Kickapoo Drilling Co. LLC

We’re Kickapoo Drilling Co. LLC, a family-owned and operated drilling business based at 407 W Main Street in Downs, Illinois, near Bloomington-Normal. Our roots reach back to Glen Layten, who began helping drill wells in the 1930s and continued pursuing the trade after returning home from war in 1946. In 1959, Glen began mud drilling for Vernon Harris Drilling. Their partnership began in 1963, and the Kickapoo name was chosen for the creek that ran between their towns of Downs and Heyworth. Glen became sole owner in 1967, and the work has remained in our family through three generations.

Today, we serve Central Illinois with water well drilling and maintenance, commercial drilled well applications, geothermal loops for ground-source heat pumps, and the repair or replacement of damaged well casings and well pumps. Our fleet includes drilling rigs and service trucks, allowing us to handle both drilling projects and ongoing well needs. We also offer annual inspections for older wells, evaluating the condition of the well and pump, and provide well-water testing for bacteria and other contaminants. If testing identifies a concern, we work with our customers through the process of bringing their water into line with current drinking-water standards.

Quality workmanship matters to us on every job, whether we’re drilling a well, repairing equipment, replacing a pump, changing a pressure switch, or checking the air in a pressure tank. We understand that families and businesses rely on these systems every day, so we approach each task with care and use superior products and highly trained personnel. Our qualifications include three Illinois driller licenses, three Illinois pump-installer licenses, three Illinois geothermal certifications, two National Certified Well Drillers, two National Certified Pump Installers, one National Accredited Geothermal Loop Installer, one National Accredited Geothermal Driller, and one Non-community Non-transient Water Operator. Jim and Rita Layten, along with their children Mark and Sarah, continue the family tradition that began with Glen.