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Thread: *On site storage*??

  1. #21
    LHBA Member logsurfer's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by rreidnauer View Post
    Pretty much standard practice for rainwater catchment systems. I'm just adapting to my needs. Yes, I don't plan on having a well, which also solves having water hardness problems. (rainwater is already "soft") It does add some maintenance though, needing to replace the filter and UV lamp annually, and backflushing the prefilter occasionally depending on the amount of debris that slips past the leaf guards and first flush diverter.

    Yea Pennsylvania gets a good quantity of rain. Additionally, I'm in a "snowbelt" area, which also means a rainbelt too the rest of the year. My property is reported to get an annual average of 50 inches. (about 8-10 above the state average)

    So, that's roughly 4 inches per month. So that's 2400 gallons from my collection area. If I use 20 gallons per day, that's 600 per month, so I receive 4 times the amount of rain than I'll use. A good safety measure for occasional dry spell.
    Not having to dig a well...and have a storage tank and all the initial cost is a plus for sure...but long term?? Couldn't you perhaps just have it brought from 'outside' to a reverse osmosis system and only have to replace the filters once annually?? We were considering that system if it may benefit having to deal with less than desirable well water...would that work?

  2. #22
    LHBA Member StressMan79's Avatar
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    another option for water... is just have it delivered. There is a guy with a water truck out here, and I can get 1000 gallons delivered for 100 bucks. not the cheapest, but it is clean drinkable water and for as often as I will be there, that is my plan for potable water. There is a "well" on site, but it is shallow and seasonal, and not really good quality (high sulfur content). I am making a well pump for that out of pvc for the "just in case" situation, but will probably not use it much.

    -Peter

  3. #23
    LHBA Member logsurfer's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by StressMan79 View Post
    another option for water... is just have it delivered. There is a guy with a water truck out here, and I can get 1000 gallons delivered for 100 bucks. not the cheapest, but it is clean drinkable water and for as often as I will be there, that is my plan for potable water. There is a "well" on site, but it is shallow and seasonal, and not really good quality (high sulfur content). I am making a well pump for that out of pvc for the "just in case" situation, but will probably not use it much.

    -Peter
    So I take it you have a 'large' holding tank already on site? how do you access the water from that? Is it set up to be routed to your Temp living quarters?

  4. #24
    LHBA Member rreidnauer's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by logsurfer View Post
    Not having to dig a well...and have a storage tank and all the initial cost is a plus for sure...but long term?? Couldn't you perhaps just have it brought from 'outside' to a reverse osmosis system and only have to replace the filters once annually?? We were considering that system if it may benefit having to deal with less than desirable well water...would that work?
    By 'outside', do you mean public utility water? If so, I suppose I could, but there's little benefit in doing that in my case. At most, it just adds unnecessary cost. I considered RO, but a UV filter is still recommended even with them, and they waste huge amounts of water. Larger RO systems (whole house) can cost quite a bit and may require circulation pumps which would eat deeper into my limited off-grid power. I could chlorinate my tanks on occasion for a added level of safety, but I'd like to avoid that if possible. I'll have my tank water and post-UV water initially tested a few times to see how it's performing before getting carried away. BTW, I plan on using a UV light rated double my flow rate, just to play it safe.
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  5. #25
    LHBA Member logsurfer's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by rreidnauer View Post
    By 'outside', do you mean public utility water? If so, I suppose I could, but there's little benefit in doing that in my case. At most, it just adds unnecessary cost. I considered RO, but a UV filter is still recommended even with them, and they waste huge amounts of water. Larger RO systems (whole house) can cost quite a bit and may require circulation pumps which would eat deeper into my limited off-grid power. I could chlorinate my tanks on occasion for a added level of safety, but I'd like to avoid that if possible. I'll have my tank water and post-UV water initially tested a few times to see how it's performing before getting carried away. BTW, I plan on using a UV light rated double my flow rate, just to play it safe.
    No, sorry....I meant the outside being your storage tanks then running through the RO into your 'building'. I didn't realize they waste large amounts of water??? How so? Yeah, the large ones are certainly pricey...I guess it doesn't make much sense to have a couple smaller versions in place. I did just see one that also used UV as well...didn't really know you could do that to 'kill' off 'stuff' you don't want to that degree? Learning something knew every moment I'm on here

  6. #26
    LHBA Member rreidnauer's Avatar
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    With most RO systems, you have 'uncleansed' water go in and from there 'pure' water passes through the membrane, while what's left behind (contaminates and additional water) are flushed away as to not 'plug up' the membrane. I guess there are some small point of use models that don't flush the membrane, but then, it is more or less just a very low micron (and very low flow rate) water filter at that point.

    Yup. UV is very effective, but you do need to run water through a low micron filter first. The water needs to be 'clear' as possible for the UV to be totally effective. (you're basically sunburning bacteria to death, so if there were particulates which bacteria could hide behind, the system would be compromised) It's great because chemicals aren't added to the water, however, there are no residual benefits like chlorine has if the water should be contaminated after the UV filter in some way. (only water in the light chamber is sanitized. UV sanitized water flowing into contaminated pipes won't kill bacteria) The normal course of action is to chemically cleanse your water system just before activating a new UV system. This is one of those cases where copper pipes have merit, because copper does have natural microbe killing properties. PEX can't claim that! My home will be plumbed in copper. I just wish I could have a copper lined cistern too, but that sure isn't going to happen with copper prices the way they are! :-)
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