Submersible pumps work with either an electrical vent that uses external cords or generators. Most submersible well pumps are typically contained in an oil-filled hollow space to protect them from contact with other types of media and they must continually remain underwater in order to operate. Submersible well pumps can be applied to many different applications. These applications range from pumping large solids to smaller sizes, to transferring wastewater at large flow rates, or simply pumping up water off the bottom of a tank. Other examples of where a submersible pump might be useful include in your boat, pool, shipping containers, ponds, small dams, and waterfalls. The application in which you use your submersible well pump depends on the pump design.

Electric submersible well pumps are typically used in roughly sixty percent of wells in the United States. Submersible well pumps are long and cylindrical in shape and typically measure about 3 to 5 inches in diameter and can be anywhere from 2 to 4 feet long. Inside the well, the electric motor and pump are installed as one unit. To reach the home, a pipe comes up the well from the pump and into the home. By setting your submersible pump hundreds of feet beneath the water in the well, you can ensure that your water supply will still be reliable, even in droughts. When the submersible well pump is turned on the motor will run at about 3,500 revolutions per minute. The motor operates a series of impellers that push water up out of the well.