Well pump and tank work as a pair, and licensed people fix them
A well pump and pressure tank work as a pair. The pump lifts water from the well, and the tank holds a reserve under pressure so the pump does not start every time a faucet opens. Owners can check a breaker. Licensed installers handle the rest.
Compiled from the sources listed at the end. Sources checked .
For houses on a private well, in Lacey & Forked River, Waretown & Ocean Township, Barnegat, Stafford & Manahawkin, Toms River.
What are the parts?
The pump sits in or near the well and sends water to the house. The pressure tank, usually in a basement, utility room or closet, stores some water under air pressure. A switch tells the pump when to run, and it often lives near the tank alongside a gauge. Those are the pieces you are likely to see. The right pressure setting depends on the equipment, so this brief gives none.
What can I check when the water stops?
Check the breaker for the pump, and only if you can reach the panel in the dry. If it has tripped more than once, leave it and call someone. Keep your hands off anything electrical that is wet, and off all of it if you are standing in water. Anything beyond a breaker or switch check is for a licensed electrician or pump installer.
If water has been over any of this, stop. EPA's flood warning keeps that pump off until a qualified person has checked the wiring, and our flood story has the order of work.
Who works on it?
Pump installers and well drillers hold state licenses under N.J.S.A. 58:4A-4.1, and N.J.A.C. 7:9D sets rules for well permits and construction. Ask for a license, and read our hiring page before you agree to work. Ask too whether the job needs a permit.
After any repair, test the water. EPA lists well repair among the reasons to test right away, because opening a well system can bring in what you do not want.
Also asked
Why does my pump turn on and off so quickly?
Rapid cycling is often traced to the tank or the pressure switch, and only someone who can test them can say. Have an installer look, because a pump that keeps restarting can work itself hard.
How long should a pressure tank last?
We found no official figure. Ask your installer what condition the tank is in at the next service visit.
Where this comes from
- N.J.A.C. 7:9D-1.1 - licensing of drillers and pump installers (text on Cornell's Legal Information Institute).
- EPA, What to Do With Your Private Well After a Flood, updated October 2024 - pump and wiring warning.
- Ready.gov, Floods - wet electrical equipment.
- EPA Protect Your Home's Water - test after well repair.