My friend lives in an area where city water fails when electric power fails
(at least it has in the past).

What are the options available for single family homes to provide "off the
grid" water for a few days at least for a family of 3 or 4? I assume that
you'd need some tanks and bypass valves and a battery operated pump. Anyone
know how much that might cost.

Any leads or ideas would be appreciated. I'll be Googling on several
factors, especially the hazards of bio-nasties growing in large tanks of
water. I'm assuming these tanks would be on line and thus constantly have
the water changing just like a standard water heater.

TIA,

--
Bobby G.

Robert Green wrote:

My friend lives in an area where city water fails when electric power fails
(at least it has in the past).

What are the options available for single family homes to provide "off the
grid" water for a few days at least for a family of 3 or 4? I assume that
you'd need some tanks and bypass valves and a battery operated pump. Anyone
know how much that might cost.

Any leads or ideas would be appreciated. I'll be Googling on several
factors, especially the hazards of bio-nasties growing in large tanks of
water. I'm assuming these tanks would be on line and thus constantly have
the water changing just like a standard water heater.

TIA,

--
Bobby G.



Long thread a few months back about "stocking up" or the like.

I'll spare you the long, sad tale but I had a big storage tank
that went bust. I now keep water in 1 Gal water jugs on
shelving in the garage. Rotate the stock and FIFO.

Jim

On Mon, 24 Apr 2006 20:33:17 GMT, Speedy Jim wrote:

Robert Green wrote:

My friend lives in an area where city water fails when electric power fails
(at least it has in the past).

What are the options available for single family homes to provide "off the
grid" water for a few days at least for a family of 3 or 4? I assume that
you'd need some tanks and bypass valves and a battery operated pump. Anyone
know how much that might cost.

Any leads or ideas would be appreciated. I'll be Googling on several
factors, especially the hazards of bio-nasties growing in large tanks of
water. I'm assuming these tanks would be on line and thus constantly have
the water changing just like a standard water heater.

TIA,

The best option I know of is to hook up a bladderless 50-gallon
pressure tank like the ones they use for well-systems, with a
check-valve on the city-side of it so it can't drain backwards,
and *NOT* pressurise the system. Set it up on a pedestal
at least 18" high.

When the water shuts off, you open a faucet upstairs,
then go down into the basement with a bucket, and collect
the water you need from the sill-cock on the pressure tank.

This assumes that your hot water heater is off when
the power's out, too. If it's not, you have to
make sure that you don't somehow drain that, else
loud noises may result.

If you expect to need more water than that,
consider sinking a well, and stocking up
on chlorine and iodine.

In a pure emergency one needs about 1.5 gallons of water or liquids a
day to live. for drinking only.

hygiene, washing hands etc can take many times that.

I am drilling a well this summer for just this situation, right behind
my home. water grass, plants etc. in a emergency use in home for
hygiene toilet flushing etc.

always have some bottled water around for drinking in emergency

wrote in message
ups.com...
In a pure emergency one needs about 1.5 gallons of water or liquids a
day to live. for drinking only.

hygiene, washing hands etc can take many times that.

When the news says a hurricane or some other weather catastrophe is
approaching we fill the bathtubs with water. The last time that happened we
were able to survive on the bottled water for drinking and tub water for
flushing as well as sponge bathing. You're quite right - hygiene needs
really use up water fast.

I am drilling a well this summer for just this situation, right behind
my home. water grass, plants etc. in a emergency use in home for
hygiene toilet flushing etc.

That's sounding like a better and better idea. Ever since Katrina hit I've
been more than a little concerned about long term emergencies.

always have some bottled water around for drinking in emergency

That's a given for me, although I know plenty of people who don't bother.

--
Bobby G.

On 24 Apr 2006 14:55:19 -0700, "
wrote:

In a pure emergency one needs about 1.5 gallons of water or liquids a
day to live. for drinking only.

hygiene, washing hands etc can take many times that.

I am drilling a well this summer for just this situation, right behind
my home. water grass, plants etc. in a emergency use in home for
hygiene toilet flushing etc.

always have some bottled water around for drinking in emergency

While we're on the subject, are normal well-heads open to atmosphere?
in which case, if a local flood covers the well-head, you can expect
a contaminated well? Or are they typically sealed?

