The Well

Uh-oh.... problems with the well. The other night, while watering the garden, the water ran out. I've been trying to go really easy on the well, and only water one or two gardens at a time, but even that was too much for it. It replenished itself within about a half-hour, but it still makes me crazy-worry. I am on the verge of harvesting my first tomato, and would really like to be able to keep a few crops going. If we don't get a good, solid rain in the next week or two, I won't be able to sow my fall crop, either. I was really counting on those crops to get me through the winter.

I have future plans on installing a grey water system into the house, and will redirect all my grey water, plus all the rain water from my gutters into a big cistern that I hope to have buried in the yard. Then, I will be able to use that water during these drought times. It was going to be my two-year plan, but I am going to start costing it right away, and will see if there is some way to get it installed next spring. Even if I can just save the rain water for now. I have garbage cans under the downspouts at the moment, catching the rain (when we get it!), but it's not even close to being enough. I use all the water in the cans within 2 or 3 days after a good rain. It JUST barely covers my patio plants. Isn't even close to helping me with the gardens.