The Amish community has developed various methods to access water, reflecting their commitment to a simple and self-sufficient lifestyle.
Rainwater Collection
Some Amish families collect rainwater from their buildings. This collected water is typically filtered through a homemade system, often involving an oak barrel.
The barrel is layered with small stones at the bottom, followed by sand, charcoal, and larger stones at the top to purify the water.
Well Water
All Amish homes are equipped with wells. These wells are the primary source of water for household needs. The water from these wells is often pumped using various methods.
For instance, some Amish use Honda engines that have been converted to run on propane for pumping water. This setup allows for an automated water supply system similar to modern homes but remains off the electrical grid.
More liberal Amish groups, who are less strict about using modern technology, might have systems that resemble those in non-Amish homes.
These systems use fuels like gas or propane to operate water pumps and heaters, ensuring a steady water supply and the availability of hot water.
All these systems are not connected to the public utility grid, maintaining the Amish principle of separation from the modern world.
In more conservative Amish communities, you might still find manual methods for water extraction, such as using hand pumps. These are typically found in communities that adhere strictly to traditional ways.
The Swartzentruber Amish, a particularly conservative sect within the Amish community, have a unique approach to water supply in their homes.
They do not have modern plumbing systems like most houses today. Instead, their homes are usually equipped with a single water line. This is a basic setup, where water is brought into the house through just one pipe rather than a complex plumbing system.
There are two main ways the water gets into this line: using a hand pump or gravity.
Hand Pumps
Some Amish homes may use a hand pump. Water is drawn up from a well or another source by physically pumping a handle.
Hand pumps come in various sizes and strengths. Some pumps can pump out a cup of water at a time, while more elaborate pumps can pump out a few gallons of water at a time.
Gravity Feed from an External Cistern
Others might use gravity to their advantage. They have an external cistern (a storage tank for water) that’s placed at a higher elevation than the house.
Due to gravity, water flows from the cistern, through the line, and into the home. This method doesn’t require any electricity or manual pumping.
How to the Amish Dig Wells?
To get water, the Amish prefer to buy land where there’s already a well on the property.
Sometimes, Amish communities might hire non-Amish contractors to dig wells. These contractors may use modern drilling equipment, which the Amish themselves avoid due to their religious beliefs.
This approach is often used when digging deeper wells or when the community needs to ensure a reliable water source quickly.