How To Prime A Water Well Pump. If you've installed a shallow well pump, you'll need to take some extra steps in order to prime your well pump correctly before use. Place the funnel into the priming opening.
Pour water into the pump prime opening until the pump housing is filled. Repeat the filling and running actions until water leaks out of the pump instead of air bubbles, then fully insert the prime plug into the pump. Prime your pump with the cleanest water you can find.
If your water pump is in the building and the pump keeps losing its prime, a shallow well jet pump well line could have a bad foot valve (in the well) and so be losing prime.
To get it working again, your water pump will need to be primed. Remove bushing with gauge and vent plug on opposite side of gauge on casting. Make sure the power is turned off Start pouring water from your bucket or turn on the hose and start to prime the pump.