Long Hot Summer Part 3

And so the work has largely been completed on the spring/well work.  Like so many projects it turned out to be a bit more than we initially anticipated.  But I get ahead of myself.

We managed to identify the springs to be managed (see pt 2) and set to run the lines.  It would be 505 feet.  By God's grace I found "Bruce" via facebook.  Bruce is a farmer (cattle) and experienced excavator.  Having done some of the initial excavation work in the area with Easton Gas (prior to its sale to Shell, he was very aware of what he was getting into.  He made quick work of the new trench that would connect the springs to the well.

All 505' of it...

One of the challenges was the reality that the fall from the spring to the wellhead was barely 10 feet so the sloping was a bit precarious.  But Bruce did it all by sight and the water flowed nicely...

Of course it's not just about the water line and the slope, the spring boxes were the more important piece of work. The first one, which would become the main feeder for the well was put in place with a dedicated connection to the spring line. 100% of the water from this middle spring should supply the house ample water. (A second spring is located near the standing plywood in the background of this photo)

This second spring box has a line which can be directed into the well line or which can be diverted to feed the pond we're putting down at the bottom of the hill.  In fact you can see overflow from the springbox running toward the (as yet undug) pond.  A two inch line will be put in to manage the overflow from this box

BUT...THEN...ALONG THE WAY...

we discovered the septic line!  Yep, cut right through it.  This was truly unvoidable since we had no idea where either it or the septic tank were.

 

But yep, there she was...And it was a godsend that this happened.  We quickly determined that an inferior grade plastic had been used, that there were blockages, and that (upon testing the water after completion of the project) it had been leaking and leeching into the well...The e. coli special!

So we engaged in digging yet another trench and laying new septic line. And of course this helped us find the septic tank (an old steel one but in good condition), which we then had pumped...  

And so the long hot, and now VERY dry (no rain in a month or more) summer continues...

Stay tuned for pond work in Part 4!