On Friday, June 27, 2014 5:16:36 PM UTC-4, DannyD. wrote:
Do you have experience or ideas for trucking potable water to a residence?



We haven't had rain in a year or so, and some of my neighbor's wells are running

dry. They asked me to figure out an efficient way to get water to them because

the bulk water delivery companies are really lousy on service & costs.



The San Jose Water Company sells water out of the fire hydrants at $2.70 per

CCF (i.e., $2.71 per 748 gallons) after we rent a "portable meter", either a

1-inch portable meter (output is a male 3/4-inch garden hose thread) at

$29.48/month, or a 3-inch portable meter (output is a male 2-1/2 inch firehose

thread) at $176.98 a month.



The returnable deposit for the portable meter is $400 for the 1-inch meter,

and $1,550 for the 3-inch meter, which includes the hydrant wrench & hoses

(although they suggest hoses from Royal Brass at http://rbisj.com).



It turns out that most, if not all, of the bulk water delivery companies

use this method to obtain their water, so, what you're paying for is the

trucking.



Hertz Equipment Rental in San Jose rents a flatbed, which requires only a

normal class C drivers license, for $245/day, which will hold about 8,000

pounds (about 1,000 gallons of water in a plastic tank). The first 50 miles

are free, and then it's 25 cents a mile thereafter.



They don't recommend the 2,000 gallon 'water truck' which requires a Class A

(commercial) drivers license, and costs $459/day, plus 30 cents a mile, because

there is no telling what water was in there prior, so you can't drink from it.



A quick estimate for the costs & logistics for a day's rental might be something like:

a) $5 for each 1,000 gallons of water from SJWC

b) $50 for 1 day rental of the 2-1/2 inch output 3" portable meter

c) $250 for 1 day flatbed truck rental from Hertz

d) $500 for 1 brand new 1,000 gallon water tank from Tractor Supply Company (or equivalent)

e) $100 sales tax on the new water tank & other incidentals



Any other helpful suggestions for me to provide to the neighbors for trucking

in potable water during the drought?

Negoiate with someone on city water to be your water source

offer to pay their water bill, and you use their home to pickup water from....

this would completely elminate the water meter rental fee and all of you share the water bill.

although you could try talking to the water company about expanding service to your now drying up area....