Artesian wells are those from which water flows freely. These wells are man-made and are created by boring into the rock to a channel that is lower than the water source.
The resulting artesian well has the advantage over vertical wells of not requiring a pump. The water will pour out naturally without the aid of any mechanism until the well runs dry. For this reason artesian wells, although often several hundred feet deep, may be only a few inches wide. This prevents undue loss of water.
The term “artesian well” is derived from Artesium, the ancient name for Artois in Northern France, where a famous free-flowing well was excavated early in the 12th century.
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