A New Backup Hand-pump

If you don't have access to water, you're gonna die: simple as that.

I never gave it much thought, even after Dawn and I moved to a homestead in rural Idaho. I mean, I had my own well, right? Then the first time we had a bad summer storm, Idaho Power took a dump and there went our electricity! I had to be able to get water from 136 feet down when the electricity went away, whether permanently or just for a couple of days.

I had a generator, but it didn't provide 220 VAC, which is what a well pump needs, and besides, how long could I keep up that level of water pumping before I ran out of fuel? I could install a photovoltaics system, but then I'd need a humongous battery bank or an elevated water tank to be able to have water on demand, not counting the cost of the PV modules themselves.

Finally, after talking to the well people who came to inspect my existing water well, I found out about a hand-pump that can use the same shaft as my existing pump, and can provide about 2 to 2.5 gal/min from a head of about 160 feet, which can be operated by one old person (me)

This particular model was developed by a retired mechanical engineer from the Idaho Nuclear Laboratory near Idaho Falls. He and one of his kids builds and installs them in Northeastern Idaho and parts of Montana/Wyoming; his sister sells and installs them here in the Twin Falls area. The cost is only $250 installed, and took about an hour to put in. It's placed above my existing pump (which is at about 175 feet) and works just fine.

It's not enough to irrigate my garden, of course (unless I pump for 4-5 hours straight), but it will provide water for cooking, drinking, and maybe a little judicious toilet-flushing.

I'm going to be hooking up a simple garden hose next week and see how much sweat it'll be to fill a 55-gallon barrel. I should also have some pictures, but right now I'm in the middle of planting season for my garden, so it's not a high priority.

Maybe I'll never have to use it, but that's one less thing to lose sleep over, what with the hard times we're having!