MoneySaver: Hillsborough scientist invents device to help monitor well water levels, avoid costly repairs
HILLSBOROUGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- A sprawling Hillsborough farm is where Steven Judd chose to retire about a decade ago.
"I'm a physicist," said Judd. "I studied at MIT. I did my graduate work in plasma fusion and went on after that to work on missile guidance systems for the government."
You could say Judd went from missile guidance with the Department of Defense to defending his own water supply.
He is one of nearly 3 million North Carolinians who depends on a well according to the North Carolina Groundwater Association.
"Our household relies on that well," he said. "But, we also have the horse barn and the horses and that's the only water source we have."
When that water source became dangerously low in a drought, Judd spent thousands on pump repairs only to realize, there was no device out there to monitor his levels, which he needed to avoid future problems.
"Our well is not a large producing well," he explained.
So, like any good scientist. Judd went to work in his home lab, inventing his own device for personal use.
"I developed one using sound waves so that it wouldn't contaminate the well," he said.
"Then, we started getting calls from neighbors and friends who wanted them and then we got a call from the USGS that was working on a problem in North Raleigh with wells going dry - residential wells going dry up there."
Judd initially set up his business, ENO Scientific, as a hobby and it turned into an international company.
Today, he has distributors worldwide and Judd's latest model, Well Watch 660, is an affordable option for homeowners with a well.
"These are the new well sounders," he explained. "They use sound pulses and measure how deep the water is."
The Well Watch 660 costs less than $500 dollars and can save thousands in repairs from low well water levels stemming from droughts and development.
Jim Sparrow, Vice President of TheWaterSpecialist.com uses Judd's inventions for his corporation which repairs and maintains wells. Sparrow says monitoring water levels is especially important with rapid development.
"We're working with entire neighborhoods right now that are wanting us to monitor their wells," said Sparrow. "Because there's some large wells getting drilled adjacent to their neighborhood, say, in North Raleigh. And, they are wanting to get some base line numbers on what they have now so they can figure out if problems persist in the future."
Problems that now have some well-come relief thanks to a retired physicists well-made invention.
For more information on ENO Scientific and the Well Watch 660 device click HERE.
