Symptoms
No water after a power outage
A well pump needs electricity, so an outage means no water. When power comes back and water does not, something on the well side needs attention.
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Before power returns
Plan for drinking water and toilet flushing during outages. Ready.gov: Power Outages (opens in a new tab) lists general outage preparation steps.[source] Avoid running a generator indoors or wiring it directly to the house without a proper transfer setup.
After power returns
Check the breaker for the well. Outages and surges can trip it. Reset once. Then watch the pressure gauge. If it climbs, the system is recovering. If it stays at zero, call.
Why surges matter
When power drops and returns, or lightning strikes nearby, electrical parts like pressure switches, control boxes and constant pressure controllers can be damaged. If your system has a controller with a display, note any fault code.
What to tell the company
When the outage happened, whether there was a storm, whether the breaker had tripped, and what the gauge reads now.
Planning ahead
If outages are common where you live, ask the pump company about surge protection and about safely running the well from a generator. Write down where the well breaker is so anyone in the house can find it. Keep a few days of drinking water on hand, as emergency planning guides suggest.[source]
Questions
Can I run my well pump on a generator?
It depends on the pump and generator size and on safe wiring. Ask an electrician or the pump company.
Does an outage damage pumps?
Usually not, but surges can damage controls.
Who do I call about the outage itself?
Your electric utility.
Related help
Want to talk it through?
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