Water Well

One aspect of our self-sufficiency goal is to have our own independent source of water. Although our property has several ponds (also called tanks in Texas) and a creek (usually dry), the house water is supplied by a local cooperative water company.

After much anticipation and waiting for several weeks, the water well digging company came last week. They arrived in several trucks with big pieces of equipment. They tested four different places on the property (two closer to the house, and two away from the house).

Guv'nor found the whole process very interesting and took the day off work so he could observe the drilling. They drilled down several hundred feet, injected water in the hole, and based on what came out they could tell if the hole could produce a source of water. They spent more time on a couple of the holes, but their conclusion was that we don't have any water under our property.

We were very disappointed, to say the least. On to Plan B and C - rain water catchment and bigger and deeper tanks. Stay tuned.

The first drilling was behind the house.

They drilled at a spot by the side of the house.

The most hopeful spot was about 200 yards from the house on the edge of the woods by the creek.

The truck with the drilling equipment

Near the woods they had to clear a few trees.

Their water truck pumped water from one of our tanks to use for the process.

Clay came up from all the holes.