Sizing A Well Pump: Wellcare®

wellcare® information for you about
Sizing a Well Pump

Proper sizing and selection of the components in your water well system, most notably the
well pump, are essential to meet your water needs today and in the future.
Role of the Well Pump

Well construction typically consists of three steps. First, your well will be drilled to meet all well
construction standards in your area. Next, a trench is dug to connect the well to your house and
other buildings. Finally, a well pump is selected that will raise water from the well and deliver it to
a storage tank in the home, where it is held under pressure until needed.
Selecting or sizing the well pump is a critical step in this process, determined by the yield of the
well and the needs of the household. The general rule is to never install a pump that has a
greater capacity than your well.
The pump usually refers to both the pump itself and an electric motor, which together make up
the pumping unit. The pump may be one of several types: shallow-well or deep- well, and jet,
submersible or reciprocating. When the pump turns on, it fills the pressure tank used for water
storage.
Determine Gallons Per Minute Required

A key to selecting the right size pump is to figure the gallons per minute of water required at
peak periods. A pump should be selected to meet normal peak demand for the household,
rather than average use. There are two common methods for sizing a residential pump system
that give similar results:
• Residential Capacity Based on Fixture Count

The capacity of the pump system in gallons per minute should equal the number of fixtures in
the home. This must take into account all use for the kitchen, bath, appliances, outside
irrigation, a pool and special fixtures, such as a hot tub.
In this model, a modern home with two bathrooms (three outlets each), kitchen sink,
dishwasher, washing machine, laundry tub and two outside hose outlets would require a
capacity of 12 gallons per minute, based on the 12 fixtures or outlets.
• Residential Capacity Based on Peak Demand

A second model, using the same fixtures and plumbing as the previous example, calculates
capacity based on a seven-minute peak demand. The peak time for household water use is
normally in the morning, when the family rises, or in the evening, when all are home. Seven
minutes is the average high water use timeframe for a shower or automatic washer. (See
Table 1, page 2.)
wellcare® information on Sizing a Well Pump June 2014
September 2003
Page 4
wellcare® information on Sizing a Well Pump Page 2
FLOW RATE TOTAL USAGE BATHROOMS IN HOME

OUTLETS GPM GALLONS 1 1 1/2 2 - 2 1/2 3-4
Shower or Bath Tub 5 35 35 35 53 70
Lavatory 4 2 2 4 6 8
Toilet 4 5 5 10 15 20
Kitchen Sink 5 3 3 3 3 3
Automatic Washer 5 35 – 18 18 18
Dishwasher 2 14 – – 3 3
Normal seven-minute *peak demand (gallons) 45 70 98 122
Minimum sized pump required to meet 7 GPM 10 GPM 14 GPM 17 GPM
peak demand without supplemental supply (420 GPH) (600 GPH) (840 GPH) (1020 GPH)
Note: Values given are average and do not include higher or lower extremes
*Peak demand can occur several times during morning and evening hours.
To determine peak demand, read down the column in Table 1 under the number of bathrooms to
the normal seven-minute peak demand total. Note this figure, which in a two-bathroom house is
98 gallons. Then read down the same column to the minimum-sized pump required to meet peak
demand, which in a two-bathroom house is 14 gallons per minute.
Address Low Well Capacity

In the best and most economical water system, the needs of the household are less than the
rate at which water can be drawn from the well. If the peak demand exceeds the maximum rate
of water available, the pump must be sized within the well capacity and the peak demand
reached through added storage capacity.
Usually a large-size pressure tank can perform this function. In fact, a larger water storage tank
can prolong the life of your pump, as it reduces the need for the pump to cycle as often. Most
wear and tear on the well pump occurs when it stops and starts.
There are times, however, when the well capacity is so low that a two-pump system is needed. In
a two-pump system, the well pump supplies water to an atmospheric storage tank. A second
pump, a shallow well unit, takes water from the atmospheric tank and discharges it into the
pressure tank or directly into the system. Its operation is controlled with a pressure switch.
Ensure Adequate Water Pressure

