Emergency Water Retrieval

Here is another handy device for retrieving water from wells or bores if you get desperate. Have put it to the test several times in past years, it is definitely a winner.
We carry this in the van with us, hope we never have to use it in an emergency situaton but it could be a life saver.

It is a simple build;
(1)1 X metre of 90mm thin walled stormwater PVC
(2)Cut two flat PVC discs inside diameter of pipe, drill a series of holes near centre of discs to allow water in.
(3)Cut a thin flat stainless steel/aluminium disc a couple of mm less than pipe inside diameter. Cut a rubber washer and glue it to disc.
(4)Press one of the PVC discs into end of pipe 25mm and then apply some PVC glue to fix it in place. Now fit the metal disc with rubber seal facing outside/end of pipe. Lastly fit second PVC disc flush with end of pipe and glue.
Attach rope to top of pipe ensuring that when you lift it with the rope it remains vertical.  
Length of rope.
Lower the pipe into the bore/well and when it reaches the water you will feel the rope go slack. Hold it at this point and when the pipe has filled you will feel the weight on the rope. Pull it up and up end the 5.5 litre of water into a bucket and repeat until you have required amount of water. (One lift is what is a daily recommended amount of water for one person)

Good idea Nightjar.  You didn't mention the use of the canvas or similar shroud on the top, which I assume is to minimise dirt and muck getting into the pipe during the lowering and more likely retrieval of the pipe.

I guess that using standard pipe caps may be easier than cutting to fit, unless the bore is too narrow to take the extra diameter of the cap.

Hey Pablop,
Look between the second & third image for explanation.

Right, I missed that, but guessed the right reason.

Thanks,

That you did Rob, yes you could go and buy a cap but I like to make do with what is laying around in the shed, also every gram in weight you can save is a big help.
A mate of mine commented I was a just a big girl only pulling 5+Litres at a time, so he made one out of 100mm pipe which held 13 litres of water. I was there when he hauled it up from a 30 metre bore, to say he was knackered is an understatement. He reduced the length considerably.

Top idea nightjar,nice and simple,years ago i helped doug stone out on a few trips,he had one trailer with a 500 or maybe the 1000ltr water cube,you know the plastic one in the cage,every few days we had to go to a tank and run a couple of garden hoses and siphon to fill it up,a few hours,it was for showers for his customers,one troopy had the shower pump on the bullbar,i said to him oneday maybe you could set it up with dissconnect pipes and run it to fill the tank,swap them around you know what i mean,anyway this trailer im building will have a pump,later i might see if i could set it up somehow along them lines.......

Found the photos and have re-posted that were previously lost when photobucket went offline.

goldchaser wrote: Top idea nightjar,nice and simple,years ago i helped doug stone out on a few trips,he had one trailer with a 500 or maybe the 1000ltr water cube,you know the plastic one in the cage,every few days we had to go to a tank and run a couple of garden hoses and siphon to fill it up,a few hours,it was for showers for his customers,one troopy had the shower pump on the bullbar,i said to him oneday maybe you could set it up with dissconnect pipes and run it to fill the tank,swap them around you know what i mean,anyway this trailer im building will have a pump,later i might see if i could set it up somehow along them lines.......

To retrieve water from water tanks we use a 12V bilge pump and a length of 20mm clear plastic hose.

WOW!!! I'll definitely try it! Thank's for such great invention! I think it will simplify the whole process

Iam,
We carry this in our caravan at all times.
There are literally 1000's of drill holes dotted around the West Australian goldfields most of them extend down into water.
If ever we got stranded it could be between surviving or dying from dehydration.

better than drinking ones own pee

Boil before drinking , if possible . Many small animals fall in and drown .