Homes inside the City of Atlanta are served by public water from the Department of Watershed Management, so private wells are uncommon in the city itself; well pump work mostly comes up in the outer suburbs and rural edges of the metro. When a well system fails, the cause is often above ground in the pressure switch, tank or wiring rather than the pump. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Atlanta who handles private well systems.

A straight answer about wells and Atlanta
The City of Atlanta delivers treated Chattahoochee River water to homes and businesses inside its limits, and most city residents will never deal with a well. This page is for the households farther out in the metro whose water comes from their own well. If you are on city water and lose pressure, the problem lies elsewhere; see the related pages below.
How a typical well system is put together
Most wells use a submersible pump hung deep in the casing, a wire run to a control box or straight to the pressure switch, and a pressure tank in a basement, crawl space or pump house. The switch turns the pump on when pressure falls to a set point and off when it reaches the upper limit. The tank holds a cushion of air so the pump does not start every time a tap opens.
Symptoms and what they usually point to
| Symptom | Common cause |
|---|---|
| No water and the pump is silent | Tripped breaker, burned switch contacts or failed control box |
| Pump starts and stops every few seconds | Pressure tank lost its air charge or has a torn bladder |
| Weak pressure that gets worse with use | Worn pump, clogged intake or a leak in the drop pipe |
| Sputtering taps or muddy water | Water level falling near the pump intake |
| Pump runs with no taps open | Leak in the buried line or a stuck check valve |
Above-ground fixes versus pulling the pump
A good share of service calls end with a new pressure switch, a recharged or replaced tank, or a wiring repair. When the submersible pump itself fails, it has to be lifted out with its pipe and wire, which can take special equipment and sometimes a well contractor. Have the plumber confirm the fault before anyone pulls the pump.
After the work is done
Opening a well can let bacteria in. Many owners disinfect the system and send a water sample to a lab after major work, and a test is worth doing if you have never had one.
What affects the cost
The bill depends on whether the problem is above or below ground, well depth, pump type and size, the condition of the tank and wiring, how easy the wellhead is to reach, and any disinfection or testing afterward.
Well Pump Repair questions from Atlanta homeowners
Are there private wells in the City of Atlanta?
Why does my well pump turn on and off so often?
Does a dead pump always mean a new pump?
Should I test my well water after a repair?
Related plumbing services in Atlanta
Helpful guides
Well Pump Repair in nearby cities and towns
Fulton County
DeKalb County
Cobb County
Gwinnett County
Clayton County
Cherokee County
Forsyth County
Paulding County
Douglas County
Fayette County
Henry County
Coweta County
Bartow County
Spalding County
Sources
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