Signs a well is running low include air or sputtering in the lines, water that runs out during heavy use and comes back after a rest, sand or muddy water, and a pump that runs longer than it used to. A licensed pro can test the yield and may lower the pump, deepen the well, or suggest a new one.
Updated October 2026
Safety first: well pumps run on 230/240-volt circuits. Don’t open the pressure switch, control box or well cap wiring.
Why does my well keep running out of water?
Sometimes the well is fine and the equipment is failing. A worn pump or a leak can look a lot like a dry well.
| Likely cause | What you can safely check | Needs a licensed pro? |
|---|---|---|
| Water level dropped in a dry spell | Runs out after heavy use; returns after a rest | Yes, for a yield test |
| Pump set too high for today’s water level | Sputtering during long use | Yes; the pump may be lowered |
| Worn pump | Pressure slipping over months | Yes |
| Leak in the line | Pump runs with all taps closed | Yes |
| Yield dropping over years | Problems worse each summer | Yes, a licensed driller |
Can a well dry up in a drought?
- It can happen, especially with shallow wells. Long dry spells can lower water levels.
- As of late September 2026, Dane County was not in drought.
- Valley wells are often shallow. In the Town of Spring Green, the median well is about 66 feet deep with water about 12 feet down.
- Ridge wells run deeper. In the Town of Dodgeville, the median is about 292 feet, with water about 176 feet down.
Those figures are medians from DNR well records. In the same records, low water, weak yield or sand was the reason for about 1 in 4 local replacement wells.
What to do in the meantime
- Spread out laundry, showers and dishwashing.
- Hold off on lawn and garden watering.
- If the pump runs with no water, turn the breaker off.
- Look up your well’s depth and water level on its construction report.
If you need a new well
- Wisconsin drilling typically runs about $20 to $45 per foot (estimate). Deep bedrock wells can cost more.
- New wells need a $50.50 DNR notification. Dane County also requires a $226 well location permit from Public Health Madison & Dane County (608-242-6515).
- An old well unused for more than 90 days must be filled and sealed by a licensed pro.
When you need a licensed professional
- Water runs out more than once.
- You need a yield test, a lower pump setting, or a deeper or new well.
Wisconsin rules require a DNR-licensed pump installer for pump and pressure-tank work on a drinking-water well; check with DNR if you’re unsure. Drilling and deepening are done by licensed well drillers.
Related
- Well depths by town
- Air or sputtering in the lines
- Drilling a new well
- Well grants and help
- What well work costs
