Creek water for domestic use.

scesnick · Jul 28, 2007

I built my house a few years back and we dug a well. The well water is terrible. It has very high iron content. I have dumped about $5,000 into a few whole house filters and none of them work for any period of time.
So, I decided to use the very nice creek that runs through my farm. This water is clean ( had it tested) and it used to fill the dam the small town below my farm used for domestic water for years.

I plan on keeping this fairly simple. I am going to simply dug a deep hole right in the creek and weigh down a 55 gallon plastic drum and put a pump in this drum. Then, just dig the line to my house and tie it into my filtering system i already have. I am wondering exactly what pump you guys would suggest? the creek is about 50-60ft. lower then my house and it is about 300 ft away from the house.

BTW, I am going to put a UV light on this water right before my filters just to be safe.

aplantnut · Jul 28, 2007

Probably could use a 1/2 hp submersible pump and get 10-12 gpm with the lift you have and give you 40-50 psi. Look at the pump curves showing lift vs pressure. (1 psi per 2.3 foot elevation change) The distance does not hurt too much as long as you use large enough pipe (1.5 inch diameter suggested). It is not obvious, but a larger hp pump will not necessarily give you more water as they are usually designed for deeper wells with the same 10-12 gpm at the output.

I have a similar setup for irrigation water. The pump will probably clog and require cleaning more than you may think. If so, - - suggestions - - use flexible conduit for the electrical line, and a quick disconnect for the PVC. Might want to place the pump in a 4-inch piece of PVC with small laser-cut holes to help with filtering debris.

scesnick · Jul 29, 2007

aplantnut said:
flexible conduit for the electrical line, and a quick disconnect for the PVC. Might want to place the pump in a 4-inch piece of PVC with small laser-cut holes to help with filtering debris.

Thanks for the advice on the pump I will take a look at that size. I was thinking the same thing as for as filtering out the debris. I have a smaller 30 gallon drum that I am going to put inside the 55gallon drum and then put the pump inside a piece of 6" PVC with maybe some screen around the PVC.

I also dug out the creek for about 30ft. into a "V" shape above the hole for the drum. I plan on lining the "V" with large rocks for a base and then put down some gravel and then sand in this "V". This should do two things. first would be to filter the water a little more and maybe catch a few of the sticks and debris.

RFB · Jul 29, 2007

I would get an air-bladder pressure tank (Well-X-Trol) and pump from the creek to that, and then from that for your domestic supply.

Pump motors primarily wear by cycle frequency (on/off). A 120 gallon p tank will significantly reduce pump cycling and provide very good house pressure.

scesnick · Jul 29, 2007

I already have a pressure tank that was installed for my well. I was thinking on just using this pressure tank and hook up the pump for the creek water to this pressure tank switch.
I also want to keep my existing ( crappy) well functional so I well need some sort of switch for the pressure tank switch so I can go back and forth between the existing well and the creek water pump.

Soundguy · Jul 29, 2007

Set it up like a spring box / cistern..

soundguy

ore540 · Jul 29, 2007

Are there water rights issues in your part of the country? Around here, and in other dry parts of the west, you don't necessarily have rights to water from a stream, even if it flows through your property.

-- Larry

scesnick · Jul 29, 2007

ore540 said:
Are there water rights issues in your part of the country? Around here, and in other dry parts of the west, you don't necessarily have rights to water from a stream, even if it flows through your property.

-- Larry

I live so far back in the sticks I could build a hydro electric dam and they would never know. Also, this water originates on our property.

randy41 · Jul 29, 2007

will all this freeze up during winter?

aplantnut · Jul 29, 2007

Might want to put in a pressure relief valve in case the pump does not cut off. This would help prevent damage to the pump.

I have my pump flat on the creek bottom because the creek is so shallow. The pump is in a sealed 4 inch laser cut pipe in a 6 inch pipe that is embedded in concrete. The laser cut pipe can be removed and cleaned without removing the pump. I also wrap the laser cut pipe with a brillo-looking air conditioner filter (24 x 30) that I buy at Lowe's/Home Depot.