# One way to resolve OPSEC.



## TheLazyL (Jun 5, 2012)

Wife believes that if she pretends hard enough then reality can not happen. She also tends to tell anyone, anything. So I have to prepare on the sly.

My latest sly project.

On my SHTF list of things to do or get is a shallow well operated by a hand pump. How do I accomplish that without stressing the wife or have her tell everyone what it is for?

An opportunity presented itself! artydance:

Our house water pressure drop to zero Wednesday night. I concluded it wasn't the electrical pressure switch, something in the submersible pump. Thursday afternoon the Well Guy replaced the submersible pump and water service was restored.

Wife is stressed because she couldn't take a shower (my suggestion of using the fountain pond was not accepted in the manor I had hoped). She quickly used up the one flush per stool. Bless her pea picking heart she did melt some ice cubes so she had water to wash off her makeup. She's not happy.

I asked her what she thought about driving a second well out by my shop and the chicken coop. When I'm doing shop stuff I could clean up before coming into the house and I wouldn't have to carry water so far for the chickens. Nope she didn't like the idea.

Well I could put a pitcher pump on it, then when we lose water again or electrical outage (and I'm not home to fire up the generator) she'd still have water to at least fill the stool tanks, cook with and perhaps even wash with! This idea she liked. :beercheer:

I've got the parts ordered. In the next few weeks I'll have a water source for SHTF or TEOTWAWKI. And she'll tell everyone it's for her and the chickens. OPSEC is still in place.


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## ZoomZoom (Dec 18, 2009)

Love it when a plan comes together.

BTW, next time she's out shopping, have her stop and pick up a big box of Huggies baby wipes. They work great for conditions or situations when/where water isn't available. I use the things darn near daily out at the shop.


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## NaeKid (Oct 17, 2008)

I use the baby-wipes on motorcycle trips to limit my chances of "Monkey Butt" from happening ...


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## talob (Sep 16, 2009)

I somewhat have the same problem with the wife, shes so proud of all the canning and dehydrating she does she likes to tell everyone and share it with them, I have to gently remind her the not everyone needs to know what we have canned and put away. I have the well put down by hand out back (we have city water) by the way I cant recommend cable drilling if you have a lot of rock! Now I just need the funds to finish up the solar system and get a solar shower built, seems like it never ends so many things to do so little time and money.


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## IlliniWarrior (Nov 30, 2010)

I don't understand this need for your wife's "permission" or "approval" to do something like adding additional water - especially when there is a practical everyday usage ....

in regard to your wife unintentionally - intentionally breaking OPSEC .... it won't get any better .... even when it could mean getting you trampled by the starving hoard .... I have a mother that couldn't keep a secret for 2 seconds even if it meant instant death .... the more the secret - the more allure to spread it .... I'm still not sure how I'm ever going to manage doing a covert feeding if it's ever necessary - it's an almost certain death sentence


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## Geek999 (Jul 9, 2013)

Actually, I think this opens a good topic wiith the titlle, I.e. How to get things done wthout discussing prepping, not just with family but with other folks. I think short term events, like in the OP are effective in the short term, but inadequate to get your next door neighbor to stock a year's supply of food. I think more ideas are worth sharing.


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## HardCider (Dec 13, 2013)

I don't have that problem and when it comes to water, I asked my wife what she thought about a shallow well with a pitcher pump and she liked that so much she wanted them all over the farm


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## TheLazyL (Jun 5, 2012)

Pipe coupling hasn't arrived so I'll see how deep I can auger!

The post hole auger I ordered has been delayed in shipping. So I borrowed one from work. I auger down a foot and hit hard clay. Poured in a gallon of water and quit for the day.

Next evening worked and worked to get 6" deeper. Poured in another gallon of water.

Waited two more evening and tried again. Gain about a foot. Poured in more water.

No big deal YET. Pipe couplings still haven't arrive. I'll try my new auger that was delivered.

Zip. Down 3 feet, the length of the auger handle. Both augers are the same brand so why did the new one work better the the one from work? So I compare the two. Work's auger has the cutting edge beaten in a bit. My guess is that someone was trying to use it as a traditional post hole digger by hitting the ground with it instead of twisting!

Add a 5' piece of 3/4" pipe to MY auger. Twist, pull, twist, pull, twist, pull I'm down to 5 feet before wife yells, "SUPPER'S READY"

I'm starting to get concerned. This is going too easy! 

Tonight I'll see if I can hit 8 feet (maximum depth without more pipe to the auger's handle).

I'll bet your paycheck that I will not hit any rocks until I start driving the well point.


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## Jim1590 (Jul 11, 2012)

Nah, you will not hit any rocks until they are just beyond your reach to get them out easily


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

How deep do you have to go to hit water?


