# Hand pump for well from INSIDE house?



## ACountryMomma (Aug 10, 2008)

My husband is wondering if we can run a hand pump from _inside_ the house at the point where the water line runs indoors from the well. He says since it works like a straw it should pump the water horizontally but I've never heard of such a thing. I thought the actual hand pump had to be on top of a straight vertical pipe to the source of the water. Does anyone have experience with hand pumps who could help with this question?


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## Cyngbaeld (May 20, 2004)

Yes you can. Cabin Fever knows how.


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## Hobbes (Apr 1, 2008)

Readymade Resources has some pretty good hand/foot pumps that might fit the bill...
http://www.readymaderesources.com/cart/index.php?act=viewCat&catId=15


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## Cabin Fever (May 10, 2002)

Yes, you can use a pitcher pump mounted on a counter top to pump water from a well. My Mom has this setup at her cabin in Wisconsin. During the summer she uses an electric pump and pressure tank for water. In the fall, we drain the pump, pressure tank, water heater, and water lines so they don't freeze. Then, turn a couple of valves which bypasses all the drained plumbing leaving a single line open from the well to the hand pump. During the winter, water is supplied to the cabin via the hand pump. She has to heat the water for washing and bathing and fills a bucket to flush the toliet.

The only way this system will work is if the vertical distance from the watertable to the counter top is no more than about 20 feet. Horizontal distance...within reason...makes no difference.


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## ACountryMomma (Aug 10, 2008)

Thank you very much! I will pass on the information and the link. I really appreciate the help.


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## Ann-NWIowa (Sep 28, 2002)

It used to be very common to have a pitcher pump in the kitchen or on a back porch or in a pantry which pumped water from a cistern.


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