Drought and Your Well

Drought in Vermont

Parts of Vermont are in a drought. Drought can affect the amount and quality of water available from private wells and springs. Your water supply may become limited or run dry, and changes in water levels can affect water quality.

Learn how to recognize signs that your water supply is running low, what to do if you run out of water, and how to safely use your water when it returns.

On this page: Signs Your Well or Spring is Running Low What to Do if Your Water Supply is Low or Runs Out Use Caution with Roadside Spring Water Conserve Water Improve Your Well or Spring Explore Financial Assistance What to Do Once Your Water Comes Back Resources

Which wells and springs are more likely to run low?

Some types of private water systems are more likely to run low or run out of water during drought. These include:

Springs
Dug wells
Shallow bedrock wells
Wells near hilltops or other high areas
Wells in areas where bedrock is close to the ground surface

Signs Your Well or Spring is Running Low

You may not know the water level in your well or spring, but you can recognize these signs that it is running low:

The water pressure drops.
You see air bubbles in your water.
Your water is cloudy, looks “dirty,” or has sediment in it.
Your water pump circuit breaker trips.
You have no water.

What to Do if Your Water Supply is Low or Runs Out

If you notice any of the signs listed above, we recommend addressing them immediately. Below are some temporary steps you can take. Contact us if you have questions or need help figuring out a temporary solution.

Protect your well pump

Turn off your well pump if it is on its own circuit breaker. Well pumps use water in the well to cool them. Your pump can burn out if it runs when the well is dry, meaning you'll have to replace it.

Check your water quality

If your water becomes cloudy, discolored or develops an unusual smell, test your water. Dropping water levels during drought can stir up sediment, change groundwater sources and increase the risk of contamination from bacteria or animals.

Use temporary safe sources of water

Until testing shows your water is safe, use temporary safe sources of water for drinking and cooking. Continue to use the water from your home for bathing, washing clothes, cleaning and flushing toilets.

Safe drinking water sources

Fill food-safe containers with water from a known safe source that is from a tested water supply, like:
- A neighbor’s or family member’s home.
- Public buildings, with permission from the building owner or water supplier (for example, your town library, town hall, fire department, school, church or town office.
Buy water from a bulk water hauler and fill up a water tank.
- Find a list of bulk water haulers or search the internet for "bulk water haulers Vermont."
- Make sure the water hauler only uses potable water equipment, that the water comes from a regulated Public Community Water System, and that they test the water for adequate disinfectant levels.
- Do not fill wells or spring boxes with water delivered by a water hauler. The water could seep into the surrounding soils and bedrock before you can use it. It can also damage your well or contaminate the groundwater for your home and nearby homes.
Buy bottled water.
Use caution if using water from roadside springs.

Important safety considerations

Don't connect the plumbing between two homes. Backflow pressure may cause bacteria to travel from one home into the other home.
Don't use a regular garden hose for drinking or cooking. Garden hoses may have bacteria or other contaminants (like lead) in them. Hose water may be used for bathing, washing clothes, cleaning and flushing toilets.
A potable water hose is safe for drinking or cooking. Hoses used for filling up drinking water tanks on boats or RVs are safe to use for drinking and cooking.

Find other ways to manage without water

Find places to shower. Consider a gym, school, workplace or community facility.
Use public restrooms. Libraries, community centers, schools, workplaces, and other public facilities may have restrooms available.
Make arrangements for laundry. Use a laundromat or ask friends or family if you can use their washing machine.
Limit activities that use water. Postpone cleaning, gardening, and other nonessential water uses until your supply returns.

Use Caution with Roadside Spring Water

Roadside springs are not considered safe for drinking, cooking or other uses where you might swallow the water. They are not regularly tested for bacteria or other contaminants. The water can contain harmful substances you can't see, taste or smell and that can make you sick. In fact, a Giardia outbreak in New Hampshire was linked to a roadside spring.

However, if your well or spring has run dry and you have no other safe water source, roadside springs may offer a temporary solution.

Use water from roadside springs for bathing, washing clothes, and flushing toilets.
Collect and store spring water in separate containers from your drinking water to prevent contamination.
Boil water for one minute before using it for drinking, cooking, washing fruits and vegetables, brushing teeth, and making ice cubes and concentrated juices.
- Boiling kills germs that are in the water. It does not get rid of other contaminants, which means there could be health risks, especially for infants, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems.

If you have symptoms like nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, call your healthcare provider if they become severe.

Conserve Water

There are some ways to use less water, which can help to keep your well or spring from failing or running dry. Even if you have no water, you can use these tips to conserve your temporary water supply.

