Customer Reviews

Waterhole: How to Dig Your Own Well

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Why drill your own well? Because it's useful to have free water where you need it, especially if you have no water on your property or are using expensive city water to maintain a large garden. Bringing in a professional well driller can be expensive, and, besides, why should he have all the fun?

Unlike old-fashioned, large-diameter wells that put you in the bottom of a hole that might collapse, modern wells are small-bore affairs, and you stay safely up on the surface.

WATERHOLE describes with perfect clarity the process of digging a modern four-inch-diameter well using only hand tools. In doing so, he not only shows you how to drill your own well for practically nothing, but he gives you a complete course in doing so safely and correctly, so you end up with a well that's safe to drink from and doesn't vector contaminants into the water table.

He then shows you how to install PVC pipe as a well casing and how to select and install your pump. This slim little volume has everything.

The text is fun to read and is lavishly illustrated.

Very helpful book for the person wanting to know how to drill shallow (25 foot well). However, I think it could have had more details, especially about the type of well screen, and more about developing the well.
Also, the method he describes, digging with an Auger,did not work very well in my sand/clay. I find it much easier to dig as far down as possible with Auger, then drive it down with a metal drivepoint. Also remember that you must have a very low water table for this to work.

This book is for shallow wells and although it does show you how to produce a working, safe well, it doesn't go into any other methods or types of wells. If you live in an area with a high water table then this method for this type of well is sufficient, but if you have other needs you'll need to find better information than this book can deliver.

As a few others have mentioned, this book IS simplistic - but - it is a good introduction to the subject of digging your own well.

For those concerned that "Digging a well is much too complicated!" - this book will help dispel many of those concerns. Once a beginner reads through this book, they can decide if they want to read and do more, or give up on the project.

I give this book 4 out of 5 stars because it does what it says. If you want a detailed tome covering all of the minutia of digging a well, this book is not for you. BUT - if you're looking for an *introduction* into the topic. One you can read in a short amount of time to "get your feet wet" so to speak, then this book is a good start.

A good entry-level book. If you already know the basics, move on. If you're a complete greenhorn, this is a good, non-intimidating primer on the topic.

This book is really written for the lay person. I have no need for a well but I will not get rid of the book. I can forsee the need for a future well and the cost savings and advice inside these pages is priceless. Without hands-on experience at first it seems daunting of a task to dig your own well; however, the writter makes it readable, understandable, and down right appealing to begin the workout. Not knowing how deep the water level is can be frustating. I live in a area where the water table can be twice the depth talked about in the book. This poses a problem but I am still willing to try someday. I will have confidence in the effort of well digging in the future with this book on my shelf and available when I need it.

This book is very interesting. I did not realize how old it is until I tried to find an auger. It has been over 12 years since the company listed sold those and they don't remember who the vendor was. Of course, the prices listed are out dated also! It seems like a good home project but make sure you can find the necessary tools, parts, etc.