Water pressure is the final consideration in sizing the well pump. Pressure must be sufficient to
force the water through the piping system to the highest outlet and to properly operate modern
appliances, continuously and when other outlets are also in use.
Most appliances, such as dishwashers and washing machines, require a pressure of at least 10
pounds per square inch (psi) at their inlet for proper operation. Lawn sprinklers usually require a
minimum of 20 psi and sometimes up to 40 psi. The installation of water conditioning equipment,
such as water softeners, results in a pressure drop in the system for different flow rates and must
be considered in determining required pressure.
If the piping system is old and the inside diameters of the pipes are reduced due to deposits of
rust or lime, the friction loss through the system will be great.
WELL WATER - NATURALLY BETTER®

Page 5
wellcare® information on Sizing a Well Pump Page 3
Therefore, a higher pressure setting will be required. If the pump is located a distance from the
house, and particularly if it is at a lower elevation, higher pressure is required. Most modern water
systems are set to operate between 30 psi to 50 psi or between 40 psi to 60 psi.
A conservative method of determining the best pressure setting is to have a pressure of 20

psi at the inlet side of the fixture that is the highest and farthest from the pump, as measured
when water is flowing through the fixture.
Select the Right Pump

Each type of well pump has advantages and limitations. In working with your water well
professional, review some of the following factors before making a final selection:
• Adequate capacity (gallons per minute) for present and future use.
• Adequate pressure for present and future use and for the possibility of a lower water level
in the well.
• Cost of the pump.
• Cost of the labor to install the pump.
• Cost of materials to install the pump, such as piping, fittings, accessories, well pit, etc.
• Power supply.
• Area needed to install the pump. Is there enough space available?

• Reliability of the pump.
• Cost and ease of servicing the pump.
• Cost of operating the pump, including power and parts.
For more information on sizing a well pump see our Water Systems Handbook which gives
extensive detail on how to determine water capacity needs and required equipment, such as pumps
and storage tanks.
FOR MORE INFORMATION to help you maintain your well and protect your water supply
wellcare® is a program of the Water Systems Council (WSC). WSC is the

only national organization solely focused on protecting the health and water
supply of the 43 million people nationwide who depend on household wells
for their water supply.
This publication is one in a series of wellcare® information sheets. There are more than 90
information sheets available FREE at www.watersystemscouncil.org.
Well owners and others with questions about wells or groundwater can also contact the FREE
wellcare® Hotline at 1-888-395-1033 or visit www.wellcarehotline.org.
JOIN THE WELLCARE® WELL OWNERS NETWORK!

By joining the FREE wellcare® Well Owners Network, you will receive regular information on
how to maintain your well and protect your well water.
Contact us at 1-888-395-1033 or visit www.watersystemscouncil.org or www.wellcarehotline.org.
WELL WATER - NATURALLY BETTER®

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wellcare® information for you about

Sizing a Well Pump

Role of the Well Pump

Determine Gallons Per Minute Required

• Residential Capacity Based on Fixture Count

• Residential Capacity Based on Peak Demand

wellcare® information on Sizing a Well Pump June 2014

FLOW RATE TOTAL USAGE BATHROOMS IN HOME

Address Low Well Capacity

Ensure Adequate Water Pressure

WELL WATER - NATURALLY BETTER®

A conservative method of determining the best pressure setting is to have a pressure of 20

Select the Right Pump

• Cost of the labor to install the pump.

• Area needed to install the pump. Is there enough space available?

• Cost and ease of servicing the pump.

• Cost of operating the pump, including power and parts.

wellcare® is a program of the Water Systems Council (WSC). WSC is the

JOIN THE WELLCARE® WELL OWNERS NETWORK!

Contact us at 1-888-395-1033 or visit www.watersystemscouncil.org or www.wellcarehotline.org.

WELL WATER - NATURALLY BETTER®

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