Water Pooling Near Your Well, or a Pump That Never Shuts Off

Two symptoms, often one problem

A soggy patch near the well and a well pump that won’t shut off often go together. When water escapes somewhere between the pump and your faucets, the system never reaches its shut-off pressure, so the pump keeps running to keep up.

Sometimes you can see the leak. Sometimes you only hear it, or notice the pump running when nobody is using water. Either way, it is worth tracking down soon.

What water pooling or hissing near the well can mean

A leak at the pitless adapter

The pitless adapter is the fitting where the water line leaves the well casing underground and heads to the house. When its seal wears or the fitting cracks, water leaks into the soil around the well. That can show up as saturated ground, a wet spot that never dries, or a hissing sound near the well head.

A leak inside the well

A leak can also happen down inside the well, in the pipe or a fitting. Water gets pumped up and runs right back down. You may not see wet ground at all, but you might hear hissing or trickling at the well cap and notice the pump running without stopping.

A break in the water line

The buried line between the well and the house can crack or separate with age, frost or roots. A wet trail across the yard, or a strip of grass that stays green in a dry spell, can point to it.

Wet ground near the well can also be surface water collecting around damaged casing or a poor cap. That matters for water quality, since surface water can find its way in. Our well casing repair covers cracked casing and sanitary sealed caps.

The sneaky cause: a running toilet

Before you assume the worst, check your toilets. A flapper that does not seal lets water trickle into the bowl day and night. On a well, that trickle can keep the pump running or cycling over and over, and it looks a lot like a pump that won’t shut off.

Listen for a faint hiss or refill sound in the bathroom. You can also put a few drops of food coloring in the tank and wait without flushing. If color shows up in the bowl, the flapper leaks. A dripping faucet, an outdoor spigot, a hydrant left cracked open, or a softener stuck in a cycle can do the same thing.

Simple checks you can do safely

Make sure every faucet, hose and hydrant is off, and check the toilets.
Watch the pressure gauge near your tank. With nothing running, it should climb to the cut-out and the pump should stop. If the pressure slowly falls with nothing on, water is going somewhere.
Walk the line from the well to the house and look for wet spots, sunken soil or extra green grass.
Stand near the well cap and listen for hissing or running water.
If the pump truly will not stop, turn the well breaker OFF to protect it, and call us.

Please do not open the pressure switch cover or dig around the well head. There is live wiring in the switch, and the pitless adapter and the pump’s electrical line are buried right beside the casing.

Why you should call soon

A pump that never stops is wearing itself out every hour it runs, and running up your electric bill. If the leak is big, it can pull the well down and leave the pump running dry, which can ruin it. Waiting usually makes the repair bigger, not smaller.

Our water line repair service handles pitless adapter replacement, broken lines, new line installation and trenching. If the pump is the trouble, see well pump repair. Call 703-791-3981, and if you are out of water, call our emergency line at 703-776-0996. Related reading: how to check your pressure tank, lost water after a power outage, and signs your well pump is failing.

Questions we hear a lot

Why won't my well pump shut off?

Usually the system cannot reach its shut-off pressure. Common reasons are a leak in the line or inside the well, a running toilet or faucet, or a worn pump that cannot build enough pressure. Turn the well breaker off to protect the pump and call 703-791-3981.

Is it bad if my well pump runs constantly?

Yes. Nonstop running wears the motor, raises your electric bill, and can run the pump dry if the well draws down. It is worth finding the cause quickly.

Can a running toilet really make my well pump run?

It can. A leaky flapper lets water trickle out all day, so the pressure keeps dropping and the pump keeps kicking on. Put a few drops of food coloring in the tank and see if it shows up in the bowl.

What is a pitless adapter?

It is the fitting that lets the water line pass through the side of the well casing underground, so the line stays below the frost line. When its seal or fitting fails, water can leak into the ground around the well.

Why is the ground always wet around my well?

It can be a leak at the pitless adapter, a broken water line, or surface water collecting around the casing. Any of those should be checked, since some can also affect water quality.

Why do I hear hissing at my well?

Hissing near the well cap or in the ground often means water is escaping under pressure, at the pitless adapter or inside the well. Leave the cap alone and give us a call at 703-791-3981.

Should I turn off my well pump if it won't stop running?

Yes, turning the well breaker off protects the pump. You will not have water until it is fixed, so if you need water back fast, call our emergency line at 703-776-0996.

Is a leaking pitless adapter an emergency?

Not always on day one, but do not let it ride. The pump works harder the whole time, and a leak by the casing can let surface water near the well. Call soon, and call 703-776-0996 if you lose water.