The Off Grid Water System Diagram by Fred Roensch
Guest expert author Fred Roensch, PhD. was kind enough to give us the graphic below, which shows a few different ways one might set up an off-grid water system, including drinking water intake and filtration from different sources and hot water heating, as well as black and grey wastewater use and disposal.
Click on the diagram below to see a full-sized, printable version.
Below are the three articles this graphic is meant to accompany:
-Off Grid Water Part 1 – Testing Your Water Supply
-Off Grid Water Part 2 – What is Black, White and Grey Water?
-Off Grid Water Part 3 – Home Water Treatment Devices
I am interested in building a small water tower on my sisters property and have an idea how to go about it, keep it simple, about 1000 gallons should be big enough. I don’t want to use a lining or plastic tank but build it out of only wood, probably cedar. I know to get the seams to seal it is important to start with good dry wood and have seams as tight as can be made. I don’t see any information on your web site regarding water towers.
I really have no knowledge of water towers. You have probably thought of all of these concerns, nevertheless:
1. Make sure you have it located the tower high enough to provide good pressure to the top of your home even when the water level is low in the tower.
2. Be sure to design it so you can inspect it. You will probably have to clean it out periodically even if you filter the water before it goes in.
3. I would be sure to treat it to get ride of bacteria as the water enters the tower and then treat it as it leaves to achieve sterility at the furtherest ends of the system.
4. You also better install on the top a lightning rod and ground it. The tower would be a great target to have a lightning strike and burn it down even if it is full of water!
Good luck!
Fred