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[Gene GeRue <genegerue AT ruralize.com>]

On Jul 2, 2010, at 9:05 PM, <sgian AT netscape.com> <sgian AT netscape.com> wrote:

> The one "weak" point in our setup is water.  The household's source of 
> water is two springs that feed a cistern some 1000 feet away and 75 feet 
> lower than the house.  A well pump delivers the water.  When the 
> electricity goes out, no water.  That's a minor problem.  What was NOT a 
> minor problem was the two years of Biblical Proportion drought that dried 
> up both springs for months at a time.  Nothing to pump no matter how much 
> electricity one has.
> 
> Now the usual 'off the grid' think comes up with all sorts of suggestions 
> for alternate water sources:  rain water, windmill pump to lift the water 
> from one of the three creeks (that did not dry up), ram pump, etc.

James, I have not yet done it but my current plan is to forget the ram 
pump--because the stream water would still require purification--and instead 
collect rainwater, use a sun-powered pump to lift the water to a tank on the 
hill. That tank will then provide water via gravity. The design requires that 
the sun shine part of the time and that the miracle of gravity not be 
compromised. Should either of those conditions disappear, so shall we.

Gene