Is this a water well?

[Virtual Guy]

I bought property next to our house lot and found this. Looks like it might be a well but it's close to the water meter for our property so maybe it's something related to that.

 

[Russell King]

Valve to turn the water off?

Shine a light down the pipe and see what is at the bottom.

 

[Geezer3d]

What is the diameter? Any water well I have seen has a six inch casing.

 

[mcfarmall]

I'm voting for the water valve.

 

[DustyRusty]

If you have city water, it is probably a shut-off access pipe. I have never seen a white PVC pipe used for a well.

 

[Mark_BX25D]

What is the diameter? Any water well I have seen has a six inch casing.

And it's steel, not PVC or ABS. Maybe those are used in some parts of the country, but not in my neck of the woods.

 

[Virtual Guy]

Yeah it's 4" (I think) PVC. I looked down as far as I could using my phone light. Couldn't see the bottom. I have rural water next door and my meter and valve are in a rectangular box. That's probably what this is, just odd that it's so different. I'll take a flashlight down there tomorrow.

 

[The Evil Twin]

PVC well casing is pretty common these days in newer installations. It is still 6" though.
There is the possibility that, at one time, it was a manual well pump. Like the old school 4 foot handle pump you see in movies. That could be a smaller diameter.

 

[NCL4701]

Don’t know where you’d find a submersible pump that would fit down a 4” casing.

If you don’t see a valve at the bottom, could be a clean out for a drain line. That wouldn’t be unusual for a 4” PVC pipe sticking out of the ground with a cap that isn’t glued on, at least it isn’t uncommon here. A drain line from what to where…

 

[KKBL]

It appears to be a "curb box". Ask your water provider to verify what property it is for. It may be the curb stop valve for your residence.

 

[Tropical Jack]

I live in Western NC now. All of the wells casings are 6” PVC. When I lived in FL, all the casings were 4” PVC. The difference is in water levels. Much higher water table in southern FL. 4” wells are common there. Also common to have city water, and a well for irrigation.

Jack

 

[skeets]

I am assuming the cap is brass or copper, so I would conclude there is a water shut off at the bottom. Sometimes they are pretty deep the one at Moms house is about 8 feet down due to the way the line was laid

 

[Yooper]

Could be a clean out access. I have 3 of them because my sewer pipe run is so long (450’). Code says you have to have them every so many feet if your run is over ??? feet.

 

[RCW]

I noticed the cap has a “W” on it. Maybe it’s an M….

Curb boxes around here are much different, but certainly plausible

 

[torch]

Drop a plumb bob (or nut on a string, whatever) in there and see how deep it is and how far up the string is wet. Does it clang like it hit a metal valve at the bottom?

 

[GreensvilleJay]

My 'vote' is for the City water feed shut off tap, or whatever you call it...

Clues I see are
1 BLUE paint on the cap, usually blue is for water
2 'W' on the cap, 'M' has straight strokes, 'W' has tilts
3 Band of BLUE paint on the white PVC pipe near ground

Tape a flashlight (NOT your smartfone...) to a rope and lower it down. When you hit something, raise it up a foot then look down. Probably see some 'weird' looking thing,which will be the shutoff valve body.
You 'could' use your phone,set to record, lower it down,just don't blame me if YOUR knot release the phone down there..!
I'd think it might be 6-10' below grade ?

 

[The Evil Twin]

Now I really want to know!

 

[fried1765]

What is the diameter? Any water well I have seen has a six inch casing.

There are many 2" and 4" wells.

 

[Bmyers]

I think it is a vent pipe for a secret underground bunker that has thousands of dollars, weapons, and food stored in it.

A real digger-upper: Tucson man finds bomb shelter in backyard

John Sims plans to restore the fiberglass hideaway.

tucson.com

 

[D2Cat]

My 'vote' is for the City water feed shut off tap, or whatever you call it...

Clues I see are
1 BLUE paint on the cap, usually blue is for water
2 'W' on the cap, 'M' has straight strokes, 'W' has tilts
3 Band of BLUE paint on the white PVC pipe near ground

Tape a flashlight (NOT your smartfone...) to a rope and lower it down. When you hit something, raise it up a foot then look down. Probably see some 'weird' looking thing,which will be the shutoff valve body.
You 'could' use your phone,set to record, lower it down,just don't blame me if YOUR knot release the phone down there..!
I'd think it might be 6-10' below grade ?

I think you're right on! The traces of blue paint and the "W" are the big clues.