Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

homestead - Re: [Homestead] Water, water, water, was Ram pump rules of thumb

homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Homestead mailing list

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: "SISU!" <erthnsky AT bellsouth.net>
  • To: homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [Homestead] Water, water, water, was Ram pump rules of thumb
  • Date: Sat, 02 Sep 2006 11:12:57 -0400



Gene GeRue wrote:

That said, Don and I were tossing around the idea of rain water collection. This subject merits further discussion. I say calculate your annual water needs, double that, then calculate how large a roof
would be needed to get that much water with your MINIMUM average annual rainfall. It seems to me that we here can come up with a very-low-cost roof that puts rainwater into a vessel that sits higher
than our houses and gardens. You flatlanders may have pressure challenges but at 2.2 feet elevation per pound of pressure, it takes only a small hill to provide adequate household pressure. Garden irrigation can be and is often ideal at low pressure.

Now that it is the end of summer, you might be able to find someone who
wants to freecycle or rid themselves of that above ground pool in their
yard. It would seem to me that the metal type could be used as a
ferrocement base for an above ground cistern. Those 24'-27' diameter
pools hold a lot of water! The inflatable type pools or regular pool
liners could be used as an inground liner for a ground level cistern.
Collect rainwater, divert it to the cistern, and then next summer, the
most you would need is a submersible pump to water your garden. If your
cistern is properly placed on ground that is slightly higher than your
garden, you may get by with a simple siphon and some planning. If you
are just watering your garden, you don't have to worry about growing
algea or tadpoles in the cistern. Duck poo in the pool? Fertilizer. :)
Toss a few comets or other fish in the pool next Spring for additional
fertilizer and mosquito control.


Bev

--
Bevanron of EarthNSky Farm GO NAVY!
Proud SUBMARINE Parents of a USS Key West Sailor
Sleep well tonight for somewhere in the ocean's depths,
MY son is protecting YOUR freedom.








Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page