I spent hours checking the power supply, the timer, the tanks, the pipes, the pump control unit and the run dry probes. Nada. All seemed to be fine. I tried to haul the borehole pump out but it jammed.
Around that point, the OH finally managed to get hold of someone who might be able to help—a local water services company. The owner obligingly dropped in on his way home from work and together we managed to haul the pump out. He concurred that it probably failed and will get one of his lads out tomorrow morning to either fix or replace it.
Of course, it's never as simple as that. As we hauled the pump up, a fearsome reek wafted up the borehole—nearly pukeworthy in its intensity. The borehole smelled clean and fresh when checked 10 days ago, so something awful has got in there. It now needs to be blasted clean and disinfected as do the pipes and tanks.
And then it has to be paid for. Never mind, we have a few quid in the bank for a change. The only problem is that the money was intended for getting the chimney relined before winter as the old lining failed last autumn. And without a working wood fire, our winter heating oil bill was awful. (Well, by our standards it was as we only ran the oil heating for six hours a day even when it was -20C outside.)
So it comes down to water now or warmth in winter. Water wins. Fingers crossed for a mild winter...
Still, with a bit of luck it won't be three months before we get the water back on again. That's how long it took last time, but that was because the borehole ran dry. It didn't this time—in fact, it's been bucketing down rain all day so while I didn't get much tea to slake my thirst I did get thoroughly soaked from the outside in!
that's more than an ohshitmoment How do you get drinking water in the meantime? sending watery good thoughts your way x and hoping it all gets sorted soon.
(thanks)