Submersible & Jet Pump Service in Tompkins County, NY

Outdoor pipe and shutoff valve used in a well system.

Not every well pump works the same way, and knowing which type your system has changes what a repair or replacement actually involves. A submersible pump sits down inside the well casing, pushing water up from below; a jet pump sits above ground and pulls water up using suction. Across Tompkins County, which type shows up tends to track the local geology — deeper, glacially-carved wells near Cayuga Lake in Lansing and the Town of Ithaca lean submersible, while some shallower or older systems in the hill towns still run jet pumps. Ithaca Well Pump Repair connects homeowners with service for either type. Call (914) 530-6133 or request a quote to get started.

What's the actual difference?

A submersible pump is a sealed unit lowered into the well on a length of pipe and wire, submerged below the water level, and it pushes water up to the surface under pressure. A jet pump stays above ground — typically in a basement or well house — and uses a suction mechanism to draw water up through a pipe. Submersible pumps handle deeper wells and generally run quieter, since the motor is underwater and out of earshot; jet pumps are more limited by suction depth but are more directly accessible for service since nothing has to be pulled out of the ground.

Which type does my well have?

The clearest sign is what's visible above ground: if there's a pump housing sitting in a basement, crawlspace, or small well house connected to a pipe running out to the wellhead, that's a jet pump. If the wellhead is just a capped pipe sticking out of the ground with nothing else visible, the pump is almost certainly submersible, sitting down inside the casing. Well depth is another clue — jet pumps generally aren't practical much past 25 feet of lift, so a deep well is very likely running submersible.

Why do newer Tompkins County wells lean submersible?

Wells drilled into the deeper, glacially-carved deposits near Cayuga Lake — common in Lansing and the outlying parts of the Town of Ithaca — tend to run deep enough that a submersible pump is the practical choice, and it's become the standard for new residential wells generally regardless of depth, since submersible units are more efficient and better protected from freezing than an above-ground jet pump. Shallower wells and older installations, more common in some of the hill towns, are more likely to still have an original jet pump in place. See our well depth and geology guide for how this plays out town by town.

Can a jet pump be converted to submersible?

In some cases, yes, if the well casing and depth support it — but it's a real project, not a simple swap, since it typically means adding new drop pipe and wiring down into the casing rather than just replacing the above-ground unit. Whether it makes sense depends on the well's condition, depth, and what the household actually needs going forward. This is a conversation worth having as part of a replacement request rather than deciding on it in advance.

Does the type affect how it's diagnosed?

Yes. A submersible pump problem often requires pulling the pump on its drop pipe to inspect or test it directly, since there's no above-ground component to check. A jet pump can usually be inspected and tested in place, which sometimes makes early diagnosis faster — though the underlying failure points (motor, impeller, wiring, priming) are similar between the two types. See well pump repair for the symptoms that apply regardless of pump type.

What happens when you request service

Note what's visible at your well — an above-ground pump housing, or just a capped wellhead — along with what the system is doing and your town. That helps route your request appropriately, whether the job is inspecting a jet pump in place or pulling a submersible unit for a closer look.

Related service pages

See well pump repair, well pump replacement, and well drilling.