Storing water

**shiftyer1** · 08-15-2014, 11:49 PM

Awhile ago I bought a generator with the thinking that it will run some things n the house AND I can use it to get my water from my well.

Recently the bladder in my pressure tank failed causing my pump to run until it burned up......SHOOT didn't think of what if the well breaks.....

So now i'm thinking of plumbing in a tank between the well and the house and maybe on a platform of some sort for pressure. It would stay fresh because is I ask for water in the house it's refreshing?????? Does anyone have any thoughts on my thinking here? Tips tricks or is it a bad idea?

**1stimestar** · 08-16-2014, 03:56 AM

Lots of people put their tank or barrel upstairs in their loft and pump their water up to it then only need to use gravity feed the rest of the time for using it.

**COWBOYSURVIVAL** · 08-16-2014, 09:16 AM

Have you checked to see if your Genny will start your well?

**sjj** · 08-16-2014, 09:26 AM

Is the pump 220 volts?

**kyratshooter** · 08-16-2014, 11:24 AM

I have used gravity flow systems such as you are contemplating. I pumped from a spring to a holding tank with a float switch that topped the tank when it went half full. The tank was 10' off the ground, 200 gallons.

Gravity feed will never give you the same pressure that your well/tank system has. That might be a problem if you are intending to maintain a "normal" life appearance after some disaster occurs. You are not going to have a dirt blasting shower or run the dishwasher or clothes washer as you once did.

It will maintain your present pressure level if you place the pressure tank between the house and the storage tank.

There is also the problem similar to what you have already encountered, where you do not realize you main supply has failed until you run completely out of water. That requires some type of alarm system to key you in that you are now on reserve supply.

My present place has public utility system water, but that was an add on just a few years back. I also still have the 5,000 gallon underground concrete tank, which provides my emergency water storage needs.

Some of my neighbors never completely changed over to the public system. They have access to public water but did not replace their entire systems. They flow public utility water into their own holding tanks and pump from the holding tank just like they did when there were no pipes running down the street.

It seems to work fine for them but does require that they still maintain a pump and pressure tank, even though direct hookup to the utility would eliminate that need.

Since you have to maintain the system anyway it would only be a small complication for you to install a surface pump between water tank and house.

**crashdive123** · 08-16-2014, 04:02 PM

They may have already done this, but if they are using "city water" to fill a holding tank they may want to consider (if they haven't already) putting in a back flow preventer in addition to an isolation valve.

**kyratshooter** · 08-16-2014, 06:44 PM

Originally Posted by crashdive123

They may have already done this, but if they are using "city water" to fill a holding tank they may want to consider (if they haven't already) putting in a back flow preventer in addition to an isolation valve.

That is all required by codes here.

Most of the folks have a freeze proof faucet right beside the underground cistern. That is as far as the "city water" goes. When the supply in the tank gets low they simply turn on the faucet and fill the tank. Sometimes it takes all day. These cisterns are from 5,000-10,000 gallons, intended to supply a family for several months.

Wells are not dug in my area, so any rural home that was built before the water lines were run has a huge tank.

Mine serves as the front porch and is 15'x18'x5'