The well has traditionally been one of the most important constructions in every backyard for centuries. A well was used for providing water as well as for cooling in the summer. Today, wells are still used as water sources and for cooling beverages and foodstuffs in the warm seasons. But they can also serve as decorative elements for your garden.
History of the Slavic wells
Up to the beginning of the 20th century, Slavs built their wells with wooden frames, mainly made of oak wood. The wells used to be covered with wooden shutters, and underneath them, there was a lever used for pumping water.
Nearly every village had its own spring. Much of the spring water had healthy and healing properties which is why the stone wells were built there. In some cases, animals were used for pulling the rope for getting the water up to the people.
Today’s wells
Today many people still build wells in their backyards not only as a water source but also to bring back that romantic feeling of getting the water out of the well and using it for drinking, cooling, washing and for watering the plants.
The depth of the well
If all you want is the decorative upper part of the well, you do not need to dg and drill deep in the ground, which will save you quite a lot of effort. If you know that you will reach a water source at a certain place and you want a real and working well, you should get all the materials necessary and start with the digging.
Materials for the well
The materials necessary for building a well include concrete for the basic construction and wood for the shutters. If you want to build a rooftop above the well you must get some tiles as well. For the cladding, we recommend that you use stone from Ivaylovgrad. No matter whether you choose to use cuttings or slabs, your well will shine in golden-beige or silver-grey. The gneiss cladding can be combined with a table or countertop covered with gneiss or with a gneiss path leading to the well.
You need to get a reel, chain, and bucket in order to complete the construction of your well.
If you want a purely decorative well, you can form only the upper cylindrical part without the reel, chain or the roof. Commonly an arc is placed on top of the cylindrical part of decorative wells. You can cover it with gneiss from Valmarg Stone for a perfect look.
You can use a pump for getting the water out of the well
Depending on your preferences, you can install an electric or mechanical pump to get the water out of the well easily.
You don’t need a permit, but you do have to register your well
In Bulgaria, you do not need a permit to build a well on your property, but you are required to register it. You don’t need to pay any monthly or annual fees because you do not have to install a water meter. The local law allows for the use of up to 10 cubic meters of water from a well per 24 hours.
It is essential to know the specifics of well water
The water from wells is usually with a higher concentration of minerals as compared to tap water. If you are planning on using it for drinking, you need to filter it and boil it first for safety reasons.