Pollock Well Drilling was established by my grandfather, CJ Pollock, as a way to diversify from the plumbing business he had started in the 1940s. When he came home from World War II, where he served in the Navy on a destroyer, his service qualified him for training in a trade of his choosing. I don't know if well drilling was ever an option, but plumbing was his choice. He became a Master Plumber, one of the few in Panama City at the time.
In the late 1960s my grandfather decided to branch out into well drilling, and in 1970 Pollock Well Drilling was established. I was just a little boy, so I always say the business was started providentially for me. Well drilling is a trade that can be very challenging. My grandfather always said he paid for a lot of mistakes, which makes for fast learning. People always asked him where he got his drilling rig, and his answer was always the same:
“Out of the junk yard. One part at a time.”
He could always tell a story, and he was a fine, honest man.
I started working with my grandfather on summers and weekends when I was around ten years old. I never felt like I was much help, because I could never seem to do much right. He was hard on me, but I knew he loved me.
I bought the business from my grandfather about 30 years ago, and I was able to provide some income for him in his later years. I miss him dearly, but I feel his presence daily. He passed away before I knew very much, but I remember he helped me drill my first well. Before I knew it, I was off and running as the owner of Pollock Well Drilling. I learned firsthand about that fast learning that comes from paying for your mistakes.
As I learned and worked tirelessly, I realized pretty quickly that this was my passion. To this day I love being able to do something not many people can. Seeing that cold, sparkling, clear water brought to the surface is still the greatest feeling of accomplishment.
We grew, and we did our best to uphold our reputation in the community we love. We strived for water perfection, but quickly realized we had very little control over the quality of the water. We could bring it to the surface, but we didn't put it down there.
We hesitated to start a water treatment company, because we'd rather make a perfect well every time, and we tried. But after 12 or 15 years of servicing our wells, we noticed that in some areas other companies were installing water treatment on all the wells, including the ones we drilled. We told ourselves that if we really wanted to serve our customers, we needed to provide solutions to all their needs.
Our answer was Resource One Water Treatment, named because water is the number one resource on the planet. Resource One is a sister company of Pollock Well Drilling, dedicated to the same customer satisfaction Bay and the surrounding counties have come to expect and deserve. We provide water treatment for well water, and for city water customers who'd prefer their water minus the chlorine. Got water problems? We've got you covered.
I hope this walk down memory lane has been informative and entertaining. I've enjoyed putting these memories on paper. Thank you for many years of loyalty and for giving us the opportunity to serve you. We look forward to many more years of doing what we love, for the customers we love.
Cliff TaylorOwner, Pollock Well Drilling, Inc. · Grandson of founder CJ Pollock
