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medic149
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# Posted: 24 Jun 2023 11:10am
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Looking for thoughts on our current water system.
I am in the midst of installing all of our plumbing for kitchen and bath/shower at an off-grid cabin. We have plenty of solar energy, especially in the summer that supplies all of our electrical needs.
Currently, we bring in 5 gal containers of water for bathing, dogs, etc. and buy spring water to drink.
We have a 30' well with 6" casing and hand pump, but the water is extremely high in iron and lab said not okay to drink. We filter this water through a Berkey type countertop container and it immediately turns the ceramic filters orange. The water is "okay" coming out.
The plan is to use my 275 gallon IBC totes. One to go get water from nearby municipal system for a couple of bucks and transfer it to the stationary IBC under the cabin that is plumbed to the cabin.
Planning on a 40 micron spindown filter placed just before the 12v RV pump and then an iSpring WGB21B 2-Stage Whole House Water Filtration System, with 10" x 4.5" Sediment CTO filter. Then a Doulton QT Under Counter System to use for drinking.
What kills me is that we have a "river", which is called Little River and has very slow flow with wide open areas, beavers, and lots of vegetation in the water. Would love to just use this water, but I don't know if we should.
Also considering having the well dug deeper to get potable water. Our neighbor did that for a couple of thousand.
Any thoughts or suggestions on our current plans would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Andy
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Brettny
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# Posted: 24 Jun 2023 08:20pm
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A ceramic filter like a berkey or Dulton will make that water drinkable. For showers you really dont need potable water. People swim in open bodies of water every day.
I just got back from drinking dulton filter filtered water for 10days. It comes out of a seasonal spring.
Have you tried useing some type or more corse filter prior to filling the berkey filter? Maybe a charcoal filter?
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medic149
Member
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# Posted: 24 Jun 2023 08:45pm
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Well, totally never thought about a course filter before the berkey! Currently, we are pumping the hand pump into a bucket and pouring directly into the berkey.
I would actually like to be able to place a submersible pump down the shallow well. If I do that, I could definitely put that water through a pre-filter.
I really wish I could use the river/pond water, but with all the beaver and lack of flow, I don't think I should.
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Atlincabin
Member
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# Posted: 24 Jun 2023 10:19pm
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I would have no hesitation using the river or the shallow well if: 1) it is legal; 2) it is put through a decent (Doulton or equivalent) filter. We get our water from a small side channel of a stream and run it through a sediment filter followed by the Doulton. It drips into a small barrel in our loft area and we pressurize the cabin using a Shurflo RV water pump. Works well and has for 10 years.
Given the high iron content, you may also want to consider some sort of ion exchange treatment to minimize the iron.
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Nobadays
Member
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# Posted: 24 Jun 2023 11:50pm
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Not sure you need all the filtration of the municipal water if you go that route. We haul spring water about a mile and a half to our place then pump it into our 550 gallon cistern. Other than a small amount of chlorine and a point of use PUR filter we have no other filtration. I can't imagine the municipal water not being potable out of the tap.
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FishHog
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# Posted: 25 Jun 2023 09:01am
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my approach is 5gal for drinking water only, and sometimes a small gravity filter for drinking water when I'm running low, straight from the lake.
Rough filtered lake water with bleach added is all of our other water needs, but we don't drink it. We swim all summer in the lake anyway, so showering with the same water is no issue. Bleach is more to keep the IBC clean and I don't concern myself with using that treated water for dish washing.
If you have power, a filter system from your river, UV treatment after into your IBC should be more than sufficient and pretty simple.
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travellerw
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# Posted: 25 Jun 2023 10:22am
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Hmmm.. I have the exact same system for my cabin (I actually just finished the plumbing this weekend). 2 IBC totes. 1 for hauling and 1 stationary. Like I said, I just totally finished it this weekend, but its working great. I buy 1000L of water for $7 and the station is about 15 min from my cabin. My current calculations is 1000L will last us 3 weekends with showers, dishes and toilet. So I'm only getting water 4-5 times per season.
As to your river. You could do a reverse osmosis system with 2 pre-filters. A 30 micron, then a 5 micron and finally into the RO system. This would give you %100 clean water (full potable). There are tons of options but any decent system can process 15-30GPH. However the price may not work for you as it ranges from about $2K (diy system) to $6K (off the shelf commercial system).
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Brettny
Member
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# Posted: 26 Jun 2023 10:50am
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Quoting: travellerw My current calculations is 1000L will last us 3 weekends with showers, dishes and toilet. So I'm only getting water 4-5 times per season
This year a IBC (275gal) tote lasted us 3 long weekends, 10 days and mixing 120 80lbs bags of concrete along with clean up. This is for on demand showers, drinking and hand washing.
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travellerw
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# Posted: 26 Jun 2023 03:53pm
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Quoting: Brettny This year a IBC (275gal) tote lasted us 3 long weekends, 10 days and mixing 120 80lbs bags of concrete along with clean up. This is for on demand showers, drinking and hand washing.
How many people? But wow, you guys must be pretty light on your showers.
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Brettny
Member
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# Posted: 26 Jun 2023 09:06pm
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2-3 guys. We didnt shower every day. I suspect doing the concrete took 100gal+.
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travellerw
Member
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# Posted: 26 Jun 2023 11:03pm
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Quoting: Brettny 2-3 guys. We didnt shower every day. I suspect doing the concrete took 100gal+.
Good to know.. It means I can get water even less.
Question! Do you do anything to treat it? I'm worried that stored in an IBC while we are away may lead to slime/algae or bacteria. Even though its mostly out of the sun, the water still gets pretty darn warm in there. I'm thinking of a cup of bleach each weekend.
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Brettny
Member
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# Posted: 27 Jun 2023 05:50am
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My tank is covered in black plastic. That's the only treatment we do for anything non potable. For potable it gets put through a Dulton ceramic filter.
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Nobadays
Member
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# Posted: 27 Jun 2023 08:23am
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Quoting: travellerw I'm thinking of a cup of bleach each weekend.
This would be almost 4 times the amount needed. You are aiming for 2-3ppm. We put 1/2 cup of 5% household bleach in our 550 gallon cistern to reach that level. We use ~250 gallons per week so add 1/4 cup each week when we refill. Since you are filling with municipal, potable water, if covered to prevent sunlight from getting to the water, there should be no need to retreat it each week.
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travellerw
Member
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# Posted: 27 Jun 2023 02:59pm
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Quoting: Nobadays This would be almost 4 times the amount needed
LOL.. Ya, I thought it felt a little heavy handed.. They do sell covers for the tanks. Maybe I will look into one. Of course I could just get water every weekend and use it all up every weekend.
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Brettny
Member
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# Posted: 27 Jun 2023 06:59pm
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You can remove these ibc tote bladders and spray paint them. It takes about 3.5 spray cans. I have also removed the bladder and wrapped it with black plastic like a Christmas present. Both ways seam to work fine. I have no algee after the summer.
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