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Grew up with a well, and I wouldn't hesitate to buy a house with one, however -- I take short showers, as does hubby. I also remember drought years, and conserving water. That's just what we did. And living in droughty California...well...I've taken my share of military showers.
So, at least in my experience, you can't take two long showers a day. Too hard on the system.
It depends on where you live. Some areas have adequate water supply will never run dry. Others have a water shortge. In ours there is no danger of running out of water, and in some they have a hard time getting through the summer.
The same for the septic system. Some areas have clay and other problems, and perk slow. Ours has the type of soil that gets rid of it quickly, and due to size works as well as a city sewer system.
Quote:
( 2nd paragraph) total BS!
Wrong. In our area our water is fed into our area by mountains and substantial rivers. excess water from our aquifer leaks out into the rivers.
The reason I had to install an expensive mound system when I sold my Minnesota farm was we have a lot of clay and a conventional system couldn't pass the perk test.
Very strict septic rules in rural central Minnesota.
We also have strict rules, and inspections in Montana. The difference is our soil will let the water perk and is nothing like clay. This is also the reason we water as often as we do to keep the laws lush and green.
Most septic systems in my area can't pass the perk test and thus an expensive mound system must be installed before the title can be transferred.
As the OP should be able to see clearly by now is that New Jersey, Minnesota, Montana and Oregon have very different conditions and conventions and very different regulations regarding both wells and septic and sewer systems. Even if one of the posters here happened to be the next door neighbor of a property the OP was interested in, any opinions from anyone here is not necessarily pertinent to a buyer.
Find out local laws, find out local practices and do what is necessary for peace of mind on that specific property. In some places that may be absolutely nothing, in others it may entail a system replacement.
It's not a matter of one being better than the other. In some instances there simply isn't a choice; municipal water and sewer aren't available. Septic system are engineered systems and when properly installed and maintained can give many decades of trouble free use. I've had them and have never had any problems with them.
They aren't truly free as there is regular maintenance that's necessary and occasional larger capital expenditures to replace worn out parts. Wells are the same, and I know many people who prefer well water, but again there are expenses and the risk that you're well could under certain conditions go dry. For myself I'm comfortable with city water and sewer and the monthly bills that come along with them, but I'm also fine with well and septic if I'm living in a more rural area and encourage who may be considering such a property for the first time not to be fearful.
It's not a matter of one being better than the other. In some instances there simply isn't a choice; municipal water and sewer aren't available. Septic system are engineered systems and when properly installed and maintained can give many decades of trouble free use. I've had them and have never had any problems with them.
They aren't truly free as there is regular maintenance that's necessary and occasional larger capital expenditures to replace worn out parts. Wells are the same, and I know many people who prefer well water, but again there are expenses and the risk that you're well could under certain conditions go dry. For myself I'm comfortable with city water and sewer and the monthly bills that come along with them, but I'm also fine with well and septic if I'm living in a more rural area and encourage who may be considering such a property for the first time not to be fearful.
Again, this is a local thing depending on the type of septic system. Some require no maintenance and have no parts to wear out.
I never had to test my well water on my Minnesota dairy farm myself.
All Grade A dairy farms get state inspected twice a year and a water sample is taken by the state inspector.
If it is good enough to meet the state's high standards, it's good enough for my personal use.
By the way, do any of you people who buy raw milk from a farmer ever ask to see his well water test results?
We have had a septic/well water for the last 5 years. We have never had a problem with any of it. I prefer living in a rural area compared to living in the city. As long as the well and septic pass inspection if you want to live outside of town then do so. Don't let a well or septic system stop you. It really is no different from owning in town. Yes wells can go dry or pumps can quit. Septics do need to be emptied but the cost really is not that great for that to happen. If you take good care of your septic you will not have a problem with it.
I would not ever want to live in a city or town again.
My must-have list includes town water, town sewer, and natural gas. Where I live, my combined water/sewer bill is sub-$100 every 6 months. I grew up in a house with a failed septic system. The house I own now had a failed septic system at one point before sewer was installed on the street. A mound system in the back yard would easily cost $20K. I don't feel like playing artesian well lottery at $30 per foot. I've had well drillers drill a 400 foot dry hole before. They drilled another "for free" but I had to pay for those 400 feet plus all the trenching to the 2nd well site.
My must-have list also includes broadband internet and adequate cell phone reception. I don't want to live in the third world.
Grew up with a well, and I wouldn't hesitate to buy a house with one, however -- I take short showers, as does hubby. I also remember drought years, and conserving water. That's just what we did. And living in droughty California...well...I've taken my share of military showers.
So, at least in my experience, you can't take two long showers a day. Too hard on the system.
That's very subjective -- I'm on a deep well, and my septic has two separate tanks; I could take a dozen showers every day and it wouldn't hurt the system at all.
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