12 hour well test?

[Paddy]

Anyone know anything about wells?  We are in probate and selling our parent's home.  The buyer's broker (not the buyer) is demanding a 12 hour well test instead of the usual 4 hours.  It seems a waste to pay for a man and a truck and equipment (not to mention dumping 7200+ gallons of water on the ground) for 12 hours.

Is this reasonable?  What will a 12 hour test determine that a 4 hour test won't?

[K Frame]

Sounds like the people have plans for some serious water hogging equipment, such as a swimming pool or Orca pond.

They want to make sure if they try to fill something large that the aquifer won't deplete after 6 or 8 hours. It can happen.

Find out what's standard and reasonable in your area, and stick with that. Tell the broker where to stick it, that you're not going to invest that kind of money, and waste. Especially do that if you have other buyers lined up.

This is kind of dated, but it might still be applicable.

www.groundh2o.org/standard_practices/article_450.pdf

[cfabe]

That's going to depend largely on local environment and tradition. Around here they normally just pump for an hour, and if that runs it dry, measure recovery over 30 minutes or so.

[grampster]

Tell him ok.  He pays all of the cost and cleanup, and 50% of the cost of any new well or equipment.  What he is asking is unreasonable.

[Paddy]

Apparently, 4 hours is the standard around here.  That's what was contemplated before the broker released the offer and changed it to 12.  My brother and I were so happy to get a full price offer, we signed off, but not without questioning it.  Within a day, we understood that a 4 hour test would be fine, and the escrow instructions were written amending the offer and acceptance.  But before the escrow instructions were signed by everyone, the broker was back to demanding th 12 hour test, pointing to the accepted offer.

The buyer never requested or wanted a 12 hour test.  The broker demanded it.  It chaps my ass to be dictated to by a used dirt salesman, but that's what we initially agreed to so I guess we're stuck with it.

[K Frame]

You've just learned a very valuable lesson about having someone (a real estate attorney, a realtor you trust) review anything that's written BEFORE you sign it.

If this destroys the well for some reason (rare, but I've heard of it happening before), you're stuck with the cost of the test PLUS the cost of the new well while this butt much walks away scott free.

I'd suggest consulting an attorney to see if you can get out of the test due to its unreasonable and uncustomary nature for your area.

Find out why the broker is demanding a 12 hour test.

[cfabe]

If you already accepted the contract with the 12 hour test in it I'm not sure if there's much you can do about it. I think there's some legal thing where you can get out of a contract within 72 hours, but that would be something to talk to your lawyer about.

[MaterDei]

It makes no sense that the buyer's agent would want to potentially scuttle this deal.

What's up?

[Paddy]

It was reviewed by BOTH our realtor and our attorney before we signed it.  The realtor questioned it, the attorney did not.  Since it was a full price offer with only two contingencies we were anxious to get it into escrow. Within hours of signing, there was a verbal agreement to do only the 4 hour test, but before amended escrow instrutions could be signed, the buyer's broker was demanding the 12 hour test.  Seems he's 'heard' some of the wells in the area had 'problems'.  I don't get to talk to him, he's the buyer's agent's broker, so I don't know what his thinking is.  Maybe it's a CYA or maybe it's just a power trip, but it runs the risk of derailing the deal.   Anyway, we're stuck with it, but I'm demanding all contingencies be removed BEFORE we do the test.

[Paddy]

Thanks for the replies, they were helpful.  I talked to the well pump guy yesterday and he said yes, they run the pump for 12 hours and measure how much water comes up.  If the well stops producing water, they time how long it takes for it to recharge.  It's basically a full on aquifer test, although done without the services of a hydrologist.

Whatever. Interest rates are going up, and I want this deal to close.

[Paddy]

OK, did the well test yesterday and here's what happened.  The pump is at 156', water level started at 70'.  Pumped for 1 hour @ 10gpm, water level dropped to 150'.  Pumped for another hour @ 5gpm, water level began to drop.  Kept water level @150' for next 10 hours, measured +-2.1 gpm.  That is the recharge rate, 2.1 gpm.  That should be good enough for a 2 acre parcel.  Cold, clear water, no sulphur, iron bacteria, etc.