Oh Well Part Deux ~ Nov 2, 2012

When Drake and Tim returned to work Monday, they found that a portion of the hole had collapsed so they had to re-drill a section, but we're at 240" as promised and we have water. By early afternoon the solid and perforated 5" PVC casing was installed and the hole back filled up to the 50 ft level with Monterey sand. A sanitary seal was then installed, to keep groundwater out of the well. The remaining section of hole was back filled with a cement and bentonite mix to ground level.

Once that was done they mixed and poured a small pad to protect the well head, the old fashioned way ~ with manpower.

The pump, pressure tank and plumbing will be installed November 26th. Since we wanted to keep the old well functioning we'll have to upgrade the wiring which now comes from the house. It's not in conduit and this would mean trenching across the road, the PGE gas line and our septic line to the leach field. Not what we'd call an option. It was decided the more economical way to go is to bring electricity from the PGE pole at far edge of our property (nearer the well) and run the line underground to the well head. We're waiting for a quote which will no doubt show up while we're gone.

Watching them jockey this rig and the drill rig around the sloped pasture,  fenced garden areas, compost piles, leach field and trees was worth the price of admission on Monday. Timing is everything, it started raining Tuesday.

What is really interesting is that our old well, which has been shutting down nightly due to the draw from the back flush of the filter system, has not shut down since two days after they started drilling. Maybe they shook the troll loose?

Well (pun intended) we're off tomorrow for a ten day adventure to Arizona. We're looking forward to seeing some new territory, doing some star gazing in the great wide open and looking into a little family history.