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 Keith Robbins, owner of Robbins Water Well Drilling and Pump Service in Okanagan Falls, is a man who cares about his customers and his community.
Robbins, who started the business in 1982, does well drilling primarily but will install pumps if a customer wishes.
 For the preceding decade he worked for Quality Wells in Okanagan Falls, which was owned by Les Crampton.
“Les taught me a lot. Now I’m passing it onto my son,” Robbins said, referring to Steven who will be taking over the business.
Robbins has drilled water wells from Christina Lake west to Keremeos and as far north as Armstrong. He will drill wells ranging in size from 6 inch to 16-inch casings. The diameter of commercial piping goes from 8 to 16 inches. The smallest size is for wells servicing individual houses while the larger sizes are for farms, ranches and towns. His larger wells include those drilled for the towns of Oliver and Osoyoos and for the Keremeos irrigation district.
Robbins estimates that approximately 60 percent of his business is associated with farms and ranches. One of his more extensive agricultural jobs was drilling the wells for the McCurdy Ranch in Keremeos.
“Since I did Don McCurdy’s wells, I buy my beef from him. It’s important to give a little back,” Robbins said.
Word of mouth advertising has played a key role in the success of Robbins’ business.
“I’ve worked with a lot of engineers on the big wells. You do a good job and it comes back to you,” he said.
Look at customers as your friends in business and you’ll have a happy and rewarding career is Robbins’ advice to Steven.
Robbins usually has to drill to depths of 30 to 90 metres for larger volume wells while house wells may be closer to 20 metres.
“Over the years I’ve noticed a bigger decrease in water pressure than in the drop of aquifer levels. When you hit the top of the water, it doesn’t blow in as it did years ago,” Robbins said.
When determining a drilling site, Robbins goes by the lay of the land and information provided by customers.
“I’ve seen everything from crow bars to wedding rings used to witch for water. It works for other people, but I’ve never used it,” he said.
On one occasion Robbins was in the process of drilling a domestic well when his water-witching father-in-law told him he should be drilling at a different location.
After discussions with the homeowner, Robbins moved to the suggested site and it turned out to be an artesian well.
Robbins has been a volunteer fire fighter in Okanagan Falls for the past 28 years.
During this time, he has helped many people, seen a lot of sad situations and worked with coroners on recommendations to prevent future deaths.
“Being a fire fighter taught me responsibility and compassion,” he said.
Robbins keeps rescue ropes at his residence which is located on Green Lake Road across from the first vertical drop structure on the river channel south of Okanagan Falls Provincial Park.
“I’ve been able to save two people,” he said.
Robbins gives back to the community in other ways as well. He has drilled wells free of charge for a guide camp in Greenwood and Camp Boyle, a scout camp in Meadow Valley.
Recently, he pledged to drill the wells for Agur Lake Camp, a proposed facility for children with special needs near Summerland.
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