I have recently bought some pasture land that has an old well on the property. It has a 5 inch ID metal casing. Apparently it had a windmill on it years ago. There is water at 14 feet and I would like to pump water for a few livestock from this well.

1.Since the well hasn't been used for decades, I presume it should be flushed first before using. There are reports of high nitrate levels in some wells in the area and if the levels are too high, there is no point in developing this well. Should I be taking water samples before or after flushing?

2. Could a new plastic liner be put in the casing to prevent eventual rusting out and collapse?

3. How can I determine how deep this well is?

4. What type of pump would you recommend? This would be for summer use only, so no worries about freezing.

Any advice appreciated.