Well

For the village in Hampshire, see Well, Hampshire.

A well is a hole that is dug into the Earth to get a fluid. Most wells reach down to the water table to get water. There are also oil well s and gas wells.

A well where a horse or a donkey is used to draw water

A well in Sénégal, with a woman getting water there

Wells can be as simple as a hole that a bucket on a rope can be lowered into, or very complex with pipes and high-powered pumps to get the water out. Most cities that are not close to fresh water lakes or rivers get their water from wells.

It is important to be careful what rubbish is put into the ground near a well. If something toxic is put in the ground, it could go in the groundwater and the well and make people sick.

A qanat is an ancient complex water well system used in the Middle East.

Water is a problem for many African countries. Many charities are helping to build wells in local villages so people need not go far to get water.

A well only works if underneath there is a source of water, such as an aquifer, which feeds it.