Lawn Care and Well Water (how much, house, garden)

[NCBound46]

Does fertilizing the lawn have a bad effect on the quality of water from a well?

I've never had a well before and I'm not sure what is acceptable to do to the lawn as far as fertilizers or pesticides so that I don't contaminate the water.

Also, how probable is it that I could run the well dry by watering the lawn once a week?

[cooperwx]

Two questions with the same answer... it depends.

Fertilizing a lawn puts chemicals into the ground that wouldn't otherwise be there. The more you put in, the better chance it will negatively affect groundwater.

Whether you're well is susceptible to running dry depends heavily on how much rain the area has received...

[Lizardlips]

Originally Posted by cooperwx

Two questions with the same answer... it depends.

Fertilizing a lawn puts chemicals into the ground that wouldn't otherwise be there. The more you put in, the better chance it will negatively affect groundwater.

Whether you're well is susceptible to running dry depends heavily on how much rain the area has received...

Holy Moly;
I didn't really know that wells ran dry. I have heard of it, but I thought in states like Nevada and Kansas. On a average how often does a well run dry??
My yard is watered by the pump from the creek/pond in the back of our property, so that won't affect are well, but I do use a fair amount of water for showers and washing machines, that kind of thing. Wow I am going to be on a entirely new learning curve.

[cary native]

Running your well dry really depends more on your particular well. if your well is in a good vein, you will never have a problem. I had a house with a good well and i could leave the sprinklers on in the garden all day and night, take showers, and everything else you use water for inside, and still not run it dry.Yes, i found that out by accident . My brother has a well that if he waters his lawn at all he will run it dry.
As far as the fertilizer goes, usually the lawn uses it, or it leaches out before it ever gets deep enough to get into the well. I personally have never heard of fertilizer or regular lawn chemicals contaminating a well. I guess, in theory it could happen though.

[MikeJaquish]

In Lancaster County Pennsylvania, in the '90's it made news that 50% or so of the wells in the county had elevated levels of nitrogen.
But that is a heavy farming area, Amish, and a great deal of fertilizer is used.
I wouldn't worry about sensible levels of lawn fertilizer finding wells here, but I would suggest not overdoing it.