Well and pump service
Well pump installation sized to your well
We size your pump to match actual well yield, not the number of bathrooms in your house.
Nanaimo Well Drilling handles pump installation across Parksville and the Regional District of Nanaimo. Our registered well pump installer fits a backflow prevention device on every permanent job under the Groundwater Protection Regulation. We size your equipment to measured yield, whether that is 2 US gallons a minute in Cedar or 3 in Errington. We give you a written breakdown before we install anything.
We size a pump to the well's measured yield. Matching the pump to actual water flow keeps it running smoothly, so storage tanks handle household surges on low-yielding wells.
The price of your pump setup depends on well depth, water flow, and whether you need storage or water treatment added. Setting up a shallow sand well differs completely from putting a pump into a 60 m rock well giving 3 US gallons a minute down the street.
Why can't a bigger pump give you more water?
Putting in a bigger pump will never force rock that produces 2 to 3 US gallons a minute to deliver extra water. Instead, a properly sized pump fills a holding tank throughout the day so your family draws peak water from storage. We design storage for most low-yield wells in this area after measuring real flow rates rather than guessing.
What does the Province require of a pump install?
A well pump must be installed so the casing is not damaged or moved, with a liner where the well is unstable, and so nothing foreign can enter the well. Provincial rules require a backflow prevention device whenever someone installs a permanent well pump. Under the Groundwater Protection Regulation, only registered pump installers can fit, repair, pull, or test well pumps. We install to that standard on your well.
Why does the wellhead matter to your pump?
Your pump stays safe only if the wellhead sitting above ground is properly built and sealed. A broken cap, casing left level with the dirt, or a missing surface seal lets dirty water drain down to your pump. The Regional District of Nanaimo rebates that work for you — up to $650 per wellhead, including $200 toward casing stick-up and $300 toward a surface seal. The RDN offers one Wellhead Upgrade Rebate per wellhead, and you must finish 2026 work between 1 January and 15 December.
What we quote on a pump job
Pump sizing and installation
We pick your pump based on tested yield, lower it carefully down the casing, and install backflow prevention.
Storage and low-yield design
We set up pumps to fill holding tanks steadily so high water use draws from storage instead of stressing the ground.
Wellhead repair
Caps, casing stick-up and surface seals brought back to the construction standard.
How we size your pump system
- 1
Measure the well — we test the well depth and static water level first, so we know exact yield before choosing equipment.
- 2
Size the system — we size the pump and add storage tanks if yield is low, matching everything to tested flow numbers.
- 3
Install — we set it without damaging or moving the casing, and fit backflow prevention.
- 4
Check the wellhead — we inspect the cap, stick-up and seal while access is open.
What if your well doesn't give much?
Yields here are modest, and we design for that. At Errington, Aquifer 220 has low productivity with a median yield of 3 US gallons a minute and a lower quartile of 1. Aquifer 162 at Cedar and Yellow Point sits near 2. Gabriola Island runs about 4.5. We use those actual flow rates to size your pump system so it keeps supplying water through dry summer months.
People also ask
Can a bigger pump get more water out of a well?
No. A pump can only lift the amount of water the surrounding ground releases. A larger pump on a low-yield well draws the water level down faster, runs dry sooner and shortens its own life. Adding a holding tank fixes slow water flow, whereas a stronger motor changes nothing.
Who is allowed to install a well pump?
A registered well pump installer, or a registered well driller. The Groundwater Protection Regulation restricts installing, fixing, pulling, or testing well pumps to registered installers.
Is a backflow preventer actually required?
Yes, on a permanent well pump installation. It stops water in the delivery line running back into the well and carrying anything with it.
Does the Regional District help with wellhead work?
Yes. The Wellhead Upgrade Rebate covers up to $650 per wellhead — including $50 toward a cap on a drilled well, $200 toward casing stick-up and $300 toward a surface seal. The RDN offers one Wellhead Upgrade Rebate per wellhead, and you must finish 2026 work between 1 January and 15 December.
Related: well rehabilitation, what the Province requires of a water well, and water wells in Cedar and Yellow Point.
Find out what is under your property.
Free written quotes across the rural Regional District of Nanaimo and in Parksville.