What is Well Rehabilitation?
Well rehabilitation restores declining wells to improved or original production capacity. Over time, all wells experience reduced output due to mineral scale buildup, biofouling, sediment clogging, or changes in the aquifer. Rather than immediately drilling a new well—which costs $20,000-$50,000+—rehabilitation can often restore your well for a fraction of that investment.
At Southern California Well Service, we begin every rehabilitation project with a thorough assessment including video inspection to identify the specific cause of decline. This allows us to recommend the most effective treatment method and provide realistic expectations for improvement.
💡 Save Money with Rehabilitation
Most well rehabilitation projects cost $5,000-$15,000 compared to $25,000-$50,000+ for a new well. If your well is less than 40 years old and hasn't completely failed, rehabilitation is usually worth exploring first.
Signs Your Well Needs Rehabilitation
📉 Declining Water Production
Your well once produced 10 GPM but now only delivers 3-5 GPM. Gradual decline over months or years often indicates treatable buildup.
⬇️ Dropping Water Levels
Static water level has dropped significantly, requiring pump lowering or causing the pump to pull air during heavy use.
🏜️ Well Runs Dry Faster
You used to run irrigation for hours; now the well can't keep up after 30 minutes. Recovery time has lengthened.
🔴 Discolored Water
Rusty, orange, or tea-colored water often indicates iron bacteria or mineral buildup that's also clogging your well.
⚡ Pump Works Harder
Higher electricity bills, pump running constantly, or pump cycling frequently despite low water use suggests restricted flow.
🏚️ Aging Well (20+ Years)
Even healthy wells benefit from rehabilitation after 20-30 years of service. Proactive treatment extends well lifespan significantly.
Well Rehabilitation Methods
We employ multiple rehabilitation techniques, often combining methods for best results:
🔧 Mechanical Cleaning & Surging
Physically removing debris, sediment, and loose scale from the well. Surging uses rapid water displacement to loosen clogging material near the well screen. Often the first step in any rehabilitation.
Best for: Sediment accumulation, loose debris, general well cleaning
Cost: $2,000 - $5,000
🧪 Chemical/Acid Treatment
Dissolves mineral scale (calcium, magnesium, iron) and kills bacteria. We use specialized well acids that are effective but safe for groundwater. Treatment is followed by extensive flushing to remove dissolved material.
Best for: Calcium scale, iron deposits, iron bacteria, mineral encrustation
Cost: $3,000 - $8,000
💥 Hydrofracturing
High-pressure water injection opens existing fractures and creates new ones in bedrock, improving water flow into the well. Particularly effective in granite and other fractured rock formations common in San Diego County mountains.
Best for: Low-yield wells in fractured rock, improving connection to water-bearing fractures
Cost: $5,000 - $15,000
📏 Well Deepening
Drilling deeper into the existing well to reach additional water-bearing formations. Effective when upper aquifer levels have dropped but casing is in good condition. Adds 50-200+ feet to existing depth.
Best for: Dropped water tables, accessing deeper aquifers, drought-related production loss
Cost: $8,000 - $25,000+
🔄 Screen Replacement
Replacing corroded or damaged well screens that restrict water entry. May involve removing old screen and installing new, properly sized screen matched to formation.
Best for: Corroded screens, improper original screen size, sand infiltration
Cost: $5,000 - $15,000
Our Rehabilitation Process
1. Initial Assessment
We review your well's history, measure current production, and discuss when decline began and how quickly it progressed. This information guides our diagnostic approach.
2. Video Inspection
A downhole camera reveals casing condition, scale buildup, biofouling, screen damage, and sediment accumulation. This is critical for determining the cause of decline and whether rehabilitation is viable.
3. Pump Removal
We pull the existing pump to access the full well depth. The pump is inspected and may be serviced while out. Some rehabilitation methods require an empty well.
4. Treatment Application
Based on diagnosis, we apply the appropriate rehabilitation method(s). This may involve mechanical cleaning, chemical treatment, hydrofracturing, or combination approaches.
5. Development & Flushing
After treatment, we develop the well to remove loosened material and flush out any treatment chemicals. This continues until water runs clear and flow stabilizes.
6. Yield Testing
We conduct a pump test to verify improvement and determine new sustainable yield. This data confirms rehabilitation success and guides pump reinstallation.
7. Pump Reinstallation
The pump is reinstalled at the optimal depth for the well's new performance characteristics. System is tested and verified working properly.
Rehabilitation vs. New Well: Cost Comparison
Well Rehabilitation
$5,000 - $15,000
- ✓ 1-3 day project
- ✓ No new permits needed
- ✓ Uses existing infrastructure
- ✓ Often restores 50-90% capacity
- ✓ Extends well life 10-20+ years
New Well Drilling
$25,000 - $50,000+
- • 4-8 week project with permits
- • New permits required
- • New pump, tank, electrical
- • No guarantee of production
- • Abandonment of old well
Bottom line: If your well is structurally sound and less than 40 years old, rehabilitation often makes sense financially. Video inspection ($300-$500) quickly determines if rehabilitation is viable.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does well rehabilitation cost?
Well rehabilitation costs vary from $2,000 to $25,000+ depending on the method used. Basic mechanical cleaning and surging runs $2,000-$5,000. Chemical/acid treatment adds $3,000-$8,000. Hydrofracturing costs $5,000-$15,000. Well deepening is the most expensive at $8,000-$25,000+. Many wells can be restored for $5,000-$10,000—significantly less than drilling new ($20,000-$50,000).
When should I consider well rehabilitation vs. drilling new?
Consider rehabilitation if: your well is less than 30-40 years old, production has gradually declined (not suddenly stopped), the well was previously productive (5+ GPM), and the casing is in good condition. A video inspection ($300-$500) reveals whether rehabilitation is viable. If the well is very old, has severe casing damage, or aquifer conditions have changed, drilling new may be the better investment.
What causes well production to decline?
Common causes include: mineral scale buildup on screens and perforations (especially calcium, iron, manganese), biofouling from iron bacteria, fine sediment clogging formation around well, pump efficiency decline, lowered aquifer water levels from drought or overuse, and screen or casing deterioration. A professional assessment identifies the specific cause to determine the best rehabilitation approach.
How long does well rehabilitation take?
Most well rehabilitation projects take 1-3 days for the actual work, plus assessment time upfront. Mechanical cleaning and chemical treatment can often be completed in 1-2 days. Hydrofracturing typically takes 1 day. Well deepening may take 2-4 days depending on depth added. After treatment, we pump the well to flush debris and verify improved production before reconnecting your system.
How much can well rehabilitation improve production?
Results vary based on the cause of decline and treatment method. Successful rehabilitation commonly restores 50-90% of original capacity. Wells clogged with scale or biofouling often see dramatic improvement—sometimes doubling or tripling current output. Hydrofracturing in fractured rock formations can increase production 2-10x in favorable conditions. We provide realistic expectations based on video inspection and well history.
Related Services
Hydrofracturing
High-pressure treatment to improve well yield in fractured rock.
Well Video Inspection
See inside your well to diagnose problems before treatment.
Well Service & Maintenance
Ongoing care to prevent future decline and maximize well life.
Well Abandonment
If rehabilitation isn't viable, proper abandonment is required.
Is Your Well Producing Less Water?
Don't assume you need a new well. Get a professional assessment to determine if rehabilitation can restore your well at a fraction of the cost. We'll give you an honest evaluation.