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["Sage Austin | Eureka! Design" <eureka AT hctc.net>]

Thanks, Bev. What kind of bacteria? Will distillation take out the bacteria?

They call this water "gyp water" locally, and on diagrams of the aquifer 
it is labeled "saline water." Someone else told me it was a gas that 
would eventually play out. Another person said I could add garden lime 
to take the sulfur out and make it drinkable. Since it hasn't been 
tested (our neighbors are using it for their ponds and lawn) we will 
likely add chlorine. All I can say is when I boil it on the stove for 
dishes it leaves a whole lot of sediment behind. We don't have the spare 
cash for buying any kind of tank right now, things are tight. Since our 
well has never been known to go dry since it was dug in the 1860's we 
are hoping the wet fall forecast will happen and recharge the well, 
giving us time to buy or build a tank for our needs, both for storing 
our own water once it comes back, and to harvest rainwater. Right now 
the shower is nice and warm in the afternoons from the hoses laying in 
the sun, but my husband has to brave it in the mornings.

It's all annoyingly bearable in light of the rest of the world's 
problems. My yoga instructor lost her leg to cancer this summer. I am 
now immensely thankful I have two legs with which to carry the water. 
When you all turn on your faucet and water comes out, be thankful!!!

--Sage

EarthNSky wrote:
> Sage Austin | Eureka! Design wrote:
>
>   
> > For the past two months our pioneer hand dug well has been dry. Our 
> > river shriveled to 2 feet wide and 4 inches deep. A neighbor drilled a 
> > deep, $15K sulfurous well and has passed a hose through the fence. Our 
> > 10 year old apple trees died. My husband built an outdoor shower and we 
> > are beginning to smell like rotten eggs. I carry 5 gal buckets to the 
> > animals and house to flush, wash dishes, and clothes by hand. We buy 
> > drinking water at the store. This is exhausting, expensive and not in 
> > our budget. We have assembled the supplies to build a solar water 
> > distiller. Water has almost become a full time job. Recently we've had 
> > 10 inches of rain, but the well is still dry because it has not fallen 
> > in our recharge zone.
> >     
>
> Sage, the sulfurous smell is from sulfur producing bacteria in the well. 
>     It could be in the lines, but since it is a new well, it is probably 
> in the well.  They can treat the well with bleach and that will help. 
> Additionally, you could build a platform and put a 300 gallon tank on 
> it.  You could use their water to fill the tank a little at a time, then 
> treat the tank yourself.  The tank could gravity feed for your shower.
> Just an idea.
>
> B
>
>