SPRING HILL — The plants are perky again at the Nature Coast Botanical Gardens and the Spring Hill Garden Club Nursery, thanks to a new well.
The greenery and blooms, some of which need watering three times a week, were gasping for more than a week recently when the facility's 13-year-old well began sucking up sand instead of water. The new well is a great relief to garden club volunteers, who had been toting buckets of water to plants from the only municipal water supply on site, in the restrooms.
But the plant lovers are still in desperate straits. The cost of the new well, perhaps $10,000, could bury the gardeners.
"This expense will just about wipe us out financially," said club spokeswoman Shirley Jacques. The final bill has not been tallied, but the club is appealing to the community for financial aid to help keep the botanical gardens alive.
"I think the driller is going to give us a break,'' said Jim Lockwood, overseeing the project for the gardeners.
Given the fragility of the plants, the club could not afford the time to seek bids for the well drilling, Lockwood said. Spring Hill Well Drilling is the only company in the area that could provide the drilling, he said, lauding the company's timeliness and expertise.
Tapping into the municipal water supply was not an option, Lockwood said. The water bill could reach about $2,000 a month, he calculated.
"Out of the question," he said.
Kevin Kuba of Spring Hill Well Drilling surmised that the pan rock formation had failed on the original well. The company tapped down more than 250 feet and did not hit water. Drillers moved their spot and finally found water at about 200 feet.
The new well is producing 50 gallons per minute, a seemingly adequate supply. Lockwood said that since the old well was not part of a municipal system, there was never a meter installed. So the club doesn't known exactly how much the old well produced and how much the club used.
"We're now pumping for more than a week," Lockwood said Tuesday. "The lines have been run and it's working."
He added, "Any donations that would offset the cost of this would be appreciated. The only thing we get are a few donations and plant sales to keep this running."
Donations for the well project may be mailed to Shirley Jacques, 8416 Annapolis Road, Spring Hill, FL 34608.
Beth Gray can be reached at graybethn@earhtlink.net.
>>if you go
Fall plant sale
The club's annual fall plant sale is scheduled for 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. today and Saturday at the nursery, 1489 Parker Ave., off Spring Hill Drive.
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