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## TheLazyL (Jun 5, 2012)

LincTex said:


> How deep do you have to go to hit water?


In my area of the county the first water vein is, 20 to 25 feet. Just within the limits of my pitcher pump. When I'm done I'll either know exactly how deep the water vein is or have no idea and figuring out how to pull a dry well point.

When we built the house, basement excavation was 8 feet deep, all solid clay. No water no rocks.

The second water vein at 100 feet plus. This is the vein my house well is in.


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## TheLazyL (Jun 5, 2012)

This project is getting real scary!

I'm at the 5 foot mark.

When I'm done for the evening I've been pouring water down the hole to soften up the clay. Always have some water left in the hole the next evening.

Last evening no water! Does that mean...I'm guessing that I shouldn't be hitting sand until around 15 foot mark?!

Just pass the 5 foot mark and Jim1590 prophecy almost came true, a rock. I work the auger this way and that way...HA HA! Worked my way around the edge of the rock!

6 1/2 foot mark I'm pulling up wet sand! How can this be?

When the house basement was dug 8 feet deep, all clay. But then the house is sitting on a land that is a bout 3 1/2 feet higher then where I'm putting in the well. So compared to the house elevation, bottom of my well is at 10 feet.

Auger gets me to the 7 foot mark. Now the sand is so wet that it falls out of the auger before I can get the auger out of the hole.

This morning I check the hole and there is a foot of water! I've got water! :cheers: Now I know the actual depth of the water vein but I don't know how deep the vein is.

Tonight I'll start pounding the well point down. Figure I'll drive the top of the well point screen 1 foot below the water. Install the pitcher pump and staring pumping to see if the water replenishs faster then I can pump. If it does then I'll go another foot down and repeat. I'll continue 1 foot at a time until I hit the 15 foot mark, then call it good enough! :2thumb:

Why do I think this project is scary? Going way tooooooo easy. I was figuring trying to pound thru 20 feet of solid clay, bending pipe, having to set up a tripod with a 500 pound driving weight and hitting no water. $200 bucks right down the drain.

Wait a minute. I may have just jinxed myself by celebrating too soon.:brickwall:


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## talob (Sep 16, 2009)

TheLazyL said:


> This project is getting real scary!
> 
> I'm at the 5 foot mark.
> 
> ...


Geeze, I'da been glad to have solid clay, had good ol Kentucky limestone.


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## TheLazyL (Jun 5, 2012)

Bummer. Knew this project was going too good.

I auger to 7 foot, sand and about a foot of water in the hole.

Started driving the well point. A foot went like there wasn't any resistance. Now 20 whacks with the post driver gets me 1".

Top of the well point screen is at 8 1/2 feet.

Put the pitcher pump on and primer. Lots of suction, no water.

A long Internet search finds a state record of water wells. Another hour of grooming the search mode and I have a report for my well!

Depth 137'
Screen 10' with slot size .012

0 to 15 feet BR Clay
15 to 78 feet Gray Clay
78 to 82 gravel
82 to 113 feet gray clay
113 to 143 coarse sand.

Static water lever 40 feet. This I don't understand. How can there be water in clay? Pitcher pump limit is 25 feet. 

And how can I have a foot of water at 6 to 7 feet?

Guess I can try and pull the well point back up to the 6 to 7 foot level, put the pump on and see what comes out or give the project up 

I'm open to suggestions.


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

TheLazyL said:


> Static water lever 40 feet. This I don't understand. How can there be water in clay?


It means when they set the casing, the part with all the saw slits in it, is in the vein where the water is - but the water will rise up inside the casing to a point about 40 feet below the surface, due to pressure in that layer of the earth.


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

TheLazyL said:


> I'm open to suggestions.


You could try making a 5"-6" diameter hole about 20' (or more) deep as a "holding area"... use a hacksaw to make slits in your plastic casing in the vein where you believe the water is. Water will flow through the slits and fill the inside of the casing. The bottom space can be the "settling" area (for sediment)


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## GrinnanBarrett (Aug 31, 2012)

I applaud you for what you are doing. Rarely do both spouses buy totally into prepping. My bride just gave up years ago. GB


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## GrinnanBarrett (Aug 31, 2012)

I looked at putting a well in the yard of our in town place but the ground water here is too sulfurous to mess with. Go out a few miles and it is fine. At one time the town had a well provide all it's water but it outgrew the well in no time. the well and it building are still standing but only a few of us remember what it is. GB


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## sgtusmc98 (Sep 8, 2013)

My well: 2 feet topsoil, 108 ft solid Mtn stone=water. Another 10 ft just to be in water good


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## weedygarden (Apr 27, 2011)

IlliniWarrior said:


> I don't understand this need for your wife's "permission" or "approval" to do something like adding additional water - especially when there is a practical everyday usage ....
> 
> in regard to your wife unintentionally - intentionally breaking OPSEC .... it won't get any better .... even when it could mean getting you trampled by the starving hoard .... I have a mother that couldn't keep a secret for 2 seconds even if it meant instant death .... the more the secret - the more allure to spread it .... I'm still not sure how I'm ever going to manage doing a covert feeding if it's ever necessary - it's an almost certain death sentence


I get people with big mouths who can't keep OPSEC IF their life depended on it, and it probably will.

