On Thu, 11 Aug 2011 18:18:49 -0700, Pat wrote:

Your well pump can pump 5 gallons per minute.
Your well can supply half a gallon per minute or 720 gallons per day.

It's even worse than that because it shuts off every few minutes; then it
waits exactly 1/2 hour, and then kicks on again.

In two days, the tanks rose about 20 inches, which, at 40 gallons
calculated per inch, is 800 gallons ... or 400 gallons a day.

As you said, my only choice is to conserve.

Later, when money permits, I will consider drilling another well (the
property has an elevation change of about 400 feet, so, what I can do is
put the well at the low point of the property and pump it up to the house).