A lot of private wells
The USGS estimates that more than 78,000 residents of the Modesto, Turlock and Merced subbasins rely on privately owned domestic wells. That is a lot of pumps, pressure tanks and control boxes, and a lot of families who need a dependable well service when one of them fails.
What USGS found in the water
In the 2022 USGS assessment of domestic groundwater in these subbasins, elevated nitrate, uranium, total dissolved solids and pesticides were tied to agricultural land use and were typically found in the shallower part of the aquifer, roughly the top 75 meters. Uranium is natural to the sediments; irrigation water can help dissolve it. Deeper, well-sealed wells tend to fare better, but testing is the only way to know.
New wells take more paperwork here
Stanislaus County adopted a Groundwater Ordinance in 2014 that reviews new wells for sustainable extraction, with exemptions such as wells that pump 2 acre-feet a year or less. During the 2022 drought, the state also required counties to check that a new well wouldn’t interfere with nearby wells or cause subsidence. Planning a replacement well starts with understanding those rules.
The jobs we see most
Pump and pump-electrical calls on rural homes, pressure tank replacements, and water treatment questions once a test comes back. A Modesto customer wrote that we called right back and had an electrical job finished within two hours (summary of a HomeAdvisor review).
What we do in Modesto
Well services in Modesto.
Well pump repair & replacement
Submersible and jet pumps diagnosed, pulled, repaired or replaced, sized to your well and your use.
Pump electrical & controls
Pressure switches, control boxes, breakers, wiring and constant-pressure controllers.
Pressure tanks & water systems
Pressure tanks checked, recharged or replaced to stop short cycling and protect the pump.
Well & pipe repair
Leaking lines, worn drop pipe, wellhead and casing problems, and system rebuilds.
Water treatment systems
Treatment matched to what a lab test actually finds in your water.
Well drilling & well destruction
New and replacement water wells, and proper destruction of old ones, under county permit.
Modesto questions
Asked and answered.
Who issues well permits in Modesto?
Stanislaus County’s Department of Environmental Resources handles well permits in the county, including review under the county Groundwater Ordinance for new wells. Wells inside some city limits or served by a public water agency may follow different rules, so the first step is confirming which rules apply to your parcel.
Is uranium in Modesto-area well water dangerous?
Uranium occurs naturally in valley sediments, and USGS found it, along with nitrate, more often in shallow groundwater in agricultural areas. At high levels over many years it is a health concern, mainly for the kidneys. Ask your lab to include uranium; if it is high, treatment such as reverse osmosis at the kitchen tap can address it.
Can I drill a new well on my Modesto property?
Often yes, but in Stanislaus County a new well goes through permit review under the Groundwater Ordinance, and drought-era rules may add checks on nearby wells. Domestic wells pumping 2 acre-feet a year or less are exempt from some of the ordinance’s prohibitions. We can walk you through the process before you commit.
Nearby
We also serve
No water? Check the well pump’s breaker. If it trips again, leave it off and call. Never open the pressure switch, control box or wellhead wiring: they’re live at 240 volts. Water suddenly changed color, smell or taste, or the well flooded? Don’t drink it until it’s tested; use bottled water. Smell gas? Leave the building and call the gas utility or 911 from outside.