However, working "with" your spouse, as opposed to doing it your way may get better support and buy in. I know it doesn't work for all.

My friend has been telling her husband and his family for decades that she was not able to take care of their adult developmentally disabled brother and it kept being suggested to her. It was decided by one decades ago, and they were just trying to get her to agree. There are 6 adult siblings in the family and "they" (including her husband) decided the brother was coming to live with friend and husband. She was told by sister-in-law who had been talking about this plan for years, that disabled brother is coming to live with you. Guess who lived somewhere separate from her husband for 7 months? Yep. 
Guess who ultimately took care of disable brother for 7 months? The husband who never wanted children and doesn't really do well with taking care of others and would have taken off in the boat for the day, every day, leaving brother with my friend, when he couldn't deal with it. The husband, who had been verbally abusive, including telling friend to "stay out of my family's business" has been back pedaling ever since, and especially after his initial shock of her decision to live separate from him. He was speechless for weeks. She has always been "nice," respectful, and diplomatic, but people mistake this for weakness. Now friend has spoken out to the whole family about how she was mistreated by them and that this sibling, who is the youngest in the family needs to be in a group home. They are all in their 60s and 70s with a myriad of health issues and in no position to be taking care of someone who might outlive them. Husband is singing a new tune and being quiet while the wife speaks her piece to his whole family. The whole family was in shock that the wife didn't just do what she was TOLD after telling them for decades, "NO." The leader in this decision, a sister in law, was REALLY NOT HAPPY! It was now passed to her to take care of disabled brother, and she is now working on looking for a new caregiver in the family. Most of the rest agree a group home is where brother needs to be. Friend never once mentioned divorce. Friend never once made ultimatums. Friend never yelled or told her husband off (I would have raged at him). Friend just made a decision to take a job in another state. She just announced it to her husband. "I got offered a job at _____ and I am taking the job."

You can wear the pants, but you'd better listen to the input you are given or live with the consequences.

The man may be the head of the family, but the woman is the neck. Wherever the neck turns, so does the head.


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## ZoomZoom (Dec 18, 2009)

Reminds me of a short story.

Three pastors took a day off and decided to go fishing after a busy Sunday. They agreed its so difficult preaching to people all the time and no one preaches to them. Sitting by the river with little response from the hooks one pastor thought of sharing his heart with others. 

He said "guys its rare to get such an opportunity to be among ourselves like this. It would be good if we look into our lives and help each other with our weaknesses".

They all agreed to this.

1. This pastor said "Gentlemen I need help! The people in my church give a lot of money every week. I started taking little by little but now I take a big chunk. I can't stop stealing from the church please pray for me. The day they will find out I will be fired"!

2. Another pastor said "brothers your sins are better than mine! I have slept with every woman in the church including married women. As I preach my eyes hover over the congregation looking for the next prey. If this is discovered people will not fire me, they will kill me!"

3. The last pastor's feet were shaking as they were talking. They thought he had a big story to tell. He stood up and said "My brothers my problem is gossip! I can't sit anymore. I have to share your stories with other people! I will be back! 

Keep your secrets to yourself!


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## TheLazyL (Jun 5, 2012)

Pictures!

Silver pipe on the auger is the 5 foot section I added.

Top soil to the right of the hole. On the left just out side of the picture frame is the pile of clay from the hole. Tan board on the wood sidewalk was used to cover the hole.










Took a bigger board and drill a hole in the center. Keeps me from dropping tools down the hole and helped to start driving the pipe level.

Coupler at the top of the board in on the end of the first 5 feet of pipe. 5 feet of pipe plus the 3 feet well point I'm at 8 feet. Second section of 5 foot pipe is under the 17 pound fence post driver.










20 hard whacks with the post driver equals 1 inch deeper. Now I am at 11 1/2 feet down. Hard suction on the pump but no water. Thinking about pulling the well point back up to the thin vein of sand, where I first hit some water.


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## ZoomZoom (Dec 18, 2009)

Ouch. 20 whacks per inch. That sucks.

Know anyone with a 3PH post hole digger?


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