Cost to run

How much does a well pump cost to run?

A well pump bills you per gallon of household water: every shower, laundry load, and sprinkler zone triggers motor runtime. Depth of the well and pressure-tank health set the efficiency.

Content reviewed 2026-07-15 · Rates published 2026-09-24 · methodology appliance-energy-1.0.0 · data vintage 2026-07-ytd

Using the family with a yard assumptions below, electricity costs about $0.16 per day of use and $4.82 for 30 days of use at the Texas average rate. Adjust the calculator for your equipment and schedule.

Example costs using the Texas state-average rate

These are generated examples for a consistent location. Enter your own ZIP and usage below for a more relevant state-average estimate.

Scenario	Assumption	kWh/month	Cost/day of use	Monthly range	Cost at 365 days/year
Two-person household	About an hour of pumping a day 1000 W × 1 h/day × 0.6 duty × 30 days × 1 unit(s)	18.00	$0.10	$1.91–$4.27	$35.17
Family with a yard	Two hours of pumping including light irrigation 1000 W × 2 h/day × 0.5 duty × 30 days × 1 unit(s)	30.00	$0.16	$3.19–$7.12	$58.62
Deep well, heavy summer use	Four hours daily from a 1.5-HP deep-well pump 1500 W × 4 h/day × 0.55 duty × 30 days × 1 unit(s)	99.00	$0.53	$10.53–$23.51	$193.44

Wattage, runtime and duty cycle below are illustrative assumptions, not measurements of a particular model. Annual figures assume use on all 365 days; monthly figures use each scenario's stated number of days.

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.B. Data vintage 2026-07-ytd. State-average pricing is not your exact utility tariff.

Calculate your own usage

Your inputs

ZIP code

Used to pick your state’s average electricity rate. We don’t need your street address.

ApplianceHow manyHours used per day (optional)

Leave blank to use a typical default for this appliance.

Rated watts (from the appliance label)Duty cycle (0–1; share of time drawing full power)Days per month

Your estimate — a range, confidence level, and the sources behind it — will appear here.

Every gallon has a wattage price

The pump lifts water from depth and pressurizes the tank, so consumption tracks household gallons plus irrigation. Deeper wells demand bigger motors working longer per gallon, which the deep-well scenario reflects.

The pressure tank is the efficiency organ

A healthy tank lets the pump fill a reserve and rest; a waterlogged tank forces a start for every faucet touch. Frequent short starts draw surge current and wear the motor — the same pathology sump pits suffer from tight float switches.

Irrigation flips the arithmetic

Sprinkler systems can pass more water in a summer month than the household itself, doubling or tripling pump hours. Constant-pressure variable-speed pumps smooth this load but follow different consumption curves than the fixed-speed model here.

Frequently asked questions

Why did my well pump cost spike in summer?

Irrigation gallons dominate summer pumping. A modest sprinkler schedule can exceed all indoor water use combined, exactly as the heavy-use scenario models.

How do I know if my pump is short cycling?

Listen for starts every time a tap opens, or watch the pressure gauge bounce between narrow limits. A professional can check tank precharge; this page prices electricity, not diagnosis.

Do deeper wells always cost more to pump from?

Lifting water farther takes proportionally more energy per gallon, so depth raises both the required motor size and the cost per gallon delivered.

Related appliance cost guides

Compare all published appliances · Electricity rates in your state · Read the methodology · Review the data sources · How we check these guides