Protecting your water supply during a power outage

Protecting your water supply during a power outage
WHAT:

Most of us in the country have water wells that depend on an electrically operated pump, but what happens when the water goes out?? Read this article (in the attachement), and become just a little more resilient.

POSSIBILITIES & DREAMS:

There are probably many more ways to do this. I'd like to hear from anyone who has been sucessfull with other methods. Keep in mind that the water must be potable.


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COMMENTS

Joe, great DYI instructions. I had a well put in last year and the well digger also installed a hand pump at the same time.

It is important to note that you must use the hand pump from time to time to keep it functioning properly - I am way overdue for this and need to put it on my 'to do' list for tomorrow.

Pumping by hand with my short handled pump takes FOREVER but it is better than no water at all.

Eventually I would like to get a much longer handle for my pump.

Can you slip a section of pipe over the existing handle?

Joe Audette wrote:Most of us in the country have water wells that depend on an electrically operated pump, but what happens when the water goes out??

Better to not be dependent on a pump. Electrical outages are a problem but so is lightning strikes and freezing - yes even with pumps deep underground. Our water source is springs uphill of us on the mountain. Gravity work reliably.

Tyler, that is what my husband suggested for the time being. I need to try that. He has metal rods in his back so I am the primary person to keep the pump maintained. It does give me a work out but I feel that it is worth it to have my water available.

I also just got my new stainless steel Kelly Cooker in the mail the other day!! But that is for another thread. Maybe we should start one for 'when the power goes out'.

Jeanine, do you also have rain tanks? These generally won't be sufficient for irrigation, but can provide household water if the well is non-functional for some reason. Our pipes froze a couple winters ago and we did quite comfortably on tank water, even though we had to break ice to get to it. We boiled it for drinking but have since bought a filter. We have 3000 gallons dedicated to the household plus 5500 gallons more storage capacity.

Yes, I kow what you mean, Jeanine. The pipe handle will make it easier, just not any faster. I was actually thinking about putting solar tiles on the well roof and installing a little electric pump because my water level is only about 3 ft below ground. That's probably little much though. Especially in the middle of crop season. Your right about using it once in a while. I keep a small canteen handy to prime it when I need water after some hard work. It's the best water on earth. Just pour a little in the top of the pump and let the leather seals expand.

Part of the trick with these is to be sure the seals are not TOO tight so the water seeps back into the well, otherwise the water will stay in the pump too long in the winter, and it CAN freeze. If you use your well regularly for houshold water too, however, the water level is constantly moving up and down inside the well casing, and that's not likley to freeze. For those of us without running water nearby, this is handy.

Tyler also has a great point. In fact, the last issue of "Home Power" Magazine had a TERRIFIC article on rainwater catch systems that I would like to try. It was written by a fellow in North Carolina. He uses someting called a "First Flush Diverter", which is something that would be very handy for us up here, because most of us have asphalt roofs, and the first part of runnoffs from these can actually have a little oil mixed in. So this diverter actually "diverts" the first part of the runoff for you. Pretty Cool!! IF you can get your hands on this issue (June/July), it's a good read.