The concept of a well often has negative connotations. The image of a well and pump is that of an isolated town with no water supply; citizens need to pump from a single water source for a day's worth of water for drinking, cooking, and bathing. Or, there's the image of the antiquated stone well filling up with rain water. Those needing water dip a bucket inside and pull a few gallons out.

While both of these images aren't entirely fabricated, well use, in the modern sense, is far more pervasive than many think. On a practical level, well pumps - motorized and manual versions - are needed in remote areas without a water source. A well, in these cases, is dug into the earth to an aquifer, and a motorized or manual pump brings up the water from underground. For others, especially those in the sustainable living community, well pumps are a way of life.

When water isn't too far below the surface, shallow well pumps are appropriate. This type is a jet motorized pump that is mounted above ground and draws up water through suction, much like the way you draw up liquid through a straw. Deep well pumps, on the other hand, are needed in many cases, and these use a jet or submersible pump to bring water up from the ground. A deep well jet pump uses a combination of suction and pressure to lift water, and installation often needs a 35-foot tail pipe to go farther into the ground.

A submersible well pump, on the other hand, is underground and has a cylindrical shape in which the bottom half of the pump is a sealed motor connected to an aboveground power source. These pumps can last for 20 to 25 years, but what happens when the power goes out?

In this case, bring water up to the surface at a rate of five gallons per hour with normal water pressure. Simple hand water pumps are used commonly as backup, and the basic model consists of a 24-inch handle, with a 36-inch optional handle. The extended option has its benefits, including the use of less force and a greater depth for bringing up water. No matter if a motorized or hand water pump is used, the system of using a well, instead of a traditional water source, cuts costs and dependency.

Low maintenance, hand water pumps often have a 50-year lifespan, and only minor adjustments will need to be made on occasion during that time. These hand water pumps are designed for use with deep and shallow wells, although they can also be used on their own in two to eight-inch wells. When hand water pumps are used alone, they can continue to be used manually or a motor can be attached, which will operate by battery or solar power. For the latter, the pump can be hooked up to a 130-watt solar panel to give a household that consumes 250 gallons per day enough water. If more than this amount is consumed, an additional solar panel will be needed.

Hand water pumps are lead-free and are made from CNC-machined stainless steel. All are Safe Drinking Water Act compliant and will work with existing jet or submersible well systems.