Finding water was one of the most important missions during the first months of Tel Mond.
As written in the writings of Estherin regarding the discovery of the well:
“With the gushing of the first water jets, the entire camp rejoiced, and hope shone in their eyes. Each person stood in silent anticipation for the moment they could moisten their lips with the clear water. They knelt down and scooped the bursting water with their own hands, and in indescribable joy, shouted: ‘Life-giving water… unmatched water… now this is water!’”
The well transformed the camp and gave it the character of a permanent settlement. At the top of the hill, twelve large zinc tanks were installed on a high base. From the main pipes of the well, water was collected into the tanks for drinking and for the “paulers” (steam tractors). The camp buzzed with activity. Construction materials and irrigation supplies were stockpiled, workers’ barracks and office huts were planned, and the orchards were being equipped with pipelines. The “paulers” were the driving force in the camp - operating the well’s pump, breaking up the wilderness, hauling heavy loads, and playing a key role in the success of the entire endeavor.
(Source: Tel Mond Bloc Documentation Archive – Writings of Estherin, p. 24)
From the founding of Kfar Hess, the problem of water scarcity was a constant concern, no less severe than the shortage of land. It was a chronic issue. Members of the “Yizrael” organization felt the impact of “rationed water” even before settling the land, during their time in the Tel Mond camp.
The first flow of potable water in the village came from the Pachter well in the Mita’ei Eretz Yisrael (Palestine Plantations Company ) groves. Ownership of this well was the subject of many discussions. A memo from the Yizrael organization’s secretariat dated September 14, 1932, states:
“The negotiations over ownership of the well have not yet concluded. It is assumed the well will remain in the hands of the Consumers’ Cooperative. The question of administration will likely be resolved with the arrival of member Julius Simon in two months.”
This well’s output was insufficient to meet even the minimal needs of the village at the time. Two boreholes were drilled after settlement: the first in 1932 near the Parmolnik plot, and the second in 1943 near the orchard of Duxin.
Between these drilling efforts, the secretariat appointed a worker to bring drinking water, for people and animals, in a horse-drawn cart. But the supply was not enough for showers. Members who wished to bathe had to walk to the communal showers in the Tel Mond camp, which also served the first workers in the bloc.
Once the veteran neighborhood was established at the entrance to the village, water was supplied by the Plantations Company. A central meter was installed near the main pipe connecting to the village land. Any delay in payments resulted in an immediate penalty - water shutoff.
The first plot irrigated by this well was the citrus nursery of the “Yizrael” organization, at the far end of the village on the road to the Tel Mond camp. The nursery’s technical manager - and thus the village’s first “Minister of Irrigation” - was Yosef Kanmon.
Over the years, four shallow wells were drilled, two of which later became blocked. In 1947, a bold attempt was made to locate deeper water sources, less prone to collapse. The attempt succeeded, and at a depth of 396 meters, a large water source was discovered - the first such effort of its kind in the country. This well yielded 450 cubic meters of water per hour.
For a while, the water crisis eased. But as the village expanded and all lands were slated for development, water shortages returned. Work began on a second deep well, which took a full year to complete. After many challenges and failed attempts (detailed in the full report), success was again achieved: at a depth of 380 meters, abundant water was found. With proper equipment, this well could yield up to 800 cubic meters per hour. Both deep wells were drilled by the Mekorot Water Company Ltd., under the supervision of water engineer Avraham Katz.
The new well - nicknamed “The Sons’ Well” in memory of those who fell in the War of Independence - enabled the irrigation of additional farmlands and 250 dunams of orchards, especially for the new expansion residents. A Water Festival held in the village on August 9, 1952, celebrated the relief from water hardship.
Now, there was hope for intensive cultivation of all village lands and for boosting agricultural production. It was also finally possible to realize plans for 20 new farm units for the next generation. At the time, only 2,000 out of 3,800 dunams were irrigated.
By 1953, the village had four wells: two purchased from Water Company A and two drilled by the Yevulim Company. Combined, their maximum output was 1,100 cubic meters per hour, though actual pumping did not exceed 800 cubic meters per hour.
