If the drawdown in a well increases, what is likely happening?

When the drawdown in a well increases, it typically indicates that the water levels are being reduced more heavily than before. This often points to one potential issue: the screen of the well may be becoming clogged. When a well screen is clogged with sediment, minerals, or biological growth, the flow of water into the well is restricted. As a consequence, the pump has to work harder to draw water, leading to increased drawdown measurements within the well.

The relationship between drawdown and screen condition reflects how effectively the well can extract groundwater. If the screen is free of obstructions, drawdown will generally stabilize at a certain level reflecting equilibrium. An escalating drawdown suggests that the aquifer cannot replenish the well as efficiently because of the impediments at the screen level. Thus, the increased need to lower the water level in the well points to a reduction in water inflow, which is likely caused by a clogged screen rather than a rise in water levels, a pump failure, or improved water quality.