When a well is not an option

[Ducklord]

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to get water to a mobile home to take showers and for toileting when you can't put in a well? I guess my best option is to get a 500 gallon tank and a small pump, but how do you keep it all from freezing? It is my duck camp, and I am not up there that much. Are there any other options? Thanks!

[novacaine]

Can you install a cattle trough heater in the tank plus wrapping everything exposed? I am sure someone on this site has been in a similar situation..............ask Mudhog, he can figure out anything.

[southernfire97]

Have this same issue at the deer camp. My suggestion would be a large (300-500) gal. BLACK water tank. Try to set the tank where it gets the most direct sunshine to help keep the water somewhat warm. Run all your piping underground or insulate what you cant. We use an on demand pump.

[arkmallard]

Gravity is your friend. I have this same situation at my Turkey lease in texas. I have a 1000 gallon tank and I have it elevated about 4' and it is about 200 yards from my camp with about an additional 10' in drop. Have never had any trouble with having enough pressure.

[donia]

Gravity is your friend. I have this same situation at my Turkey lease in texas. I have a 1000 gallon tank and I have it elevated about 4' and it is about 200 yards from my camp with about an additional 10' in drop. Have never had any trouble with having enough pressure.

same as my best friends old camp in carmack. don't remember if they used iodine treatment or chlorine or both. they had an old metal 1000gal one painted silver, but wrapped it in insulation and had a cattle trough heater for icy times (built a fire under it if electricity was out). pretty sure he said it lasted all season, but only got hit hard nov/dec/jan. it was a duece flush only camp, in theory...somebody always flushed, without thinking, though!

[BR549]

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to get water to a mobile home to take showers and for toileting when you can't put in a well? I guess my best option is to get a 500 gallon tank and a small pump, but how do you keep it all from freezing? It is my duck camp, and I am not up there that much. Are there any other options? Thanks!

Why would not punching a shallow well not be a viable option? Be much easier than trying to fool with all the tanks and stuff and much easier to keep from freezing! You can do it yourself in a day if you don't have to go over 50 feet or so.

[brandon327]

I would like to know how to drill a shallow well say up to that 50' you mentioned.

[teul2]

I would like to know how to drill a shallow well say up to that 50' you mentioned.

So would I, do tell.

[cwink]

My dad had the same issue at his deer lease. They boiught a small utility trailer and a 400 gallon tank and put a small water pump on it. They had to fill it up about twice a year.

[Ducklord]

Thanks for the help! Sounds like the tank option works. I am not sure how you could put a 50' well in the ground. Everyone that I have talked to said it would take a couple of hundred feet for a short well and it would be hard water with a lot of iron, which would turn everything brown.

[dukhntn]

My dad had the same issue at his deer lease. They boiught a small utility trailer and a 400 gallon tank and put a small water pump on it. They had to fill it up about twice a year.

This is what I've seen at several camps. Might could find a tank or an old water trailer at a farm auction somewhere.

[matador1]

I would like to know how to drill a shallow well say up to that 50' you mentioned.

True story, where I grew up in Wayne county we had a high water table. You could dig post hoels and hit water at about 3 feet. For the first house my mom and dad built he took 3 inch drill stem and he and a buddy sledge hammered it 8 foot deep. That well lasted for about 10 years, the next one he did, he had to go to 15 feet. That was 20 years ago and he still uses it.

Not sure where your water table is but you will be amazed at how you don't have to go as deep as you think.

[southdeltan]

Thanks for the help! Sounds like the tank option works. I am not sure how you could put a 50' well in the ground. Everyone that I have talked to said it would take a couple of hundred feet for a short well and it would be hard water with a lot of iron, which would turn everything brown.

We had a pitcher pump for years, had to pull it up when we did some dirt work. I measured the pipe at about 45 feet. My father drove it by hand, he made some sort of contraption (basically a tripod with a pulley and weight) that helped him drive it in the ground, so it wasn't just him and a sledge hammer. We cleaned the screen and plan to put it back down later.

The water table isn't as far down as you think it is. The water will be hard and it will turn everything brown - but you said it was just for showering and toilets - and I can't imagine that it would hurt for dish washing either. It wouldn't be great for drinking but would likely be potable (in an emergency).

http://www.fdungan.com/well.htm

http://www.tractorsupply.com/home-impro ... ter-pumps/

[Ducklord]

Thanks for the help! Sounds like the tank option works. I am not sure how you could put a 50' well in the ground. Everyone that I have talked to said it would take a couple of hundred feet for a short well and it would be hard water with a lot of iron, which would turn everything brown.

We had a pitcher pump for years, had to pull it up when we did some dirt work. I measured the pipe at about 45 feet. My father drove it by hand, he made some sort of contraption (basically a tripod with a pulley and weight) that helped him drive it in the ground, so it wasn't just him and a sledge hammer. We cleaned the screen and plan to put it back down later.

The water table isn't as far down as you think it is. The water will be hard and it will turn everything brown - but you said it was just for showering and toilets - and I can't imagine that it would hurt for dish washing either. It wouldn't be great for drinking but would likely be potable (in an emergency).

http://www.fdungan.com/well.htm

http://www.tractorsupply.com/home-impro ... ter-pumps/

I am going to give this a shot. I had quotes of $5k for shallow wells, but if this works, it would be the best option. I couldn't see spending 5k on a well that was going to have hard water anyway.

[BR549]

Thanks for the help! Sounds like the tank option works. I am not sure how you could put a 50' well in the ground. Everyone that I have talked to said it would take a couple of hundred feet for a short well and it would be hard water with a lot of iron, which would turn everything brown.

Build you a frame and find an old windlass. Set it up on the back of a pickup or whatever. Let the windlass do all the work picking up the hammer, (some type of weight) to drive the pipe down. Last one one did we went down 62 feet with 1 1/4" pipe if I remember right. Took most of the day. But since 1957 there have only been 2 wells there the first one was 45 feet done with the same frame and windlass by the way. It lasted over 40 years and the last one is still running fine! Get you a Little Lerio pump and about a 15 gal tank and your in buisness. Yes it will be hard water, and yes it will be rough on hot water heaters but it gets you what you need. Hot water heaters seem to last about 10 years. I don't know where the water table is in your area for a shallow well but I wouldn't think it would be to deep. If you did have to go much deeper than 60 feet or so it could really turn into a chore!.