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“I live in a wildfire-prone area, so having the well when the power goes out is imperative.”
Photo Credit: iStock
Running water can disappear as soon as the electricity does in homes that rely on private wells.
That problem was at the center of an exchange after a prepping newcomer asked Reddit’s r/preppers for the simplest way to keep well water available during an outage.
“I was looking for ideas from experienced preppers for getting water from well during power outage. I am new to prepping and a single woman, so not a lot of knowledge about the workings of well, electricity, etc.,” the original poster began.
They wondered about the easiest solution, naming a solar pump, deep well hand pump, and a solar generator and breaker box combo.
The most common recommendation was a generator paired with a safe transfer setup.
“Depends on the well, but short answer is generator with a transfer switch will be the cheapest and easiest,” one Reddit user advised. 
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Others had money-saving tips for the OP. 
“I got a 6,500-watt Generac generator for $200 from Facebook Marketplace and paid $700 to have a plug and transfer switch installed at my breaker box. I can run anything in my house from the circuit panel,” another person explained.
Commenters also stressed confirming the pump’s voltage before buying equipment. 
A Redditor said residents need to know whether a well pump uses 120 volts or 240 volts, and another noted that deep well pumps often run on 220-volt power and draw a lot of electricity.
Without electricity, a pump stops, which means water for drinking, washing, flushing toilets — and in some places, even emergency fire protection — can disappear too.
For some readers, that last point mattered most.
A Reddit user who identified themselves as an electrician described using a generator inlet and a double-throw switch so the well can be powered without sending electricity back to the grid.
“I live in a wildfire-prone area, so having the well when the power goes out is imperative,” they noted.
Not everyone favored the same backup, of course. 
“My well is 200 feet deep. Not happening,” someone replied.
Some participants focused on storage, with two discussing hillside water tanks that can keep parts of a system working without electricity.
In many setups, the simplest option is to supply a pump with backup electricity, such as a generator inlet, interlock kit, or transfer switch sized to the pump’s needs.
Beyond backup power, a Reddit user urged well owners to obtain common repair items and the tools to use them, including switches, capacitors, snifter valves, and pressure gauges. 
“Most of these spare parts are very cheap, certainly cheaper than what most pump guys would charge you just to show up,” they advised.
Others described building redundancy in layers. Setups they described included generator backup, storage tanks, solar-charged batteries, and a hand pump.
A commenter said that overlap had already helped during previous outages. 
“Made it through a few multi-day outages with this setup in the past. I eventually leveled up to a solar array/batteries to handle most outages, but I still have my portable genny ready to go in my shed,” they wrote. “Two is one, one is none.”
These articles address the same practical challenge: getting through outages and making limited water go further. 
One looks at keeping refrigerator food cold when the power is out, while the others focus on cutting everyday water use and getting more out of what you have.
• During blackouts, a brilliant outage hack can keep refrigerator food fresh longer.
• At home, gray water habits that save money can also cut daily water demand.
• A simple way to make the most of household water can stretch every gallon.
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© 2025 THE COOL DOWN COMPANY. All Rights Reserved. Do not sell or share my personal information. Reach us at hello@thecooldown.com.

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