Wells and shared wells in AZ (Casa Grande, Picture Rocks: co-op, house, deed)

[LemonYellow]

Ok where I come from you don't see shared wells, only private ones.


Can anyone point me along to some info on the shared wells that I see on so many RE listings with land or that are rural?

Are they typically shared with one other house or many? Is this a "normal" thing in AZ?

Would you steer clear of these?


Thanks!!!!

[Steve Pickering]

When I lived in Maricopa you could not sell land without proving a hundred year water supply. Many of the agricultural wells were converted to domestic use. My well had 8 homes on it. The City of Casa Grande owns it now.

[keninaz]

It is common to share a well.
Make sure there is enough water for the amount of users.
Typically you set up an account where everyone puts money in the kitty to pay for any repairs. If not enough if there you do have to pony up your share of course.
I don't like shared wells as with so many people in trouble all over people are defaulting on properties let alone wells.
Wells only exist on rural or semi rural properties, I assume you know that.
My last well was shared but only with my neighbor. It was his well and it was written into the property deed that I would use that well so I had no choice in the matter.
He had a very old well, a very small pump and was a jerk. It took some time to talk him into a larger pump so we would both have water when we needed it.

[LemonYellow]

Yeah that was what I was afraid of.


So a private well would be ideal then. I just wanted to make sure I wasnt missing some non common sense clause/use that I didnt know about.

[Steve Pickering]

Figure about $25,000 and up.

[LemonYellow]

Ok if a property has a shared well AND a private well does one HAVE to use the shared well? How does that work?


Thanks for the info!!

[LordBalfor]

Originally Posted by Steve Pickering

Figure about $25,000 and up.

Actually it's impossible to really throw a figure out there without knowing the approximate water depth in a particular area. From the estimates I've received for drilling our well the cost is roughly $20-$25 per foot plus the cost of the pump, storage tank etc. Depending on your choices in this regard that part may run around $5,000 or so. For me, with water at around 300-350 feet it looks like a well, pump & storage tank will run around $13,000-$14,000 or so.

Running your power (if you don't have it already) will be additional of course - and even if you DO have power to your lot you still probably need to figure a couple of grand to get power set up.

Ken

[.45acp]

Many rural areas have a water co-op provider. Picture Rocks and Avra Valley forinstance. Excellent water btw! : )

[Steve Pickering]

Most of the wells in Arizona are 500 to 800 feet. The area in the Sulpher Springs Valley is about 150 to 300 feet. Up on the rim you can drill 2,000 feet and never find water.

[LemonYellow]

What about a "nonregistered" private well? Would that mean you can get into trouble or not be allowed to use it? I have seen a few places that have a house at least 10-20 years old listed with one.