Bahama is outside Durham city limits, and the City generally provides water only after annexation, so most rural Bahama homes rely on private wells. That puts the pump, pressure tank and controls in the owner's hands. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Bahama.
How the call works
You're calling a free referral service, not a plumbing company. The line connects you with an independent local plumber who serves northern Durham County. Be ready to describe what changed: did the water stop suddenly, fade over a few days, or start sputtering? Is the pump making noise? Has its breaker tripped?
A typical visit begins at the electrical panel and the pressure switch, then moves to the tank's air charge and the wiring at the wellhead. If those test fine and there's still no water, the pump comes up for a closer look, along with the drop pipe and check valve.
Things that move the price
- Control-side or in-well. Replacing a switch, relay or capacitor is a smaller job than replacing the submersible motor.
- Pump depth. Every additional length of pipe and wire adds lifting and reassembly time.
- The tank. An older tank that has lost its bladder usually gets replaced with the pump.
- Water treatment. High iron or manganese may call for a filter to protect the new equipment.
- Permits. Durham City-County Building & Safety issues plumbing permits for unincorporated areas, while well permits come separately from Durham County Environmental Health.
Wells and water in Bahama
Bahama is a crossroads village in northern Durham County, about 13 miles from downtown Durham, with older farmhouses along Bahama Road and Lake Michie nearby. That lake is Durham's main reservoir, but its water goes to City of Durham customers, not to rural Bahama homes. Getting City water or sewer usually requires annexation and a Utility Extension Agreement, and owners with failing wells are among those who petition for it.
Durham County Public Health's Environmental Health division permits, inspects and tests private wells (919-560-7800). UNC's countywide well data are worth a look after any pump work: 38% of 857 tested Durham County wells exceeded the manganese advisory, about 23% of 501 exceeded the iron advisory, 2.2% of 856 were over the lead action level and about 1% exceeded the arsenic standard. Those figures cover the whole county, not Bahama alone.
A short checklist before the visit
- Note the reading on the tank's pressure gauge
- Turn off the pump breaker if the motor won't stop running
- Uncover the wellhead if mulch or plants have grown over it
- Gather any records of well depth, pump age or past repairs
- Set aside water for drinking and flushing in case the pump has to come out
Well Pump Repair questions in Bahama
Where can well water be tested, and how often is reasonable?
Could I switch from my well to a public water line?
Does a well home lose water when the electricity goes out?
What leaves orange or black stains in a well home's sinks and tubs?
More plumbing services in Bahama
Well Pump Repair nearby
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