The Risk Hiding in Plain Sight
If your home relies on a well for water, you probably assume that as long as there’s water underground, you’ll always have access to it. And technically, you’re right—there is plenty of water down there. The real question is, can you actually get to it?
Here’s what most well owners don’t realize: your entire water supply is controlled by an electric pump. No power? No water. It’s that simple.
And when the lights go out—whether from a storm, a grid failure, or some squirrel with a death wish gnawing through a transformer—you’ll quickly find yourself staring at a faucet that doesn’t care how thirsty you are.
Why You Can’t Trust the Power Grid
Electricity is great, but it’s not exactly known for its reliability. The U.S. power grid is held together with a mix of outdated infrastructure, wishful thinking, and whatever duct tape the utility companies have lying around.
The most common culprits behind power outages include:
- Hurricanes and tornadoes that send trees through power lines
- Ice storms that snap poles in half like toothpicks
- Wildfires that prompt preemptive power shutoffs
- Heatwaves that push the grid to its limits, leading to rolling blackouts
- The occasional “unexplained” failure that reminds us all that the grid is, in fact, just one bad day away from a meltdown (mystery drones, anyone?)
When your water source depends on electricity, any of these events can leave you high and dry—literally.
Why Generators Aren’t the Perfect Solution
A lot of people assume they’re covered because they have a generator. And while generators are great for keeping the fridge running or charging your phone so you can refresh the outage map every five minutes, they’re not a foolproof solution for water access.
- Most small portable home generators aren’t strong enough to handle the power surge needed to start a well pump
- Generators - regardless of size - need fuel, and if you’re out of gas, your pump is still out of commission
- They require regular maintenance, and if you’re anything like most people, that’s probably been on your to-do list for about three years
- Running a generator non-stop for days isn’t exactly cheap, and neither is replacing it when it inevitably breaks at the worst possible time
Generators have their place, but if your entire water plan hinges on one, you might as well start practicing your rainwater collection skills now.
The Simple and Reliable Alternative
If you actually want a water backup that works no matter what, you need a manual hand well pump.
Flojak hand pumps are designed to work alongside your existing well system, giving you a way to pump water straight from your well without needing electricity, fuel, or a degree in electrical engineering.
- No power required, just good old-fashioned arm strength
- Works at depths up to 250 feet, unlike those bargain-bin pumps that stop working at 30 feet
- Installs easily—no need to rip apart your well system
- Built to last, because water security shouldn’t come with an expiration date
- Won't break the bank. Sure, a person can spend a small fortune on a backup well pump, but Flojak systems are designed to be accessible to everyone, regardless of net-worth.
If you own a well, you need a backup. A hand pump isn’t just a “nice to have.” It’s the difference between continuing life as close to normal as possible and rationing the last bottle of water from the pantry while you wait for the power company to get its act together.
Take Control of Your Water Supply
Most well owners don’t think about water security until they’re standing in the bathroom, repeatedly pressing the toilet handle like that’s somehow going to make the tank refill. By then, it’s too late.
A Flojak hand pump is an easy, affordable way to make sure your family always has water, no matter what happens. Because the only thing worse than a power outage is realizing you didn’t plan for one.