If you’ve ever seen a well that seems to “push” water upward on its own, you’ve likely heard someone call it an artesian well and the water it produces is often called artesian well water or artesian water. But here’s the simple truth: artesian isn’t a “type of water” as much as it’s a description of how groundwater is stored and delivered under natural pressure.
In groundwater terms, artesian refers to water that’s confined under pressure between less-permeable layers (like clay or shale). When a well taps that confined zone, the water level in the well can rise above the top of the aquifer, sometimes high enough to reach the surface and flow.
How Does an Artesian Well Work?
Think of an artesian aquifer like a water-filled layer sandwiched between “tight” layers. Rain and snowmelt can recharge the aquifer at higher elevations. As water moves into the confined layer, it becomes pressurized like water in a hose with the nozzle partially closed.
When you drill a well into that confined zone:
- The well intersects the pressurized aquifer.
- Water rises in the well casing to a level called the potentiometric surface.
- If that rising water level is above ground surface, you get a flowing artesian well.
What Is an Artesian Spring? (Artesian Springs Explained)
An artesian spring happens when the pressurized groundwater finds a natural pathway to the surface through fractures, faults, or low points in the landscape without drilling.
In plain terms:
- A spring is a natural outlet.
- A well is a drilled outlet.
Artesian Well vs Spring
It is one of the most searched questions: is artesian water the same as spring water?
Here’s the clean answer:
- Spring water comes from a spring (a natural discharge point).
- Artesian water is defined by pressure and confinement, usually accessed by a well (though artesian conditions can feed a spring)
However, both can overlap only if the spring is fed by a pressurized confined aquifer (an artesian spring). Otherwise, they’re different concepts.
Where Does Artesian Water Come From?
It typically recharges from precipitation (rain/snow) that infiltrates the ground in a recharge area and moves into a confined aquifer.
Some artesian systems are massive. A famous example is the Great Artesian Basin in Australia, one of the largest groundwater basins, spanning multiple regions and supporting communities and ecosystems.
Is Artesian Water Good for You? Benefits, Health, and Safety
It can be but artesian water is not automatically “better” or “cleaner.” The water may not be different in itself; what’s different is how it reaches the surface (pressure in a confined aquifer).
Benefits:
People may prefer artesian well water because it can be:
- Consistent in temperature and supply (depending on the aquifer)
- Mineral-influenced in taste (again: geology-dependent)
- Often perceived as “natural artesian water” because it’s groundwater protected by confining layers
But benefits are not universal. Natural well water can contain:
- Minerals (hardness, iron, manganese)
- Naturally occurring elements (like arsenic in some regions)
- Microbial contamination if the wellhead is compromised or after flooding
Is artesian water safe to drink?
The only way to know is to test. Health agencies recommend regular testing for private wells, at least annually, for indicators like coliform bacteria, nitrates, total dissolved solids, and pH (and additional tests based on local risks).
Is artesian water alkaline?
Sometimes. Many brands market “naturally alkaline” artesian water, but pH varies by geology. It’s not guaranteed by the word “artesian”.
Artesian water softener?
If your artesian groundwater is hard (high calcium/magnesium), a water softener can help with scaling. But a softener is not a “catch-all” for safety, contaminants require the right treatment matched to lab results.
Why Artesian Systems Still Need Monitoring
Because artesian wells rely on pressure, they can create unique operational risks:
- Overflow risk (if a flowing artesian well is uncontrolled)
- Pressure swings that change flow rate, tank refill cycles, or pump behavior
- Silent leaks (a slow flow increase/decrease can be easy to miss until damage occurs)
- Seasonal recharge changes affecting the potentiometric surface
This is where modern monitoring becomes a practical advantage for well professionals and the customers they serve.
What to monitor on an artesian well water system
Even if water flows naturally, most real systems still include tanks, valves, and sometimes pumps/boosters. Useful signals include:
- Water flow
- Tank level
- Pressure
- Pump runtime / cycling
- Threshold alerts (high/low level, abnormal flow, unexpected pump activity)
NightOwl’s monitoring approach is built around exactly these real-world needs, tracking the tank levels, pump activity, and water flow, with alerts by app/email/text and a cloud dashboard for trends and reporting. And importantly, NightOwl is designed with water well professionals in mind.
