Had to decide between a well and a rainwater catchment system for my off-grid cabin

I went with rainwater because the well drilling quote was $8,000 up front, but now I'm wondering if I should've bit the bullet with summer droughts coming... anyone else deal with this choice and regret it later?

2 comments

2 Comments

laura_wright14d ago

I had a buddy in Nevada who went with both - drilled a well and set up gutters - and his well pump burned out after two years because of all the sand in the ground. He spent another $4,000 just to replace it. Makes you wonder if that upfront cost really saves you anything in the long run. Rainwater systems need more maintenance too, like cleaning filters and treating the water for algae in hot months. But at least you're not stuck paying for electricity to run a pump every time you want a shower. I guess it's just picking which headache you're okay with living with.

paigem4514d ago

Read somewhere that rainwater is actually cleaner for your skin than well water.