RAM1961
New Member
I have a well on my property that we bought a year and a half ago, and it is shared with neighbor. Not sure how it works, but this well has it's own electric meter with bill being sent to the neighbor - why not us, I don't know. Right now the shared well agreement states it's a 50/50 split on the electric bill to run the pump, etc.
I've had shared wells for the past 18 years, and do know they don't use a lot of electricity, at least around here. My winter electric bill has always been higher (averaging $100/month in the winter and $80/month in the summer). The neighbor sent us the six month that ran from May to November, and I was shocked to see my half of just the water bill was $240. The previous six months from November to May was about $50. I know we didn't use $240 worth of watering a lawn in July and August in particular. It's just the two of us - empty nesters - no garden, livestock, etc. to water - just an underground sprinkler system that we set up to run only at night about 10 weeks of the year. Meanwhile, next door, we see the neighbors building "permaculture" mounds all over and they're not only watering the heck out of them, they've ditch-witched a few more trenches to lay down water lines to what I assume will be more of these ugly looking mounds. They've also said they are going to get cattle and/or sheep and plant an orchard.
So the way I see it - I need some kind of metering device that will show usage to both residences and pay accordingly. The well is about 400' from our house and about 600' from their house. I don't know where one would be hooked up, or how to do it. Would I go to a well driller, or the electric company or who? Thanks in advance.
I've had shared wells for the past 18 years, and do know they don't use a lot of electricity, at least around here. My winter electric bill has always been higher (averaging $100/month in the winter and $80/month in the summer). The neighbor sent us the six month that ran from May to November, and I was shocked to see my half of just the water bill was $240. The previous six months from November to May was about $50. I know we didn't use $240 worth of watering a lawn in July and August in particular. It's just the two of us - empty nesters - no garden, livestock, etc. to water - just an underground sprinkler system that we set up to run only at night about 10 weeks of the year. Meanwhile, next door, we see the neighbors building "permaculture" mounds all over and they're not only watering the heck out of them, they've ditch-witched a few more trenches to lay down water lines to what I assume will be more of these ugly looking mounds. They've also said they are going to get cattle and/or sheep and plant an orchard.
So the way I see it - I need some kind of metering device that will show usage to both residences and pay accordingly. The well is about 400' from our house and about 600' from their house. I don't know where one would be hooked up, or how to do it. Would I go to a well driller, or the electric company or who? Thanks in advance.