--Goedjn

"Goedjn" wrote in message

stuff snipped

While we're on the subject, are normal well-heads open to atmosphere?
in which case, if a local flood covers the well-head, you can expect
a contaminated well? Or are they typically sealed?

Good question. There are lots of "gotchas" to consider - that's one I
hadn't thought of. A friend I know got God-awful sick from giardia (sp?)
that came from a contaminated well. They were seriously ill and it took a
while to recover.

--
Bobby G.

Most well heads are sealed, although in a emergency contamination may
still occur, bottled water or purifying tablets are necessary/

most wellls arent completely clear of contamination, and things can and
do change from moment to moment....

most wells should be chlorinated for safety

"Goedjn" wrote in message

What are the options available for single family homes to provide "off
the
grid" water for a few days at least for a family of 3 or 4?

The best option I know of is to hook up a bladderless 50-gallon
pressure tank like the ones they use for well-systems, with a
check-valve on the city-side of it so it can't drain backwards,
and *NOT* pressurise the system. Set it up on a pedestal
at least 18" high.

When the water shuts off, you open a faucet upstairs,
then go down into the basement with a bucket, and collect
the water you need from the sill-cock on the pressure tank.

I was hoping for a solution that could be automated the way a transfer
switch and generator work for the electrical supply.

This assumes that your hot water heater is off when
the power's out, too. If it's not, you have to
make sure that you don't somehow drain that, else
loud noises may result.

It's a gas-fired water heater, I believe.

If you expect to need more water than that,
consider sinking a well, and stocking up
on chlorine and iodine.

That might be a better idea. Hmmm . . .

--
Bobby G.

On Mon, 1 May 2006 09:22:31 -0400, "Robert Green"
wrote:
I was hoping for a solution that could be automated the way a transfer
switch and generator work for the electrical supply.

Easy enough to do... You would hook it up just like someone who had a
water well... Instead of the well supplying water to your presurized
water storage tank, the city would act as the water source... You
would have a booster pump that takes the city water and puts it in the
pressurized water storage tank at a higher pressure... If you're not
competent to hook it up yourself, you can hire one of the companies
that do water wells to do it for you... I believe that you can find
all the parts for the project at Home Depot or Lowes, if you're so
inclined...

According to
http://www.do-it-yourself-pumps.com/...ies-page24.pdf

A 120 gallon 75 psi non-bladder is $569, is 24" in diameter and 66"
high... If you need more than 120 gallons, put multiples ones of them
in parallel by attaching a "T" fiting to them...

http://www.watertanks.com/products/0495-025.asp
315 gallons, 36" diameter, 79.5" high, $1,701...

http://www.watertanks.com/category/49/
480 gallons, 42" diameter, 87" high, $2,226...

http://www.watertanks.com/products/0495-040.asp
900 gallons, 42" diameter, 160.5" high, $4,589.99...

You'll need a booster pump something like one of these...
http://www.watertanks.com/category/43/

And various fittings, of course...

End result? It's doable... No big deal... If you've got the money,
someone's got the product for you...

Great URL's - thanks muchly! They seem have everything that will be needed.
The question now is whether to sink a well or not.

--
Bobby G.


"Grumman-581" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 1 May 2006 09:22:31 -0400, "Robert Green"
wrote:
I was hoping for a solution that could be automated the way a transfer
switch and generator work for the electrical supply.

Easy enough to do... You would hook it up just like someone who had a
water well... Instead of the well supplying water to your presurized
water storage tank, the city would act as the water source... You
would have a booster pump that takes the city water and puts it in the
pressurized water storage tank at a higher pressure... If you're not
competent to hook it up yourself, you can hire one of the companies
that do water wells to do it for you... I believe that you can find
all the parts for the project at Home Depot or Lowes, if you're so
inclined...

