Shallow dug well during dry season - how to supplement ?

[cbc58]

Looking at possibly doing a dug well.  Drilled estimate came in at 14k.  Our lot has ledge at around 8'-10' so I don't think it could be any deeper than that.   Our lot is only accessible by car from late March to early December (town does not maintain road outside of those times) so a cabin would be seasonal.  Land is in NH so we will probably be good in the spring and fall for water, but there will be a couple of summer months that the well will be very low. 

Wonder if anyone has run into a similar situation and if rainwater collection might work - and somehow direct it into the well itself or tanks that sit under the house.  If tanks under the house - would need to drain them each year.  If we do rainwater collection that might alter the type of roof we decide to put on (metal vs. shingles).  Or maybe there is another way to collect rainwater...

[glenn kangiser]

Are you saying that the maximum depth of the dug well would be 8- 10 feet before hitting a rock ledge that requires a drill rig? 

If so it would depend on your site specific ground water conditions as to whether there would be any water in it or not during the dry months.  Here in California that is a definitely no water.

Maybe best a metal roof to keep the option open, and collect to the cisterns for such a short period of time for a seasonable cabin.  There are methods to automatically dump the first saved water with leaves, dust etc. shown on the internet,  then divert the clean water into storage.

[cbc58]

yes -- 8'-10' is as deep as it will get because of ledge.  i've done some reading on the web about rainwater collection but wanted to see if anyone here has actually implemented a system that they are using... or what they are doing to supplement low water levels during the dry months.  read somewhere that people also bring in water tanks on trailers to refill onsite storage tanks - guess that is an option if it gets very dry.

[Dave Sparks]

Also consider having water delivered if available. We did this while building our rain catch system/house. Some pix in the link.

https://picasaweb.google.com/100660438498145764786/MyPictures

[UK4X4]

water tanks on trailers-

we haul water for our cabin, using a 250Gal tank , water lasts us about 10 days per fill for three of us, in the trailer we had.

I can haul a lot of water for 5K which is the tap fee for connection and in Winter the street pipes are often frozen anyway

The house now has 2 off 250gal tanks and a pumped system with an external fill pipe, we have a drain in the basement too out down hill of the house to drain if need be.

[glenn kangiser]

8 to 10 feet should be easy enough to hand dig a well or drive a pipe or whatever.  How about a combination if water is available in the well part year... pump when you have water available to storage tanks in the basement or wherever for use when the well has no water -- then take your choice of purification methods to be safe - 

[glenn kangiser]

Also I know Dave's system works well to supply him as needed without the well here in dry parched California.  Dave is a pro.

[cbc58]

tks for the replies.  i was hoping someone had a setup for this and had practical experience with this issue.  guess i have to figure out how to get water into storage tanks from well and rainwater collection - then into pressure tank(s) for use when needed.  worst case we can haul water in. 

if I ever buy another piece of rural land - i'm going to look for one with a spring.   

[Dave Sparks]

Sometimes you love the place and just have to figure out a plan. It is alot easier now with the internet everywhere.

In other situations where you don't really love the place, you put down a deposit on the land with a clause that let's you drill a well and do a perk test and get your deposit back if it does not go, excuse me, well.

Glen, I got to be a pro by not sinking my sailboat. I never learned as many life lessons/skills and just doing things for myself during those 10 years at sea.

That is the big problem with working for others, you never have time to do things for yourself.

You do have to watch the dark rum as it is often cheaper in central america than water.

[glenn kangiser]

Well ..... ( oh no... another pun?) At least the rum allowed you to keep the genius mind and find your way back to Mariposa....

cbc58, if the tanks are under the house you can gravity feed into them from above possibly using a float available from Amazon to shut off when full or having a downhill drain to daylight to prevent basement flooding.  You can get a small on demand diaphragm pump running on 12v or 120v to pressure your house system as you need for a tankless system.  I designed a similar system for a friend to supply water for horses to an uphill pasture from a spring.