Retrofitting a drilled well with an "emergency use" manual pump

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New2Wellz

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Sep 6, 2014
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Charlottesville, VA
I've been considering adding a manual pump to my existing well to cover for long-term power outages.

I have not done a LOT of research, but have seen units that tie into the existing system as a manual backup to the electric pump; that is, there is no outside outlet that you might fill a bucket with...the manual pump moves water through the existing supply lines and into the house. The pump handle protrudes through the well cap.

Has anyone here installed a manual pump on an existing drilled well?
If so, can you tell me what options you selected, how you like it, etc?

Are there better options for short-term and long-term backup?

To anticipate the question, I have no idea how far down the water level is, nor do I know how deep the water is. The county does not have the driller's report on file. The well was drilled 20 years ago.
 
Thanks, Speedbump.

Now that I have my water softener installed, I'm moving on to other things on my list.

After the pump backup, I'm next thinking of installing a rainwater collection system for my garage roof runoff, since we're coming up on gardening season.
 
Some plants don't like the low PH of rainwater. The PH is generally 5.5 or so.
 
That's interesting. Sure puts them at a survival disadvantage, huh?

I keep forgetting to email the University lab that did my water test to tell me what specific minerals are making my water hard...I suspect a large part of it is calcium and may be plant-beneficial.

I have two outside faucets...one of them dispenses softened water and the other does not....so I can choose which to water the plants with. Heck, I could even redirect the discharge if I needed to, since I have it routed to empty away from the house (and not in the septic tank).
 
Hardness is calcium and magnesium. And iron according to some softener people who I will disagree with. Both good for you to drink and probably good for the grass as well. I just had a call from a restaurant wanting a softener for his dish washer. It's leaving spots on his silver ware (which I'm pretty sure isn't silver). I don't know if it's because restaurant owners are traditionally cheap of they have some idea why they shouldn't soften the cold water as well.

Years ago, we would put a hard water faucet at the sink for drinking.
 
Perhaps they are just trying to save their heater from scaling but don't want to soften all those tens of thousands of gallons of water a restaurant must use.
 

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