A shallow borehole test log is useful when you need an understandable system history rather than one impressive photograph. It helps discuss declining flow, seasonal changes and maintenance. However, an owner's notes do not replace professional testing or laboratory water analysis. Their purpose is simpler: record what actually happened, when and under which conditions so results from different days can be compared.
One sheet for one system
At the top, record the source identifier, pump model and sampling or flow measurement point. If you have several water needles or a separate irrigation line, give them clear names. Garden water may mean nothing six months later. A small diagram showing pipe direction and the measurement point is useful, but should not contain private logins or unrelated information.
Keep installation documents, previous test records and the equipment manual with the sheet. Do not fill in an unknown depth with a guess. Marking it “no information available” is more honest and practically useful than an inaccurate figure that everyone later repeats. The USGS guide for rural homeowners distinguishes replenishment, drawdown and pump operation; these should not be combined into the single word yield.
Starting each test
For each day, enter the date, start time and system rest period. Note whether anyone irrigated, showered or filled a tank beforehand. If you do not know, say so. The initial level or first-minute flow after a long rest is not directly comparable with a measurement after several hours of active use.
Also record observed surroundings: a long dry spell, heavy rain yesterday or excavation on the plot. This does not automatically establish a cause. One downpour does not prove it changed a deeper aquifer. The note preserves a circumstance a specialist can later assess alongside other information.
Calculate flow clearly
If a volume-and-time method can be used safely, record both original quantities. For example, 10 litres in 30 seconds equals 20 litres per minute. This is the flow at that moment and point, not automatic proof of long-term source capacity. Use a container of known volume, measure the time and maintain the agreed conditions during the test.
Do not record an approximate bucket as an accurate ten-litre measure. Remember that another open tap can change the result. If a meter shows flow, record the reading and unit. Litres per minute and cubic metres per hour must be clearly distinguished; conversion does not improve measurement reliability.
Operating water level and its reference
Record level only where appropriate, safe measurement is possible. Do not dismantle a sealed assembly merely to insert a random rope or object. Agree the measuring tool and method with a specialist to avoid contamination or damage. If reliable measurement is unavailable, clearly mark not measured in the table.
Every level needs a reference: the measurement point and whether it was measured at rest or during pumping. Water at eight metres is insufficient without these details. Different pumping flows also change the comparison. Before comparing two days' figures, establish that the conditions were similar.
Duration and changes during operation
Mark the test start in one row and flow, pressure and observations after an agreed interval in another. Continue only under the contractor's agreed safe procedure. If air or sand appears or protection trips, do not persist at all costs for the planned duration. That event is itself an important result to record accurately.
Separate measurement from impression. The gauge showed less is an observation; pressure fell from a particular reading to another is comparable information. Even a pressure reading does not reveal everything about source water level, however. If gauge accuracy or condition is uncertain, note it rather than adding supposed measurement precision.
How should water appearance be recorded?
Use neutral descriptions: visible particles, cloudy water or sediment after settling. Do not write good water if only visual observation was performed. Use the same container and a similar background for photos. Do not compare untreated water with a sample taken after differently maintained filters without recording the difference.
Suitability for food preparation is established by appropriate tests, not an attractive log. CDC water testing guidance emphasises additional testing after suspicious environmental or system changes. This is a general technical principle; in Lithuania, agree the test programme and sampling with the laboratory and responsible specialists.
A short example of one entry
A suitable entry might say: on Wednesday morning the system had not been used overnight, the same outdoor tap was measured, other outlets were closed, the container filled in the recorded time and no visible particles were observed. Add another row after the agreed operating interval. This description needs no specialist vocabulary but preserves important measurement conditions.
Yesterday was better, today worse is an inadequate entry. It may correctly convey the owner's impression but cannot distinguish a different flow, longer running or additional use. If you make a mistake, do not hide the previous value: mark the correction and reason. It then remains clear which information is original and which was recalculated later.
After the test and over subsequent days
Record shutdown time, further use and the next observation after rest. A long table for every minute is unnecessary unless a specialist prescribed that test. Five consistent rows are more valuable than many random figures. Use the same columns in a digital table and do not change units halfway through the observation period.
After several days, do not select only the best row. Compare the whole sequence, identify unfavourable operating modes and give the original to the contractor. The water supply questionnaire can help collect initial information, and the enquiry form lets you submit it for assessment. A good log does not promise water quantity for the entire year, but helps make a decision based less on guesswork.
Information sources
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