How to Get Water From Your Well Without Using Electricity

Know what your options are when the grid goes down, and you need water.

So there you are, sitting at home in your favorite recliner, watching your favorite hunting show, when everything goes dark. The TV's off, the lights are out, and if you have a well for your home, you don't have access to water. This situation happened to me, and luckily, the power was restored within a few hours. But what if it hadn't been restored? What were my options?

Gas-Powered Generator

Duh, Right? Just flip the breakers, fire up your gas generator and back feed it to the house. This one is too easy, and I'm not going to spend a lot of time with it.

Solar Pumps

With how cheap solar power is, it's worth a look, even as a backup. Hooking your well pump to a solar pump could provide you with water even when your generator runs out of gas. Alternatively, if you don't want to ruin the quiet at your hunting camp without giving up the creature comforts of running water solar works great.

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Manual Water Pumps

When you can only rely on yourself, go manual (or, if you want to double your water needs with a good dose of cardio, go with a manual pump). The caveat of a manual pump is that they are much more expensive.

Well Buckets

Now, this is probably my favorite idea. A well bucket (you will have to make your own) is a bucket, most commonly made from PVC, that slips down a well. There is a check valve that opens to allow water into the bucket and seals up when you pull it up. Of course, it's tied off with a rope. Watch the video below to see how to make your own.

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