A town named for water
Siloam Springs grew up around its springs and Sager Creek, right on the Oklahoma line. Those springs are the karst aquifer showing itself: water that soaked into the limestone upland coming back out downhill.
Acreage toward Gentry
Outside town, the country toward Gentry, Springtown and Cherokee City is pasture, poultry and growing acreage. New homes here often need their own well and septic system on the same lot, so the 100-foot setback between a well and a septic tank or field line shapes the whole site plan.
Irrigation and gardens
Larger lots bring gardens, orchards and pasture that need water through the summer. An irrigation well must stand at least 100 feet from any drinking-water well, and it doesn’t carry the same disinfection requirements, so keep the two jobs separate.
Rules and permits
Arkansas wells are built only by licensed water well contractors under the state’s well construction rules (Arkansas Department of Agriculture, Water Well Construction Committee). The contractor files a construction report with the well’s coordinates within 90 days. Bacteria testing for private wells goes through the Arkansas Department of Health’s lab via the local health unit, and septic systems are permitted by the Health Department. Cities may have their own rules about private wells inside city limits, so ask your city if you’re inside one.
Bed 05Questions from Siloam Springs
Local answers.
Is a spring on my land as good as a well?
Usually not for drinking. Springs are the aquifer’s outlets and are generally more susceptible to surface contamination than a cased, sealed well. If you rely on one, test it often.
Do I need a well and septic plan before I build outside Siloam Springs?
Yes. Plan both together. The well needs at least 100 feet from the septic tank and lines in typical soils, and the septic system needs its own Health Department permit, so the site plan works best with both on it.
Can I drill an irrigation well for my garden and pasture?
Yes. Keep it at least 100 feet from any well used for drinking water, and remember an irrigation well isn’t built or disinfected to drinking-water standards.