Old water well? worth trying to use again?

Discussion in 'General Survival and Preparedness' started by kckndrgn, Nov 3, 2014.


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  1. kckndrgn

    kckndrgn Monkey+++ Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    So, when I bought my property we new there was a depression in the middle of a field (well not quite middle maybe 1/3 of the way from the edge, anyhoo). We kept it flagged so the tractor wouldn't drive into it while bush hogging. This weekend I decided I would fill it it so we wouldn't have any issues.

    Well (and that can be a deep subject), when I was clearing the grass back to back fill it, I noticed the hole was round and lined with bricks. I couldn't see any mortar between them, but they were angle cut so they would form a circle.
    [​IMG] [​IMG]

    I dug down a little bit and noticed that it sounded hollow, so I'm not sure what was used to "cap" the "well" but I couldn't dig deep enough to either break through or find what was covering the well.

    So, should I just pull the bricks (I have uses for them and free/repurposed is great) and back fill, or would this be "the" place to have a well driller put a well? While not the most convenient for where we intend to build, it has great solar view since we'll be off-grid and it is close to centrally located where we'll need water.

    I'm gonna drive down the road and talk to the guy we bought the property from, hopefully he'll have some in site on the history of the "well".
     
    Sapper John likes this.
  2. ghrit

    ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member

    Are you sure it wasn't a septic pit?
     
  3. kckndrgn

    kckndrgn Monkey+++ Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    While possible, there has never been a home on the site to anyones knowledge, just cattle.

    The previous owners did appear to have a septic system put in where they were going to build, but it's been filled in with dirt. (and it's higher than the basement of the building so I have no idea what they were thinking.
     
  4. HK_User

    HK_User A Productive Monkey is a Happy Monkey

    Back fill and cap.
     
  5. Dunerunner

    Dunerunner Brewery Monkey Moderator

    If you feel you need an alternative water supply, get someone out to look at it and determine the gradient runoff of the aquifer that will be replenishing your well. Have it drilled and a new casing and pump installed after the water is tested and cleared. They can drill a test well for that. In the end, if everything checks out; you will have a good alternate well and will have only spent about $5,000. I would think that for that money, you could build a good catchment system with a large capacity cistern filters and pump.
     
  6. kellory

    kellory An unemployed Jester, is nobody's fool. Banned

    ............Provided, you can legally collect rain water. (Some states would call you a thief for collecting what falls on your head.)
    Both systems have advantages. Rain collection is pretty simple, but a well is more reliable, and refreshes as it is used. With rainfall you are at the mercy of mother nature.

    You might, however, break through that existing cap, let the dirt settle, and drop a bucket on a rope, to sample what is there, and have it tested. That might help you decide if it is worth the money to reopen it.
     
  7. ghrit

    ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member

    For what it's worth, there could be a spring down there, not too deep, that was used in earlier times at what was an abandoned cabin somewhere down grade. If so, you just might have a backup water source.
     
    Sapper John likes this.
  8. Yard Dart

    Yard Dart Vigilant Monkey Moderator

    [LMAO] [roflmao] [ROFL] Screw any .gov that say's you can not collect rainwater........maddd [stayback]
     
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  9. HK_User

    HK_User A Productive Monkey is a Happy Monkey

    Low spot, cattle in the area and other varmits great chance for water born patheogens.
     
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  10. kellory

    kellory An unemployed Jester, is nobody's fool. Banned

    Correct, that is why I said to have it tested, first.
     
  11. kellory

    kellory An unemployed Jester, is nobody's fool. Banned

    And .gov will screw you right back.:(
     
  12. kckndrgn

    kckndrgn Monkey+++ Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    thanks for the replys
    Yes, I can legally collect rain water, and I probably would still do it even if the government said that I shouldn't. Screw them!

    I know I have a seasonal spring at the back edge of the property. Not a lot of flow, but some underground storage fills up in the spring and flows until early summer.


    Thought about trying to put in a dam there so I can collect that water, might help bring in more wildlife to boot :)

    It's not on the low spot of the hill, darn near the top of the slop, not at the tippy top, but very close to it.

    Don't know if it will help but here is an image that i've edited (though poorly) to show relative locations of the high points of the land, well, pond and general slope. (I suck at photo editing, so it's the best I can do :) )
     

    Attached Files:

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  13. vonslob

    vonslob Monkey++

    not if they dont catch you[kissit]
     
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  14. Airtime

    Airtime Monkey+++

    Personally, I'd dig and/or probe a bit more and figure out for sure what you got there. You said the ground sounded "hollow" there. You could have a dug/bored well that is 3 feet wide and 30 feet deep. Filling on top might overload the cover and it could all cave in when your tractor drives over the fill. You need to know for sure. And who knows, you could have a well that could be good for irrigation if nothing else. And even if there is bacteria, filtration and UV treatment could still yield a good second water supply with not much cost.

    AT
     
  15. kellory

    kellory An unemployed Jester, is nobody's fool. Banned

    Once .gov is looking at you, they tend to write up every violation they can, it is in their nature (as you should well know). And if you are here, reading this, they are likely looking at you already:) so smile for the facial recognition software....[raspberry]
     
  16. vonslob

    vonslob Monkey++

    Unfortunately i am sure that is the case. So maybe this will express how i really feel about .gov [finger] I really do love my country but fear my government. Last act of definance :(
     
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  17. Gator 45/70

    Gator 45/70 Monkey+++

    I'm thinking Spanish gold in the hole, Dig man Dig!
     
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  18. HK_User

    HK_User A Productive Monkey is a Happy Monkey

    Oak Island, born again.
     
  19. kellory

    kellory An unemployed Jester, is nobody's fool. Banned

    They dug so many holes, they lost the original shaft location!;)
     
    Gator 45/70 likes this.
  20. Gator 45/70

    Gator 45/70 Monkey+++

    Its on now!
     
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