Driving a point in clay

**Hillmann** · 10-22-2009, 02:30 PM

I live in town and have municupal water and would like a backup water supply in case of a power outage lasting more than a day. I have thought about drivng a point to use for this purpous. The water table is only about 15 feet deep so it would be easy to do so. My biggest concearn is that the soil in my yard conatains a lot of clay down to at least 10 feet(foundations for basement), I am not sure what it is after that but assume it stays clay for a ways more. Will a point work in clay or will the clay plug it up and prevent water from flowing fast enough to get it out of the ground?

**COWBOYSURVIVAL** · 10-22-2009, 03:36 PM

I don't know the answer to that but if anyone has experience with drivepoint wells, I am also interested in putting one in. I have the pump and as I understand it you just dig down about 5ft. fill hole with water overnight, make a large maul and pound 2" pipe tipped with a drivepoint and capped to prevent damaging threads adding pipe as you go.

**Hillmann** · 10-22-2009, 03:41 PM

For a cheap pump their is a site online somewhare that shows how to make one with a pvc pipe and a flapper valve.

**lucznik** · 10-22-2009, 03:53 PM

Just make sure you own the water rights to your property.

I don't know about the localities where you all live, but I know that in at least Wyoming and Utah, water (and mineral) rights are a totally separate issue from property ownership.

**crashdive123** · 10-22-2009, 06:02 PM

Hillman - I'm certainly no expert on wells, but I would caution you with the depth of your well if you are intending to use it for drinking water and live in a residential area. Not sure if you do or not, but homeowners tend to dump a whole bunch of chemicals and pesticides on their lawns.

**Hillmann** · 10-22-2009, 08:30 PM

Crashdive,
I would have the water tested, assuming I drive it before it is needed. I would also like to use it to water my garden because of no chlorene. Also how much of the contaminents would get that deep through clay? (I have no idea)

**crashdive123** · 10-22-2009, 08:38 PM

For your area, I don't know. It depends on a lot of different factors (pesiticides, fertilizer, farms, etc.). Your local agricultural office should be able to provide answers for you. You can also call a local well drilling company and ask them what is normal for a drinking water well. I know around here you can get irrigation water very shallow, but for drinkining you need to go down well over 100 feet. Every area will be different.

**Ken** · 10-22-2009, 08:50 PM

Most municipal water supplies (those with treatment plants - not well fields) have pretty substantial generators to keep the system working for extended periods of time, similar to your local telephone company.

If you're concerned about drinking water only, why not simply store a sufficient quantity in food grade containers or drums?

**crashdive123** · 10-22-2009, 09:06 PM

True. If the concern is just for outages, storage may be a good option for you.

**NCO** · 10-22-2009, 09:32 PM

At least much easier and cheaper.

**edr730** · 10-23-2009, 02:45 AM

You are correct that you probably couldn't drive it or draw the water if you do drive it. Make sure you tighten the pipe every so often or you will mess up the threads with such hard driving. Put a hand pump on top and prime the pipes when you wish to test it's ability to draw up water. If you don't have a hand pump then just pour water into the pipe. If it will draw water then it will drain into the ground also as you fill the pipe. What does not drain, does not draw. You may have luck drilling a hole with a garden hose attached to a stick and use the pressure to do the drilling.