Water problems

T7170

Member
Hi everybody just lookin for some advise as usual or interested to hear some of ur opinions/ ideas.,
We have an out farm a few miles away from homeplace with no water on it, the farmyard is located at start of farm and land is all behind it and a lot higher above sea level,
There is power in yard and have considered drilling a well but Doesn't make sense as all water will have to be pumped several hundred meters and to much higher ground, does gravity water work well and if so what's your views on it?
We did get a fella to divine for us and he did find water on highest point of farm but our local water driller is not convinced., any info/opinions greatly appreciated [emoji106]
 

llamedos

New Member
If the diviner has found water, it will be there, and most likely to have been piped in the past, would be my thinking. Do a test dig, nothing to lose.

I did the same at the last place we rented, very small scale mind, and only a few dozen sheep & ponies to water, just piped it down to IBCs and field troughs, it worked well, and was gravity which fed them, we never ran dry, and had more than enough to wash out buildings etc.
 

slackjawedyokel

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Northumberland
Our water source (a spring) is several hundred metres away from, and much lower than, the farm buildings which are at the highest point on the farm.
From the spring, the water runs under gravity down ~300m of 110mm pipe (drainpipe) to a pump house where it's pumped up the hill to a holding tank. From there it's distributed everywhere on the farm by gravity.
This works well; main difficulty is the cattle troughs in the sheds take an age to fill (being not much lower than the tank), but it does work ok. I wouldn't like to put a pressure pump on pipes to troughs as one or another will always be dribbling and the pump would be on constantly and would wear out.

If you can find a good water source above where you need it (i.e. Above the level of any field troughs you'd want to supply), I'd put a big tank there and dig a trench back to your yard. Run an armoured cable out to your borehole and a pipe back to your yard/buildings. You'd use a float switch in the tank to switch the borehole pump on and off so it's all auto and maintenance free (we have a second switch linked to a strobe light which is activated if the water level drops below normal levels).
Float switches:
http://www.georgelancaster.co.uk/portfolio_page/remex-type-p/

Bit of an investment but it will be worth it for the future.
 

milkloss

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
East Sussex
If you can find enough water and have the right levels maybe consider a papa pump. It's not very efficient (uses a lot of water to pump a little) but it doesn't need electric.
 

T7170

Member
Thanks very much for all info [emoji106] from my limited knowledge for gravity to work properly it needs to come within
23 foot from ground level regardless of well depth! Seen a few in the past that worked brilliant for filling sprayers ect if lucky with a good supply [emoji106]
 

renewablejohn

Member
Location
lancs
We use a syphon system on our stream which keeps the IBC container three quarters full. We then pump out to the polytunnel storage half an IBC full at a time leaving a quarter tank full which the syphon tops back up to three quarters full. Works very well. If we need more volume we just manifold more IBC containers into the system.
 

Exfarmer

Member
Location
Bury St Edmunds
I can promise you that someone should go back on holiday, if they think diviners are perfect. I used to fancy my skills when I lived in Buckingham shire but I was completely lost in Norfolk. Probably because you will find it everywhere there.
If your well driller is not keen forget it.
If the water is lower than 25 feet from the surface you will need a pump even just a small one, although in theory water should be able to be sucked 30 feet
 

renewablejohn

Member
Location
lancs
Thanks very much for all info [emoji106] from my limited knowledge for gravity to work properly it needs to come within
23 foot from ground level regardless of well depth! Seen a few in the past that worked brilliant for filling sprayers ect if lucky with a good supply [emoji106]

A syphon will maintain the level at whatever the well level is.
 

thom

Member
Location
ireland
Hi everybody just lookin for some advise as usual or interested to hear some of ur opinions/ ideas.,
We have an out farm a few miles away from homeplace with no water on it, the farmyard is located at start of farm and land is all behind it and a lot higher above sea level,
There is power in yard and have considered drilling a well but Doesn't make sense as all water will have to be pumped several hundred meters and to much higher ground, does gravity water work well and if so what's your views on it?
We did get a fella to divine for us and he did find water on highest point of farm but our local water driller is not convinced., any info/opinions greatly appreciated [emoji106]
Bore the well near your your electric source , there's little chance of getting gravity feed even in the best area,water pipe is a lot cheaper than an esb connection if the water level is below 30 feet,esb connection for a well is 1600 euro ,blue water pipe is 140 Euro for a 200 mtr 3/4 inch roll
 

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