Check for and fix any leaks.
Take shorter showers.
Match the water level to the size of the load of laundry.
Run the dishwasher with full loads only.
Turn the water off when brushing teeth, washing hands and doing dishes.
Install low-flow faucet aerators, showerheads and toilets and install water-efficient washing machines and dishwashers. Look for the WaterSense label
Cut back on — or cut out — outdoor water use, such as watering your lawn, garden or landscaping, or washing your car.
Use a bucket of water to flush toilets.
- Quickly dump about 1 to 2 gallons of water into the toilet bowl all at once, and the toilet will flush.
- Use water from roadside springs or greywater (wastewater from bathroom sinks, bathtubs, showers and clothes washing machines).
- Collect water in a bucket while you are waiting for the shower to warm up or fill up a bucket to rinse your dishes, then use the rinse water for flushing.

Find more water conservation tips

Improve Your Well or Spring

If your well needs work, hire a licensed well driller to find out your options. Here are some things a licensed well driller may do:

Lower the pump or pump intake.
Deepen the existing well.
Hydro-fracture the existing bedrock well to increase the water supply.
Drill a new well, especially if you are on a spring.

If you have work done on your well or water system:

Keep records of the work.
Disinfect your well after completing any work on the water system. Then test your water for bacteria after shock chlorination.
- Shock chlorination uses a lot of water, so it may be best to wait to disinfect your water supply until drought conditions improve.
- If bacteria are detected in your water, use a known safe water source for drinking and cooking. You can use the water for bathing, washing clothes, and flushing toilets.

Explore Financial Assistance

Funding may be available to help you pay for water treatment or to fix your water system. Please note that there are eligibility requirements that may not apply to your situation. Learn more about financial assistance programs and eligibility

What to Do Once Your Water Comes Back

When and how your water comes back depends on many factors, including how your well or spring is built, local groundwater conditions and the weather. When it comes back, it may look cloudy, dirty or discolored. It should clear clear up as you use it regularly. If it doesn't, or it has air bubbles, your water level may still be low, or air may be trapped in the system.

Follow the steps below, and:

Use a known safe source for drinking and cooking water until you test your water at a certified drinking water lab.
You can use untested well or spring water for flushing toilets, bathing and laundry.

1. Inspect your system

Look for leaks.
Make sure wires and electrical parts are not damaged. Do not touch damaged wires.
Check the well cap, seals and vents. Replace anything broken or missing.
Look for gaps, cracks or damaged grout around the well casing or spring box. Dry soil can pull away from the well casing and let surface water in.
If you see damage, contact a licensed well driller.
Check any water treatment systems and replace filters if needed.
If your water treatment system is damaged, contact a water treatment specialist.

2. Restart your system

Open any closed shut-off valves.
Turn the well pump power back on. Water should start flowing and pressure should increase.
If the pump does not start, turn off the power and contact a licensed well driller or plumber.

3. Flush your system

Flushing removes stagnant water and sediment from your plumbing. If possible, bypass any water treatment systems you have installed so they don’t get clogged.

Start with an outside spigot. Run water at a low to moderate flow until it runs clear.
- This may take 15 minutes to several hours. Be careful not to pump your well or spring dry.
- If your well refills slowly, it may take a few days.
- Make sure the water drains away from your well or spring, septic system or any nearby streams or ponds.
- Continue to use water for things like flushing toilets, washing dishes, showering and bathing. Do not use water for drinking or cooking yet.
Once the water is clear, flush all indoor faucets.
- Remove the aerators if possible, since they can clog.
- Start with the faucet farthest from where water enters your home.

Contact a licensed well driller if your water does not run clear after several hours of flushing over several days, or if there is still a lot of sediment in your water.

Contact a licensed plumber if your water pressure is low at the outside spigot, after the pressure tank or if the pump keeps tripping a breaker even when there is water in the system.

4. Restart your water heater and appliances

Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for restarting your water heater and appliances after a water outage.
Make sure the water heater is full of water before turning it on.
- Run a test cycle if possible.
- Flush the water heater by running each hot tap until the water turns cold.
- For tankless water heaters, run the hot water for 2 to 5 minutes.
- Contact a licensed plumber if you need help.

If you have an automatic ice maker, water dispenser or a plumbed refrigerator:

Replace the filter.
Flush the line by running water through it.
Throw away the first few batches of ice.

5. Reset your water treatment systems

Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to reset and restart the system after a water outage.
Check and replace any filters if you haven’t already.
You may need to flush the system if water sat in it.
Contact a certified water treatment specialist if you need help.

6. Test your water before using it for drinking and cooking

Testing is especially important after a drought since water quality can change.
We recommend using the Homeowner Testing Package to test for bacteria, inorganic chemicals and gross alpha radiation.
Make sure your water system has been fully flushed before testing. Cloudy or dirty water can affect results.

Learn how to test your water

7. What to do if contaminants are found

If your results show bacteria (total coliform or E. coli), disinfect your drinking water.

Keep using water from a known safe source for drinking, cooking, washing fruits and vegetables, brushing teeth, and making ice cubes, baby formula and concentrated juices until your test results show bacteria were “not detected.”
You may need to disinfect more than once.

If your results show other contaminants, use your water regularly for a few weeks, then test again. Some contaminants can be higher after a drought.