The adventure begins, no water for a couple months...if then

Paco Dennis

Paco Dennis

SF VIP
Location
Mid-Missouri
Please do not be sad that our deep well pump has died. It lasted almost 10 years longer than expected. We also start a new way of doing lots of different things that involve water. You know the old saying, "You don't miss it, till it's gone.". We went to Misa's brothers house in town and filled 3 5gallon, and 9 1gallon plastic jugs this morning. We are heating water on our NEW (old) stove and doing the dishes .

We bought paper plates, bowls, and cups. We will also hike down to the creek and fill 5 gallon buckets to use to flush the toilet. This is a big change, and has shook us out of our comfort zone some. We adapt rather quickly around here. We have to do a lot of improvising to keep things running. I like the challenges and the new and creative ways of adapting to new phenomena. I think it keeps us "fresh", alert, and gives me the feeling of being directly involved with the environment.

We called several electricians to come out and troubleshoot the problem. They all said they were very busy with odd jobs now. They say the business has drifted to this kind of work instead of wiring new houses. Interesting that that they are booked up with individual needs instead of the housing industry. These are the type of changes that are affecting our exchange of resources these daze. It feels somehow like we a slowly sliding back to the wild wild west. Didn't they make a "Back to the Future" sequel where the went back to the WWW? :)
 

We went through this a few weeks ago. Our well was originally 40' deep and has slowly been filling up with sediment from rust bacteria, which solidifies when it precipitates out, and cannot be bailed out. I have pulled the pump several times over the last thirty years, and raised the level of the pump to compensate. The well is now only 30' deep, and doesn't have enough volume to fill the pressure tank, and shuts down the pump.

Fortunately I own heavy equipment, and have a good well on the property next door which we purchased 10 yrs back. Had to dig 600+' of trench and install a new line, but are now back up and running, with better quality, and volume water. You are quite right about the "you don't miss it until you don't have it" thing. Seems like you are making the best of it, and hope you get help soon. If I were closer, I would be happy to help. Mike
 
Paco Dennis said:
We called several electricians to come out and troubleshoot the problem. They all said they were very busy with odd jobs now.
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Could you offer to pay extra to lure them away from their current jobs? I find your situation quite horrifying, now I am really worried about 'what-if' my well dies? I have no idea what type of pump I have, but I really don't think I could handle being without water for a couple months, especially in winter in case there was a bad winter. Also, I can't imagine trying to wrestle large water jugs, I'd probably pay a fortune to get little one gallon jugs at the grocery store. If people have to go two months without running water it sounds like civilization has broken down.
OTOH, paper dishes to avoid washing dishes sounds like a fine idea! :)
 
Geezer Garage said:
May not be the pump. Could be just a bad pressure switch, or pump controller. Could try to walk you through it if you like. Mike
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Glad you were able to tap the new well. I replaced both the pressure guage and switch, but that didn't do it, that's when we called the electrician. He tried to fix it but it kept blowing the fuses. There is a short in the well motor or pump. I think the local well diggers are going to have to bring there monster truck to pull the well pipe....i can't remember how deep it is, but it at least 200 ft.
 
@HoneyNut I think having lived with a "vow of poverty" in this intentional community for 30 years has desensitized us from not having very much. I feel like it is going to be more difficult to maintain the "life style we have become accustomed to" as time marches on. BUT, we didn't worry about the well, and don't you either. We all face many challenges each day, some are bigger than others, but we are still here, and enjoying life the best we can. :)
We have had a new dirt road built to the pump house, a entire new metal roof for our house, lost or water heater ( still boiling water ), our 1952 ford 8n tractor died, and had all the water lines replaced from the well to our house ( had to pay for the big machines to dig it ). We live below the poverty line, so being poor is a way of life here. I can't imagine how the middle class is going to fair as our economy keeps getting worse.
 
Sorry you have to go through that. I had to haul water from town for YEARS in Colorado. had to have two tanks and a good water pump.
You get used to it.
Here, I have city water but don't think it's drinkable. I buy one gallon bottles for my drinking water.
losing your well is a hard thing to handle!
 
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I had wondered how things were going with that water challenge of yours, @Paco Dennis
I am glad to hear how you are doing, and that you are adapting to the many changes that resulted from your most recent conundrum.