In that year, there were 6 pumps and 6 motors totaling 587 horsepower. Additionally, the village had two water reservoirs with a combined capacity of 1,350 cubic meters, and the annual water consumption reached 2,250,000 cubic meters.
Today, with most of the land planted - some of it for vegetables and recently also for flower cultivation - the village pumps up to 2.5 million cubic meters of water annually. The issue of high water pressure was recently solved by adding booster pumps - one for the Tira border area and another planned for the southern section.
Operating two reservoirs, with a combined output of 3,000 cubic meters per hour, resolved the need to store water during the day for nighttime irrigation, covering about 70% of the citrus groves. The reservoirs also stabilize daytime water pressure.
In recent years, drip systems (called barmadim) were installed for all members’ plots, significantly reducing water consumption. Replacement of old pipelines is being carried out according to a three-year plan, based on the pipe age and year of installation. New pipelines are mostly made of asbestos cement, PVC, or polyethylene.
(Source: Yaakov Ben-Zioni, 1977, Book of Kfar Hess, published by Moses Press)
(Translated from: Bilehah Nachman, 2000, Stories of Ein Vered – Seventy Years of the Moshav, 1930–2000, published by Moshav Ein Vered)
Ein Vered was named after a spring (Ein means “spring” in Hebrew) that once existed in the area. Today, no one knows exactly where that spring was, but beneath the soil of the moshav, right under our feet, there is water - high-quality groundwater suitable for drinking; living water. All that’s needed is to dig a well and pump it.
Ein Vered lies above two groundwater reservoirs known as aquifers: the Coastal Aquifer and the Mountain Aquifer. The water we use in Ein Vered comes from wells that draw from these aquifers.
Water wells were dug on the lands of Ein Vered to develop agriculture and support life. In 1930, when the first settlers arrived, the first well in the moshav was dug. Water was found at a depth of 24 meters. This well is located in the western part of the moshav, down Hadarim Street. It is no longer active and has become a historic site.
By the year 2000, Ein Vered had four wells above the Coastal Aquifer and one well above the Mountain Aquifer. The wells in the moshav are:
Well No. 1: Location: At the moshav exit, near the main road; Drilled: 1951 | Activated: 1952; Drilling depth: 100 meters; Water level (Jan 2000): 30 meters;cPumping capacity: 60 cubic meters/hour
Well No. 3: Location: “Ever HaYarden” area, on top of the hill; Drilled: 1938 | Activated: 1939; Drilling depth: 134 meters; Water level (Jan 2000): 45 meters; Pumping capacity: 50 cubic meters/hour
Well No. 5: Location: Western part of the moshav lands, below the orchards; Drilled: 1946 | Activated: 1947; Drilling depth: 120 meters; Water level (Jan 2000): 29 meters; Pumping capacity: 70 cubic meters/hour.
Well No. 7 (The New Well): Location: Western moshav lands, on the hill; Drilled & Activated: 1964; Drilling depth: 131 meters; Water level (Jan 2000): 50 meters; Pumping capacity: 90 cubic meters/hour.
Mountain Aquifer Well (The Deep Well): Location: Eastern moshav lands; Drilled: 1950–1952
Why is it called the deep well?
Because during drilling, even after going very deep, no water was found. Experts advised to drill even deeper - and indeed, after drilling through many geological layers, they finally struck water!
Drilling depth: About 450 meters; When water was reached, it rose to: 36 meters; Water level (Jan 2000): 60 meters; Pumping capacity: 400 cubic meters/hour; Most of Ein Vered’s water comes from this deep well. The water quality from this well is excellent.
The Reservoirs
In addition to the wells, Ein Vered has two storage reservoirs, with a total capacity of 3,000 cubic meters. They are located in the northern highlands of the moshav and help meet increased water demand during summer. Next to the reservoirs are booster pumps that help maintain pressure in the system.
There are also two former reservoirs:
The first was built on a hill in the village center and now houses a children’s daycare.
