Self-sufficiency is not a new concept, although it certainly receives much more attention in times of international crises. The nice thing about living on the power grid is the fact that you don't have to be dependent on an institution to generate electricity, drink water or even buy groceries. However, it can take some time before the perfect self-contained house is built. If you're not lucky enough to have a fresh water stream or spring on your land, the easiest way to build a well is to get the water you need.
The good news is that building wells is much easier than it used to be. In earlier times, the only way to create a well was to dig a hole in the ground with a shovel. Given that a well could be several tens of meters deep, this was a tedious process that most people would have no prospect of. The modern well is usually drilled with a drilling rig that resembles an oil drilling rig, but on a much smaller scale. You need to use high quality drills for the rig. See what CFA snails have to offer.
The fountain
In essence, a well is simply a hole in the ground. Today's wells can be a small hoe because the ground is drilled by a machine. Old wells were bigger simply because they had to be dug out by hand. In other words, people had to be down the hole and dig it. As soon as the hole is dug, a pipe is inserted into the ground. There are usually two pipes, one is the diameter of the hole to ensure that the hole stays open. The other has a smaller diameter and is connected to an above-ground pump so that the water can be pumped from below the floor into your personal water treatment system.
The drill for drilling a hole is attached to the end of a pipe. The pipe follows the drill when you create the hole. Water is pumped through the pipe to flush the dirt and sand detached from the drill, bring it to the surface and keep the hole clear. It is worth noting that the cost of installing a well is not cheap, although in general you do not need a permit and you can dig it by hand if necessary.
The process
Choose the location for your fountain. This can be almost anywhere. However, it should be at least 50 feet from a septic tank or field lines. The water is between 20 and 50 feet below the surface in the sand layer. There are actually several sandy layers in the soil, the water you get from each varies in mineral content. Deeper water is usually better.
You have to drill or, if you prefer, dig until you reach the water. You can also drive a well hole. A metal tip is hammered into the floor. After the first section has been hammered in, you need to add metal pipe sections. But to hammer it into the ground, you need to have soft ground. Drilling is important if you have hard ground or rock. Remember, once you've reached the water, you'll need to put a pump on the surface to start it up, and you'll need to test it before using it.
