water storage

[BrassMagnet]

I believe 15 gallon barrels are the largest practical size. I can pick one up. I could put it in a truck or on a trailer or move it up or down stairs. A dolly or garden cart can move it a fair distance. Five gallon stackable containers would be easier to store, move, fill, rotate, etc; but would cost more.

[OutHuntn84]

What's wrong with just storing it in the ground? Seriously? Instead of designing, fabricating, maintaining and operating a complex system of water storage above the surface; why not just leave it in the ground and develop a back-up system to get it out of the ground when needed?

Nothing wrong with it at all, but then again there's nothing wrong with having contingency plans as well. My thought process was to set it up in a way it could also be gravity fed into the house. The pressure would be low but I could flush a toilet or use the sink without having to draw water from the well. Having 250 gallons on tap to get you by until power goes back or I pull the pump and install the hand pump seems like a pretty good advantage.

I cant think of a simpler system that A doesn't cost much and B doesn't involve me pulling the pump. Maybe there is a good solar set up that will run a 220 volt pump that could be set up, but I am ignorant on that topic. What are your ideas on getting it out of the ground?

[Petrol & Powder]

Nothing wrong with it at all, but then again there's nothing wrong with having contingency plans as well. My thought process was to set it up in a way it could also be gravity fed into the house. The pressure would be low but I could flush a toilet or use the sink without having to draw water from the well. Having 250 gallons on tap to get you by until power goes back or I pull the pump and install the hand pump seems like a pretty good advantage.

I cant think of a simpler system that A doesn't cost much and B doesn't involve me pulling the pump. Maybe there is a good solar set up that will run a 220 volt pump that could be set up, but I am ignorant on that topic. What are your ideas on getting it out of the ground?

I hear you and I don't disagree but the water is already "stored" in the ground. That doesn't require tanks. It can't freeze. The amount is huge. And it's pretty immune to damage. You do need a method to get it out of the ground but after you clear that hurdle, you don't need much else.
A backup electrical source to power the existing pump is one solution but if the pump fails, you're out of business.
A hand pump can be installed in most drilled wells alongside the existing pipe but that just gets the water out of the well. It doesn't allow you to use the existing plumbing.
A 12 volt pump can be installed in some wells and a separate system can then be fed into the existing plumbing, It may not provide a lot of volume but at least it's something.

The problem I have with above ground storage is you create a potential leaking/flooding hazard. You have to maintain the tanks. You could run the risk of freezing. It takes up space. There's some cost to acquiring the tanks.

Nature has provided a very good storage "tank" in the ground. You just need a way to get the water up to the surface.

[monkey wrangler]

I hear you and I don't disagree but the water is already "stored" in the ground. That doesn't require tanks. It can't freeze. The amount is huge. And it's pretty immune to damage. You do need a method to get it out of the ground but after you clear that hurdle, you don't need much else.
A backup electrical source to power the existing pump is one solution but if the pump fails, you're out of business.
A hand pump can be installed in most drilled wells alongside the existing pipe but that just gets the water out of the well. It doesn't allow you to use the existing plumbing.
A 12 volt pump can be installed in some wells and a separate system can then be fed into the existing plumbing, It may not provide a lot of volume but at least it's something.

The problem I have with above ground storage is you create a potential leaking/flooding hazard. You have to maintain the tanks. You could run the risk of freezing. It takes up space. There's some cost to acquiring the tanks.

Nature has provided a very good storage "tank" in the ground. You just need a way to get the water up to the surface.

It depends a lot on where you live. Here in the desert my well is 280' deep a rather shallow well for my area. No hand pump made will pump water from that deep. A solar set up is expensive and not real practical. Generators are an option if you want the hassle my well output is about 1/4 of a gallon an hour so the well pump runs for 5 minutes every hour. That is a lot of wasted fuel or turning generator on and off. I have a 2600 gallon tank above ground that I have to use to supply my pressure pump with. The tank takes the highs and lows out of demand and regulates it. But it will never freeze. And grid down I am ahead of that curve just have to protect the water and stop algae which is my biggest issue any light what so ever and the algae will grow.

[MUSTANG]

It depends a lot on where you live. Here in the desert my well is 280' deep a rather shallow well for my area. No hand pump made will pump water from that deep. A solar set up is expensive and not real practical. Generators are an option if you want the hassle my well output is about 1/4 of a gallon an hour so the well pump runs for 5 minutes every hour. That is a lot of wasted fuel or turning generator on and off. I have a 2600 gallon tank above ground that I have to use to supply my pressure pump with. The tank takes the highs and lows out of demand and regulates it. But it will never freeze. And grid down I am ahead of that curve just have to protect the water and stop algae which is my biggest issue any light what so ever and the algae will grow.

Could you clarify? Your well supports 1/4 gallon per hour? Only 6 gallons of water per day?

[gunseller]

I have 4 55 gallon blue food grade barrels. They were filled in December of 1999 from city water with a pint of Clorox added to each. We mover 5 years ago. The water was still clean and safe to drink. They are now refilled the same way. I also have a 200 gallon water blater to fill if things look bad out of city water. That will be running unless the tower falls at least long enough for me to fill the blatter. Tubes will also be filled. If it lasts longer than what I have on hand there is more water than I will ever need a mile away. I do have a manual way to hall the water.
Steve