Which type of pump can be used with a well, regardless of the depth of the well?

• A. Centrifugal pump
• B. Jet pump
• C. Submersible pump
• D. Positive displacement pump

Answer: (C)

The pump that can be used with a well regardless of depth is designed to operate while submerged in the water inside the well. A submersible pump sits down in the well, connected by a power cable from the surface, and pushes water up through the discharge line. Because it is underwater, it doesn’t rely on lifting water by suction from the surface, so the depth of the well doesn’t limit its ability to pump—aside from practical limits like the pump’s submersion rating and cable length. This makes submersible pumps suitable for wells of any depth.

Centrifugal pumps and most jet pumps sit above ground and rely on suction to lift water, which is limited by atmospheric pressure and priming requirements, so they can’t reliably draw water from very deep wells. Positive displacement pumps have different use cases and aren’t typically chosen for standard well pumping to address depth.