# Dug well or borehole: which is better for a private house

> How a dug well differs from a borehole in depth, water quality and yield, which pump each needs and which to choose for a house or cottage.

Web page: https://watertrade.com.ua/en/articles/article/kolodec-ili-skvazhina · Other languages: [UA](https://watertrade.com.ua/articles/article/kolodec-ili-skvazhina.md), [RU](https://watertrade.com.ua/ru/articles/article/kolodec-ili-skvazhina.md)

*November 11, 2026*

![Cross-section: a dug well of concrete rings with a surface pump, and a borehole with casing and a submersible pump in a deep aquifer](https://watertrade.com.ua/uploads/articles/well-vs-borehole.jpg)

Water for a private house usually comes from a dug well or a borehole. Both work, but they suit different needs: a well is simpler and cheaper, while a borehole gives more water and is more often of better quality. Decide before you buy the pump and pipes.

## What the diagram shows

1 — a well made of concrete rings, 2 — water in the well from the upper aquifer, 3 — the borehole screen in a deep aquifer, 4 — the borehole casing with a submersible pump.

## Dug well

- **Depth** is usually up to 10–15 m: a well draws from the first aquifer.
- **The water** is close to the surface, so run-off, fertiliser and rainwater reach it more easily. Testing well water is especially important.
- **Quantity.** The supply is limited to what stands in the rings and what flows in. The level often drops in summer.
- **The pump** is a surface booster set or a submersible well pump.
- **Pros:** cheaper, can be dug by hand, and you can still draw water with a bucket during a power cut.

## Borehole

- **Depth** ranges from 15–20 m into sand to a hundred metres or more into limestone.
- **The water** is better protected from surface contamination but often contains iron, manganese or hardness salts — you will need a filter chosen from a water test.
- **Quantity.** The yield is usually higher than a well’s and depends less on the season.
- **The pump** is a submersible borehole pump sized for the depth and yield.
- **Cons:** more expensive, needs a drilling rig, and without electricity you cannot raise the water.

## How to choose

1. **Ask the neighbours** how deep their water is, what it is like and whether their wells run dry in summer. It is the most reliable information about your plot.
2. **For a summer cottage with garden watering**, a well or a shallow sand borehole is often enough.
3. **For a house lived in all year**, with a water heater, washing machine and several bathrooms, a borehole is more reliable.
4. **Either way, test the water** and choose the treatment — see [“How to choose a water filter”](https://watertrade.com.ua/en/articles/article/kak-vybrat-filtr-dlya-vody).

> A well or borehole must be well away from a cesspit, septic tank and places where animals are kept. Sanitary rules set the distances, so check them before work starts.

For a borehole pump, see [“How to choose a borehole pump”](https://watertrade.com.ua/en/articles/article/vybor-skvazhinnogo-nasosa); for a well, see [“A booster pump set for a private house”](https://watertrade.com.ua/en/articles/article/skhema-podklyucheniya-nasosnoj-stancii). Pumps and controls are in [pumps](https://watertrade.com.ua/en/catalogue/nasosy).

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