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[Clansgian AT wmconnect.com]

> >Water is moved into the pump by air pressure on the water surface 
> therefore
> the distance a pump will lift is dependent on your elevation, but it will 
> be
> less than about 30 feet in any case.

32 feet at sea level, less as the elevation goes higher.   After that, 
lifting water by creating a negative pressure at the pump just converts the 
water into cold vapor.

In the center of my garden is a small pitcher pump that lifts the water 
about 24 feet from the creek below the buff.  Even at that the leather valves 
have to be in good shape and the foot valve at the creek has to be in good 
working order.

All the pumps that go deeper than that work by the handle operating a metal 
rod that goes all the way down to the pump which, as Don points out, has to 
be within 30 feet or so of the surface of the water,  But once you've 
dropped the rod 200 feet, might as well go the extra few and put the pump 
below 
the surface of the water.  The the whole process depends on the tightness of 
your mechanical linkage between the pump handle and the pump down in the 
well.

James