I have found that it takes a lot of creativity to cope with life's ongoing sagas, such as your present one. It is both difficult and also rewarding, to take each one as it comes, break it down into pieces, and take the actions one decides to prioritize.

I have sometimes been rather amazed by how others around me, and how I myself, have coped and adapted, to stresses and unexpected challenges. We often see that we are capable of more than we knew, which is a positive thing to learn or to realize.

I hope things go well for you and for Misa, and that some unexpected cooperation and changes, will come to you, when you need it.
It seems to me that the most important thing, at present, is for you to stay warm enough, to eat gentle warm foods, and to remember to take note of some things that go well, each day.
 
Good luck with your shortage of water! Water is a very important part of life, not just for hydration but for hygiene. So it would be good to be prepared for disasters like this by having bottles of water stored for emergencies.

Easier said than done. I had to be without water for several days recently when the pipe broke in the basement on a weekend, and it was difficult washing clothes, showering, cooking, etc. I used paper plates like you also. I had no bottled water, so went and bought several bottles until the plumber came. So in a small way, I understand what you're going through. Hope you have neighbors that will help.

Many years ago, we had bought a cabin up on the mountain for weekend retreats. It was very basic and small and we also used well water with the help of a pump. Life there was quiet and raw, except for an occasional snake and bear, and no one around with several wooded acres, so we were on our own. However, we had a friend check the cabin every so often when we were away. One winter, we received the call that the water pump had broken and the house flooded. When we arrived there, we met a mold disaster. It literally took us years to get it back to normal. My husband died the following year, and I was left alone trying to gut the place, rebuild it, bring in new appliances, and sell it. It was truly an eye-opening experience. It showed me my limitations and how our dreams about living close to nature had not anticipated the hardships that might be encountered.
 
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Paco Dennis said:
He tried to fix it but it kept blowing the fuses. There is a short in the well motor or pump.
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Short in the pump motor or you have a broken wire shorting out. even if the pump turns out good, I would replace it at that age.
Our old place was 180ft and pulled it a few times... took a bunch of friends but got it done...
New place we have 2 wells... both are about 50 foot deep... one is bored, the other hand dug...
and its time to go back down and clean it out. spooky down there....
 
I am sorry for your predicament but admire your fortitude in dealing with it.

I lived many years without running water, though I had a hand dug shallow well not far from my front door. One thing carrying your own water does is teach you to be really frugal with it. As long as your drains still work, it is not so bad once you get used to it. But...........I would never want to go back to living without it out again.

I am praying that you find a way to get it fixed.
 
Both our wells went out at different times in the past 5 years. DIL who lives 500 ft from me. Well, one good thing is we got 500 ft of garden hose & hooked up to my house & ran it to DIL's house. So I was "back feeding" her house or my house till the truck came to replace the pump. Both wells are 180 ft drilled with a 5" casing. When they drilled them water came within 15 ft of the top of the casing. So the pump guys only hung the pump at 80 ft. at both houses.

Nice to be able to do this to help each other.
 
Glad to hear you got a well company to visit your place. We also have a well and septic tank, and I can just imagine the hassles if these things quit working. We have our septic tank pumped every 3 years, and there are a couple of good well companies fairly close by. Our well is 240' deep with the water level at 80'. We had to have the pressure tank replaced about 5 years ago, and so far the pump and controls are hanging in there....knock wood.
 
Verdict in : We are going to have a new well drilled on this side of the forest where our house is near. $8,000 fixing the old one, $15,000 for the new one. When we leave this place to the next generation they will have a good water supply too, so it is shocking to me a bit, but i remember a time 25 years ago, when we had a total of $945 to operate the whole place with. So I will jump back into living the best I can, and in a couple weeks we will a new water system.
 
It's good to read your updates, @Paco Dennis :)
I'm sending you some additional helpers.
🙋‍♀️🙋‍♂️🧑‍🍳🧑‍🎨🦸‍♀️🦸‍♂️🥷🧞‍♀️🧜‍♂️💆‍♀️💆‍♂️🕺💃🐱🐶

🦊🐰🐼🐸🐦🐴🦒🐐🐈🐈‍🦚🦥

I am not exactly sure what types, or how much, help they will each give you, but I sent all possible who volunteered! :giggle::love::geek::D

(I'm especially not certain if/how that sloth will help, but I couldn't bring myself to say no to him. ;):LOL:)
 
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