Well Inspection in Fallbrook, CA

Yield and Recovery Test

We run the pump for 2-4 hours while monitoring flow rate, water level drawdown, and recovery. This tells us the well's sustainable yield — not just peak flow but what it can deliver day after day. Fallbrook wells typically produce 5-15 GPM for residential, with agricultural wells sometimes producing 20-50+ GPM from deeper alluvial formations.

For residential buyers: 5+ GPM is comfortable for most households. 3-5 GPM works with a storage tank. Under 3 GPM requires careful water management.

For agricultural buyers: We calculate whether the well yield supports the grove's irrigation demand. A 10-acre avocado grove needs 8,000-12,000 gallons per irrigation day. If the well produces 5 GPM, that's 7,200 gallons in 24 hours — barely enough, and only if the well runs nearly continuously. You'd need a storage tank system at minimum.

Pump and Electrical Assessment

Complete electrical testing: amp draw (is the motor working too hard?), voltage at the pump (is the wire dropping voltage?), insulation resistance/megohm test (is the motor insulation failing?), control box component testing, wiring condition inspection.

Fallbrook-specific: Many Fallbrook properties have pump systems installed in the 1970s-1990s. A 30+ year old pump motor might still run, but the insulation resistance tells us whether it'll last another 5 years or 5 months. For agricultural properties, we also check three-phase power quality, phase monitors, and VFD condition if present.

Water Quality Testing

Our Fallbrook inspection water panel includes:

• Bacteria (coliform/E. coli) — safety baseline
• Nitrate — contamination indicator
• Hardness, TDS, pH — treatment planning
• Iron, manganese — staining, pump damage potential
• Boron — critical if the property has or will have avocados/citrus
• Sodium, chloride — crop sensitivity and soil impact

For grove buyers: We calculate the SAR (Sodium Adsorption Ratio) and compare all parameters against avocado and citrus sensitivity thresholds. Our report tells you not just what's in the water, but whether the water can grow the crops you're planning to grow — and what treatment would cost if it can't.

Well Casing and Infrastructure

Visual inspection of wellhead, cap, surface seal, pitless adapter, and above-ground piping. Assessment of well age (from county records when available), casing material and condition, and whether the surface seal is intact. For Fallbrook's older wells (1960s-1980s era), we specifically evaluate whether the steel casing shows signs of corrosion that could be allowing surface contamination — the most common explanation for positive coliform tests on older wells.

Pressure System and Delivery

Tank condition and sizing, pressure switch calibration, piping routing and condition, and — for agricultural properties — irrigation system compatibility. Is the pressure tank adequate for the property's demand? Is the system designed for both domestic and agricultural use, or is it a residential system being asked to do double duty?