many cases, property owners do see the project complete in its entirety within a few days unless there are problems or the property is hard to access or drill. 

Myth: Installing a well makes your underlying ground less stable. 

Fact: It is a common misconception that properties that have water wells are more prone to sinkholes, which actually is far from the truth. Installing a well will have little effect on the stability of your land. It would take a massively-sized, gaping hole drilled beneath the surface of the ground to cause any real difference in stability. A well doesn't require a large opening, and once drilled, a steel sleeve is placed into the opening as a wall retainer to prevent any issues with collapsing or ground shifting. 

Myth: Water well drilling and well installation is a costly endeavor. 

Fact: Installing a well on your property will mean an up-front investment, but this cost is usually much lower than what most homeowners expect. For a well that is up to 100 feet deep, you should expect to pay somewhere around $1,500 to $3,000, which averages about $15 to $30 per foot. If the terrain is especially difficult or the property is hard to access with drilling equipment, you should expect to pay a bit more at about $30 to $50 per foot.  

The bottom line is this: before you make any final decisions about whether or not you want a water well on your property, be sure to get the facts about the process. Talk to a well drilling expert, like those at Henderson Well & Pump Co., for more information and advice.