We got back the results of our most recent well test, following our second shock (the third shock since it first failed). We eliminated all variables this time: We used a huge can of concentrated chlorine tablets instead of liquid bleach (which apparently has a limited shelf life?). We also hooked up a u-shaped hose to the spigot we were sampling from and soaked the outside of the spigot valve in a bleach solution for 24 hours before taking the test (we rinsed well, of course, because the lab will fail you for residual chlorine, too). Finally, instead of the recommended butane lighter to sterilize the spigot/faucet, we used a propane torch and burned the thing 'til we were scared the valve would melt. BUT IT PASSED!
It's only good for a measly 2 gpm, which is less than half of what the state says a household needs, but at least we have water. Minerally water that leaves iron sediment in your glass, but WATER! Now we need to bring the 10gpm sulfur well into the 21st century (or at least the 1960's), shock the hell out of it, and we'll be in business!
In other news, we found a FOURTH water source for the house! Luke was trying to run an electric line through the crawl space and we opened up a square of the floor, hoping to get access to the crawl space.
Lo and behold, there's an old Humpty Dumpty style well down there! Or a cistern? Hard to tell because it's filled in to within 8 feet or so of the top:
It's only good for a measly 2 gpm, which is less than half of what the state says a household needs, but at least we have water. Minerally water that leaves iron sediment in your glass, but WATER! Now we need to bring the 10gpm sulfur well into the 21st century (or at least the 1960's), shock the hell out of it, and we'll be in business!
In other news, we found a FOURTH water source for the house! Luke was trying to run an electric line through the crawl space and we opened up a square of the floor, hoping to get access to the crawl space.
Lo and behold, there's an old Humpty Dumpty style well down there! Or a cistern? Hard to tell because it's filled in to within 8 feet or so of the top:
We thought this was access to the crawl space, but under the hardwood that's under the subfloor that's under the laminate, we found a Humpty Dumpty well!
Lo and behold, there's an old round dug well down there, walled with stone and mortar! Or a cistern? Hard to tell because it's filled in to within 8 feet or so of the top:
Too bad it's full of dirt or we could toss in a penny and get a wish!
In the picture it looks like those two pipes are connected, but they're not. The pipe running up out of the well must have once gone to a hand pump but now ends just below the floor. The other is a not-quite-to-code drain line from the sink in our mud room.
So now we have a spring, a 90 foot sulfury pit well in the basement, a modern 190 foot drilled well out in the "ice house", and a mostly filled in Humpty Dumpty well under the mud room. And a river and a little pond. At least we won't be hurting for water.
So now we have a spring, a 90 foot sulfury pit well in the basement, a modern 190 foot drilled well out in the "ice house", and a mostly filled in Humpty Dumpty well under the mud room. And a river and a little pond. At least we won't be hurting for water.
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