The second, located on Berechot Street, is the highest of them all and was once used as an observation post.
The Water Keeper
The person responsible for the water system is called the “Water Man”. He oversees water pumping from the wells and reservoirs, ensures the pipes are in working order, and manages the water supply to homes. He also sets the irrigation schedule for orchards and fields.
Ein Vered uses approximately two million cubic meters of water per year on average, and pumping is adjusted according to demand.
The Ministry of Health conducts regular quality checks of the moshav’s water throughout the year. Tests are carried out at the reservoirs and at various inspection points across the moshav - all to ensure that we continue enjoying clean, tasty, and healthy water.
Written by: Yair Tzuk | Exhibition located at the Pioneers’ Courtyard
Drinking and irrigation water have always been among the central factors for settlement. And indeed, alongside the land purchases in the late 1920s, the early pioneers took action to search for water by drilling wells into the underground water sources - the groundwater aquifers, which were the only water source in this region.
This exhibition presents the means of water supply: the first well and reservoir, and the flow of water to the agricultural plots - both orchards and field crops.
The first well was known as the “Shechta” Well. It was a pit about four meters in diameter and 30–40 meters deep, reaching near the level of the groundwater. The pit was dug by hand, and its walls were lined with specially shaped concrete blocks to form a circle. Soil was hauled up using a pulley and buckets.
The pump - a piston pump - was installed at the bottom of the pit. Initially, a diesel engine was mounted at the surface and activated the pump using long drive rods. Later on, wells with a narrower diameter - several dozen centimeters - were drilled. The pump in these wells was installed deep at groundwater level and connected to a surface engine via a long shaft. This basic structure is still used today in well design.
A reservoir was built in each settlement at its highest point, serving as both a regulator of surplus water and a buffer during times when the well rested. Water from the well flowed into the reservoir and from there, using gravity, was distributed to the village and to the agricultural plots. Later, a booster was added to generate pressure in the water system.
Irrigation methods are displayed along the exhibition wall in two branches: Orchards (lower section); Field crops (upper section).
Orchard Irrigation:
The “California basin” irrigation method was used, where water was delivered in two main ways:
1. Pressurized system – Metal pipes with iron valves ran perpendicular to the tree rows, carrying water under full pressure.
2. Gravity-fed system – Pipes and concrete valve boxes ran the same way but carried unpressurized water.
The first method was used in the orchards of the Israel Plantations Company, and the second in the moshavim (cooperative settlements). This type of irrigation was in use until the establishment of the State of Israel.
Sprinkler Irrigation (“Perfarain”):
Introduced after independence. Metal lines were laid across the plots, perpendicular to the rows.
Aluminum pipes, 3 inches in diameter, were perforated and mobile.
Though high in flow rate, the method wasted a lot of water and quickly became obsolete.
Under-Canopy Irrigation:
This method used mobile aluminum pipes and emitters that gently soaked the soil beneath the trees.
Some attempts were made to incorporate plastic side arms to reduce the need to move the lines around. This system was in use until the late 1950s.
Field Crops Irrigation:
1. 1” Iron Pipes & Spinner Sprinklers – These had a small wetting radius, prompting a search for better emitters, including rotary models and hammer sprinklers. Initially imported, they were later developed locally, offering improved range and distribution.
2. Traveling Boom Irrigation (“Skinner”) – A 1” pipe line with evenly spaced outlets.
A water-pressure-powered motor moved the pipe back and forth.
The entire line was elevated about 1 meter off the ground on legs and could be moved.
Operating radius: ~15 meters. Used from the late 1940s to mid-1950s.
3. Mobile Aluminum Pipes with Hammer Sprinklers – Parallel to boom irrigation, use of 2” aluminum pipes became common (similar to the orchard system).
Improved hammer sprinklers offered short-range watering, with row spacing reaching 12 meters or more. Various sprinklers and accessories are displayed, showing the evolution of irrigation technology.
Exhibition authored by Yair Tzuk. Located at the Pioneers’ Courtyard.