Need water advice

[gcp]

Good morning fellow members,

I have 60 acres in rural Northern Alabama which is utilized as a weekend getaway (our place of serenity). My water meter is about 1 mile away and the water arrives through 3/4" pvc pipe and through other people's property. The pipe is shallow in most places and as a result I'm always faced with breakage repairs, much loss of water and added expense.....

The county refuses to bring the water meter to the entrance of my property, where it belongs, claiming the cost will be much too great for just one person so they claim they can't afford it....like I've not been an Al taxpayer for 40 +years but that's bureaucrats for you.

In any case, I am faced with 2 options; 1) drill a well (difficult to achieve because before I even start I'll have to also cut a load to be able to even bring in the heavy drill equipment necessary, or 2) bring water into a water container from my pond (1.5 acres fed with clean water by a creek/spring...I say clean because every time I measure this water and it reads 5 parts/million).

As it stands, I am leaning toward option 2, especially when considering a) the costs involved & 2) all the water we'll need for our weekend excursions is for toilet use, showers, washing dishes/moping, & minor flowers/tree watering. If I were to go with option 2 I'll have to choose the right pump, which will be located inside my barn approx. 75 yards away from the pond, at an elevation of approx. 20ft (I already have a 1200 liter plastic water container and could land a second pretty easily to double the amount stored). As further explanation, I cannot place the pump in or close to the pond because I don't have power at/around the pond (even though I could probably run power down there I guess, it would just require heavy gauge wire and added cost). If more detailed info is required please don't hesitate to ask me and I'll provide.

Your well thought out advise and experience will be greatly appreciated!

 

[KYErik]

Get a couple of 275 gallon plastic totes and a set of pallet forks and then transport with your tractor and either fill them at the pond/spring OR put a lockable frost proof hydrant in beside your meter and drive the tote 1 mile back and forth with your tractor and fill with drinkable county water. You could bury one of the totes beside the cabin and use it as a freeze proof cistern (bury a short water line as well and drop an electric pump into the top of the underground tote). Then use the other tote to fetch another load and refill it when it starts to get low.

 

[Einthewoods]

I have my own well being we are a long way from any public water. I will always recommend having your own well if possible. I hate being reliant upon public services and the freedom that comes with walking away from them.

Once you have a well, it'll make it that much easier to make other improvements to your get away as well.

 

[Thomas]

Do others in the area have there own well and if so how many gallons per min...if no plan 2 sounds good.

 

[Bocephous]

Figure out a rain collection system, perhaps.

 

[oosik]

I honestly don't know how the water utility allows you to run an "unprotected" private water line that distance - but from your own experience, you can see why I say that.

Anyhow - I would check neighbors for - well depth and production. If their wells are "average" depth and produce an "adequate" volume of potable water - I would recommend going that route.

There can be and are hidden dangers associated with plan #2. Your readings of <5 ppm indicates a turbidity(dirt) reading only. Anybody can choke down a little dirt with no ill effects. The bigger concern is bacterial and viral levels in this water. Remember - surface waters are unprotected and are subject to all sorts of contamination sources.

 

[Bird]

I don't know anything about the laws, rules, etc. in Alabama, and I've not kept up with any recent changes in Texas, but at one time I was a member of the board of directors for our rural water company, so you can take my thoughts for what they're worth.

Moving your water meter would be easy enough, BUT the water company is responsible for the water lines TO THE METER. After the meter is the property owner's responsibility. So you can understand why they don't want the meter moved. They would then be responsible for maintaining that water line. We had a very wealthy property owner with his mansion set far back from his front gate and his water meter was right by the gate. He wanted the meter moved close to the house because he had problems with his line from the meter to the house and he wanted to dump that cost and responsibility on the water company. We refused.

IF you got with your option 2 to bring water from your pond, will you keep the current meter and water line also? Do you think there is a possibility you might want to sell the property some day? I've known of people who could not get financing for a residential property that used a local pond for a water source, regardless of the size of the pond, condition of the water, etc.

SO . . . . I'd recommend drilling the well.

 

[gcp]

KY I appreciate your suggestions but with all due respect the back and forth is not an option for us as I want a more permanent/easier solution for both my wife and myself.

Einthewoods, I know a well would be the preferable long term solution but in my case the costs involved will be much higher because of having to ask for access permission & cut a new road, in addition to cost of digging/installing a well.

Thomas, most neighbors are on county water, been told there's abundance of underground water and if I go 300 ft it should be pretty soft water. Truth is I'm surrounded by water, creeks and springs.....

 

[RedNeckRacin]

I'll second the advice about checking the surface water with a full water test but also caution you that even with good results I would put at the minimum a uv light on it and a 5 micron filter. That surface water changes day to day. I'd say a well looks like the best option. I'd budget atleast 5k to get it put in.

 

[3Ts]

Definately get a bacterial test done on the pond water if you use it for any purpose, even if you don't use it for potable water. The elevation between your barn and the pond is close to the limit for suction lift of a pump. Most pumps are around 23 or 25 feet. You'd be better off running the wire down to the pond and put the pump down there. They can push the water much further and higher than they can pull it.

As for the cost of the well, you should call around. The well drillers are not all the same price. My well is 600' deep with the pump sitting around 300'. 4.5" well casing, with pump & pressure tank cost around $15K.