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Thread: need advice on utilizing a mountain spring using gravity

  1. #11
    LHBA Member
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    Growing up in Clyde NC. Our only water source was a spring maybe 150' elevation above the house. We had a 500 gal tank and never had trouble with water or pressure for many years. My dad dug into the spring bed, found the best source, put in a 24" long 12 x 12" flue tile standing on end over the best spring source and filled it with gravel for about a foot drilled a hole for the 1 1/2" pipe to come out and go down to the tank. This is the only filter we ever had on it. Had a cap over the tile to keep out leaves and such. They eventially had to put in a new tank due to leaks but folks up there are still using that spring.
    At our current home we have a spring at the bottom of our drive a couple hundred feet down the hill. We dug way back 15' into the hill to clean out the spring which had been being used by the next door neighbor for years. It had caved in through the years and had lots of sediment in this limestone country. We filled the trench with gravel and buried a pipe in it then covered it all with fill dirt. The pipe exited into the tank which really only holds about 200 gals or less. We laid a submers pump in the bottom of it covered it with screening and that is our water source since 1985. There is a creek just a couple of feet lower than the spring exit so if it floods we have to clean out the tank and clorine it but that doesn't happen often. We have a pressure tank between the water inlet to the house and the water heater. With the 150-200 gals we only have trouble in a real hot dry summer if we try to wash cloths and water the lawn at the same time.
    One thing you have to check. If you are going to be affected by codes ect. some counties are outlawing springs as your water source. Better check. At my mothers house she can use the spring by grandfather rights but they will not let any of the other houses hook up to it now but they come down to it and fill up their water bottles
    Last edited by Mosseyme; 03-29-2015 at 09:20 PM.

  2. #12
    Thank you everyone this has been very helpful. Yes I am sure we are allowed spring water since that is the box we checked when we applied for the septic permit. Having read these responses, I am inclined to utilize both springs that we have. There is one about 200 feet above our proposed build site and another maybe 50 feet below that already has a spring box around it and was told has been used by the neighbors across the street years ago. We feel so blessed to have this "problem" of which water source to use. Also feel blessed to have the LHBA. Attending the June 6-7 class this year and cant wait become a member and get started on our dream homestead. Thank you again for all your input I will most certainly will let everyone know the progress because I am most certainly going to need more help.

    Grateful in Northeast Tennessee,
    Matthew

  3. #13
    LHBA Member mountainguide's Avatar
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    I have built a few gravity feed systems in the mountains and they are the best thing. I estimated 1lbs psi for every foot in elevation and it worked out just fine. Your numbers are there so no worries. LHN is right on the money that you need bigger pipe. If you can afford it go 3" but no less than 2" at that distance. We built a cistern by the cabin. We dug a hole 10' or so and stuck a galvanized section of culvert in the ground and poured cement in the bottom to seal it. Went down and bought a $150 pump and expansion tank combo and it had all the pressure in the world. We ran off generator to power the pumps. You could bypass the pumps and have straight gravity pressure as well. You have to dig below frost line and put in a junction box and split the lines with one running to the cabin and the other a discharge line for the winter to prevent pipe freezing. For hot water we had a bosch tankless system (@$600) and it needed no power but propane and worked great. Good luck and confirm its a year round spring or you will just have water part of the year.
    Tim
    Washington State

  4. #14
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    The galvanized section of pipe has Zinc. That's the coating. We need Zinc in our diet, but too much can be a problem:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zinc#Toxicity

    If the pH of the water is acidic, it may leach Zinc into the drinking water. Sorry, I have no numbers, or even experience, but I would learn more if using galvanized metal to store water. I like concrete better, so will likely go that route.


    Peter

  5. #15
    LHBA Member mountainguide's Avatar
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    I agree concrete is better but where we were you are not going to get concrete up there. Our water was a mountain aquifer that flowed from the top down creating a year round creek. The water was so pure it was white in color. We drank directly from the stream for years. Our drinking water was pumped into a separate plastic holding tank that was elevated and ran around 25psi which was fine for the taps. Our galvanized cistern was for everything else. Showers, toilets etc. I am more concerned with drinking bleach water in the city than any potential zinc contaminants. Galvanized pipe is still used in municipal drinking water systems and I think any potential zinc leaching would be negligible. I am more concerned with contaminants entering the cistern and that's why I don't drink from cisterns at all. If I didn't have a clean spring do drink from I would have bought water for personal consumption. Even concrete cisterns require a cap of bleach every now and then. Had one of those too and still bought water for personal consumption.
    Tim
    Washington State

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