According to
http://www.do-it-yourself-pumps.com/...ies-page24.pdf

A 120 gallon 75 psi non-bladder is $569, is 24" in diameter and 66"
high... If you need more than 120 gallons, put multiples ones of them
in parallel by attaching a "T" fiting to them...

http://www.watertanks.com/products/0495-025.asp
315 gallons, 36" diameter, 79.5" high, $1,701...

http://www.watertanks.com/category/49/
480 gallons, 42" diameter, 87" high, $2,226...

http://www.watertanks.com/products/0495-040.asp
900 gallons, 42" diameter, 160.5" high, $4,589.99...

You'll need a booster pump something like one of these...
http://www.watertanks.com/category/43/

And various fittings, of course...

End result? It's doable... No big deal... If you've got the money,
someone's got the product for you...

When the water shuts off, you open a faucet upstairs,
then go down into the basement with a bucket, and collect
the water you need from the sill-cock on the pressure tank.

I was hoping for a solution that could be automated the way a transfer
switch and generator work for the electrical supply.

There are human/behavioral problems with that, in conjunction
with stored water. If you don't make getting to the water
at least a little bit of a pain, people will continue their
normal use-patterns, which will run through your stored capacity
in a hurry.

"Goedjn" wrote in message
...

stuff snipped

There are human/behavioral problems with that, in conjunction
with stored water. If you don't make getting to the water
at least a little bit of a pain, people will continue their
normal use-patterns, which will run through your stored capacity
in a hurry.

True. I'd venture that unless people have lived with the water shut off for
at least a few days they really don't have any idea of how much water they
consume in a day. IIRC, it's about 70-80 gallons a day per person.

--
Bobby G.

"Speedy Jim" wrote in message news:hCa3g.71261

Robert Green wrote:

My friend lives in an area where city water fails when electric power
fails
(at least it has in the past).

What are the options available for single family homes to provide "off
the
grid" water for a few days at least for a family of 3 or 4?

-- Bobby G.

Long thread a few months back about "stocking up" or the like.

I'll look for it.

I'll spare you the long, sad tale but I had a big storage tank
that went bust. I now keep water in 1 Gal water jugs on
shelving in the garage. Rotate the stock and FIFO.

That's what they've been doing but it's a PITA in more ways than one. I
suppose a big tank going bust is a PITA too. I wonder if the make double
hull storage tanks to prevent such mishaps.

--
Bobby G.


Jim

In Korea, I have seen huge 300 gallon tanks on the roofs in rural
areas. They have something similar to a toilets valve...as the water
level drops, the valve opens and lets in the city water to fill the
tank. If the city water stops, there is still three hundred gallons on
the roof in the tank. All the water pressure to the house is provided
by gravity since it is roof mounted. Really a simple idea. No batteries
or turning valves or nothing. You wouldnt even know if the city water
was off or not.

"komobu" wrote in message
ups.com...
In Korea, I have seen huge 300 gallon tanks on the roofs in rural
areas. They have something similar to a toilets valve...as the water
level drops, the valve opens and lets in the city water to fill the
tank. If the city water stops, there is still three hundred gallons on
the roof in the tank. All the water pressure to the house is provided
by gravity since it is roof mounted. Really a simple idea. No batteries
or turning valves or nothing. You wouldnt even know if the city water
was off or not.

That's a very simple and interesting solution. Not sure it would pass
muster with the local US inspectors, but it's certainly got appeal for a
number of reasons. Thanks for the idea!

--
Bobby G.

On Mon, 1 May 2006 10:03:26 -0400, "Robert Green"
wrote:

That's a very simple and interesting solution. Not sure it would pass
muster with the local US inspectors, but it's certainly got appeal for a
number of reasons. Thanks for the idea!

You won't get the water pressure that you would with one of the
presurized tanks... To get 40 psi, you'll need about a 90 ft water
column...

"Grumman-581" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 1 May 2006 10:03:26 -0400, "Robert Green"
wrote:

That's a very simple and interesting solution. Not sure it would pass
muster with the local US inspectors, but it's certainly got appeal for a
number of reasons. Thanks for the idea!

You won't get the water pressure that you would with one of the
presurized tanks... To get 40 psi, you'll need about a 90 ft water
column...

I realize that. I'd want to pump and pressurize the water so that it could
be filtered as well.

--
Bobby G.