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Cheap way to get running water


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I'm building a workshop on the property next door.  Since it's on another parcel I don't want to run utilities from the house because that tends to complicate things when it comes time to sell.  It'll have it's own electric service and eventually we'll dig a well and put in septic, but I'm looking for a cheap way to get some running water for now.  In this county we can have grey water lines and it'll be nice to have a sink to wash up in. 

 

I was thinking about a cistern or an elevated tank.  Anyone got experience with that?  My problem with an elevated tank is that it has to be 70ft high minimum to get 30 PSI.  When I've seen that before it didn't seem like the towers were that tall.  Maybe they always had jockey pumps.  It'd be nice if the tank can catch rain water, but whether it does or doesn't, I'll want a way to fill it externally too.  I was also thinking it wouldn't be so bad if I went ahead and put in a pressure tank as long as I could reuse it when we finally dig a well. 

 

Any experience with this or any other ideas?

 

No cricks nearby so I can't do it like they do on moonshiners. 

 

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Having lived "off the grid" for 25+ years now there are multiple solutions to your issue.  First of all you do NOT need 30psi for a sink or shower. 15psi will do OK with either. The simple solution is a cheap trailer and a 100 or 250 gallon water tank (remember water is 8# per gallon so it gets HEAVY in a hurry. Fill it up at your house pull it over to where you want it, hook up a RV potable water approved hose to it and then since you have 120volt gat a Sureflo 115 volt pump (the people who make RV 12 volt pumps) for about $100. The pump automatically turns on and off as water is flowing to get about 30-40psi. Plumb either temp or permanently to the sink, shower. You can always use the trailer and tank later and the pump is a great emergency backup.

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10 minutes ago, Happy Jack, SASS #20451 said:

First of all you do NOT need 30psi for a sink or shower. 15psi will do OK with either.

 

I used to work in Water and Wastewater and my recollection is that they have to issue boil water notices if it gets below 20 PSI because bacteria can start to get into the pipes.  That's why I'm shooting for 30.  Maybe that doesn't apply unless the pipe is buried, but I think since I'll be stubbing in plumbing into the slab, some pipe will be buried. 

 

 

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11 minutes ago, Happy Jack, SASS #20451 said:

The pump automatically turns on and off as water is flowing to get about 30-40psi.

 

Does the pump keep the tank pressurized or just the lines?  I'm guessing just the lines unless it's an air compressor. 

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+ however many for a tank and 12 volt pump. I have a 100 gallon tank sitting on the bank behind my cabin plumbed into a 12 volt RV pump and solar power system. Does a nice job of pressurizing the lines in the cabin and turns itself on and off depending on water demand. 

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I'm lucky.. We hit water in a gravel seam at 25 feet down. Drove the pipe by hand. Sand is real nice to have sometimes.

 

Don't worry about the bacteria in your lines. Worry about it in your tank. 

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12v pump with a 1 or 2 gallon pressure tank. If it's just non potable utility water that's the way to go. Above ground IBC tank fed off the gutters with a switchover  filter like this:

https://www.rainharvest.com/rain-harvesting-pty-3-inch-first-flush.asp

 

 

 

Pump pulls off the storage tank charges the pressure tank. The sureflo keeps lines pressurized to about 40 psi and having a small pressure tank in line means the pump doesn't have to turn on everytime you rinse your hands.

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On 6/4/2021 at 1:02 AM, watab kid said:

garden hose ? 

 

I was wondering if i could just put a hose bib outside the building and connect it to a hose bib on my house with a garden hose.  No reason that wouldn't pressurize the rest of the building.  But it's a little too far away and we definitely don't want a hose permanently strung across the driveway. 

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8 minutes ago, Ramblin Gambler said:

 

I was wondering if i could just put a hose bib outside the building and connect it to a hose bib on my house with a garden hose.  No reason that wouldn't pressurize the rest of the building.  But it's a little too far away and we definitely don't want a hose permanently strung across the driveway. 

 

Sun shining on a garden hose full of water will make the water in the hose go bad 9 times out of 10.

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On 6/6/2021 at 4:50 PM, Sedalia Dave said:

 

Sun shining on a garden hose full of water will make the water in the hose go bad 9 times out of 10.

But it'll be really hot for a little while!

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