Gyppy Well Water

glazed · #1 07/07/09, 04:39 AM

After making some phone calls today to the rural water company, and eventually inquiring about possibly re-digging the well on the OK land instead, I hear a sneer in the voice while telling me the water will most probably be "gyppy."

This helped me to remember my FIL telling us the well water was "rather gyppy" when he grew up there.

Is this bad?

After my own limited research, I am getting conflicting impressions of high gypsum content in water.

On the one hand, it seems only to mean your water is "hard" ... which, to me, is no big deal (I don't like to feel slippery after I bathe anyway, and crud/scum can be scrubbed away) ... but the opinions I've been exposed to so far have kinda scoffed it.

And, on the other hand, I just read an article saying high content gypsum water is a gold mine for your crop/gardens/land ... plus, I read another article saying gyppy water is not harmful to your health in any way, and actually has some benefits due to its high calcium content.

So I wonder why I would get the impression "gyppy water" is bad?

Please spill the beans, and set me straight if you know yet another side of this mystery

Thank you!

blufford · #2 07/07/09, 05:09 AM

You may have already goggled this.

http://sibleynaturecenter.org/essays...0901_soil.html

Beeman · #3 07/07/09, 08:47 AM

I've never heard the term "gyppy". We have heavy lime/calcium in the water around here. Nothing tears up faucets,pipes,appliances and parts of a well like it.

DW · #4 07/07/09, 09:22 AM

never heard that term but our well was high in iron...turned everything brown...BAD...we went to city water and have been SO happy with the good water. We've never even thought of redrilling b/c of the expense.

Allen W · #5 07/07/09, 09:50 AM

If its gyppy its past just being hard. Can give people and animals the runs until they get used to it. Depending on how bad it is how it will taste. Did your father in law say anything about hauling in drinking water? Pretty common to in areas of gyppy water depending on how bad it is. The water will be all right for crops and animals but you will more then likly want rural water for the house.

**Cabin Fever** · #6 07/07/09, 10:02 AM

Sulfate in Well Water

Old_Town · #7 07/07/09, 10:22 AM

I have a gyppy well in northern Brown County,TX just to the south of Abilene. The water taste horrible. Even the cows don't like it. I have contemplated drilling another well 800 yards from the existing well in hope hopes to get good water. It's a gamble I am willing to take as my well water now is awful.

glazed · #8 07/07/09, 03:53 PM

Thank you for your responses ... and the links (I'll read them in a bit.)

May I ask another question?

What is the difference between a domestic tap and a pasture tap?

The rural water company told me it is $500 for a domestic tap BUT I have to have an approved septic system in place before they'll install it.

The pasture tap is $700.

We have 80 acres, and have no idea WHERE we are going to want to build so it makes no sense to put in a septic system yet, but we will need water.

Should I put in a work order for a pasture tap (so we can at least have water) until we figure out where we want to build?

To be honest, we really didn't want to mess with "approved septic systems" and opening the can of worms to having inspectors on the land, and knowing our private business ... we wanted to look into compost toilets and using a greywater system.

That's why I thought we'd just go ahead and re-drill the existing well ... trying to keep it simple ... but gyppy water may not be good for us judging by your posts.

Should we just put in a work order for the pasture tap for our water needs?

glazed · #9 07/07/09, 10:44 PM

Come back guys, come back

glazed · #10 07/12/09, 01:24 AM

Perty Pwease?

Old Vet · #11 07/12/09, 02:23 AM

If the water is OK to drink you can put a sand filter on it and it will be better than tap water from the county water.They won't tell you this because you are to buy water from them and not have a well at all.

glazed · #12 07/12/09, 02:36 AM

This is Papa Crow.

Is it unreasonable to think that hand dung well they did in the 40's can be re-done by us?

Mama says thank you.

And waht is a sand filter? Can we make it?

Old Vet · #13 07/12/09, 03:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mama Crow

This is Papa Crow.

Is it unreasonable to think that hand dung well they did in the 40's can be re-done by us?

Mama says thank you.

And waht is a sand filter? Can we make it?

Yes PM me and I will give you directions on how to make it.

Papa Crow · #14 07/12/09, 03:19 AM

ok I'm here. She's gonna show me how.