We have water in our cabin well!

Our 20ft deep pitcher pump well has been dry for at least five years.  This winter we had over six feet of snow, with a max accumulation of over three feet.  Now most of it is gone and we have puddles in low spots on our trails.  We haven’t had so much water in these low spots for years.

So, I gave the well a try.  Well, first, I had to replace the flapper because I had taken the old, dry one out.  But first I had to find the 9/16th socket wrench that I had gotten out of my tool box.  I looked all around the floor of our SUV and the ground around.  Finally, I found it in front of some other boxes. 

Then I had to get some primer water.  For this I used a jug of fresh water we brought from Duluth.  Then I had to find containers for the water.  One was a muddy pail and the other was a “5-gal” joint compound pail that I had used for mixing Quikrete.  The condition of these containers didn’t really matter because we weren’t going to use the water for drinking or washing.

I got the pump put back together and pushed and pulled the handle.  It met resistance rather quickly.  Hurray!  Progress!  Then ploosh!  Out came a nice stream of clear water.  I filled my containers and took them to where my wife was burning old wood in the fire pit.  If nothing more, it sure beat using our fresh water or finding one of the few remaining snow piles.

I don’t know if I’ll bother testing this water or dumping some bleach down to kill whatever.  I think we’ll just use it for the sauna, hand washing, and fire dousing.

Only two questions remain.  Will we have water in the well through to next spring?  How many years will it be before it goes dry again?

For now, I won’t think too hard on these questions.  We’ll just enjoy the extra convenience.

Peace in the middle east?

Daniel Terdiman thinks that cheaper desalinization might be the most pressing problem to solve (What innovations are most important to world's future?, CNET News, 2008-11-14). He also suggests that water access may be a more important issue between Israel and Syria.

If Israel could desalinate water and sell it cheaply to Syria, Jordan, and Palestine, it may make itself indispensible to the supposed enemies.

See also his Space Station residents to drink recycled urine", CNET News, 2008-11-14.