Alternative Water Source for Garage

[Ken P]

New guy here with lots of crazy ideas so I'll start with this one. I did a search and didn't see anything about this particular subject. First I'll say I live in NW Georgia and we have watering bans virtually every year during the spring and summer months. I haven't built my dream garage yet and have wondered about alternative water sources to help supplement washing cars etc. I'm also not a plumber so any input is appreciated. I'm guessing if there was a stream or lake nearby I could pump water into a holding tank of some kind? I can't see drilling a well as I know that can be expensive. Also maybe collect and route rainwater ( when it does rain ) into the same tank? I was thinking of some kind of very basic pump / filter like used on hot tubs to clean and circulate the water. Also maybe a float switch to activate the pump from the water source to keep a minimum water level? I was also thinking about maybe using it as a source for a simple bathroom and washing hands. Would the costs outweigh the benefits? Water used for washing cars etc. from an alternative source is allowed. Get caught washing cars enough during the ban can ultimately lead to having the city water turned off with fines.

 

[MyDomain]

Here in PA we are not even allowed to use alternative sources. I had been planning a rainwater collecttion tank with a pump before I found out is was illegal. I think I was getting the pump from either Northern or a surplus company. There are a lot of web sites on this if you hit Webcrawler.com

 

[Charles (in GA)]

Here in PA we are not even allowed to use alternative sources. I had been planning a rainwater collecttion tank with a pump before I found out is was illegal. I think I was getting the pump from either Northern or a surplus company. There are a lot of web sites on this if you hit Webcrawler.com

I'd look into that more, something doesn't sound right. How could they stop you from using a cistern system for lawn watering or car washing?

In Georgia, watering bans do not affect the private wells and systems, only public systems.

A Bored well will cost you in the neighborhood of $2500-$3000 and a drilled well will cost you $5000 to $6000. Personally, I don't ever want to use public water again, I didn't know how bad chlorine and such was till I got on a private system without it. With the building boom slowing down, you might find a hungry well driller that will do it for less.

Charles

 

[sharpshooter]

Watering ban, Humm My inlaws have a camper down by the lake and during the weekend you cant use water to wash vehicle or campers on the campsite, but thats the closest I have heard of anything like that I guess Tn isnt so bad about things like that now that I think about it

 

[MyDomain]

http://164.156.71.80/VWRQ.asp?docid...aspx?fs=0442d740780d00008000000000000000&ft=7

Check out page two, second column, first paragraph.

 

[Ken P]

Wow, that is strict. I guess they feel since it all comes from the same water table they can regulate it as a public resource? I hope to be far enough out in the country that it won't be an issue but I do like to have my good water pressure / county water for normal household stuff. We have a local magazine called the Atlanta Advertiser where I've found almost everything I think I would need to build the system fairly cheap. I already have a gas powered pressure washer and another washer that runs off my air compressor for the heavy cleaning jobs. I was also thinking of a separate building for washing, waxing, detailing, and general parts cleaning. It would be totally enclosed and heated for those winter days that the truck or anything needs a wash.

 

[Rothaus]

New guy here with lots of crazy ideas so I'll start with this one. I did a search and didn't see anything about this particular subject. First I'll say I live in NW Georgia and we have watering bans virtually every year during the spring and summer months. I haven't built my dream garage yet and have wondered about alternative water sources to help supplement washing cars etc. I'm also not a plumber so any input is appreciated. I'm guessing if there was a stream or lake nearby I could pump water into a holding tank of some kind? I can't see drilling a well as I know that can be expensive. Also maybe collect and route rainwater ( when it does rain ) into the same tank? I was thinking of some kind of very basic pump / filter like used on hot tubs to clean and circulate the water. Also maybe a float switch to activate the pump from the water source to keep a minimum water level? I was also thinking about maybe using it as a source for a simple bathroom and washing hands. Would the costs outweigh the benefits? Water used for washing cars etc. from an alternative source is allowed. Get caught washing cars enough during the ban can ultimately lead to having the city water turned off with fines.

Did you ever hear about magic spray and wipe ? You need only one bucked water. http://www.carmagic.com.au check it out.

Cheers

 

[PAToyota]

http://164.156.71.80/VWRQ.asp?docid...aspx?fs=0442d740780d00008000000000000000&ft=7

Check out page two, second column, first paragraph.

You're misreading that - a private well and a cistern to collect water are two different things. We just did a project in Newport for a school and integrated rainwater collection and greywater systems because the droughts the other year shut the school down for weeks at a time because they did not have enough water to operate. With the rainwater collection, they can use that for greywater and then have enough potable water to stay in operation. There are some hoops that you have to jump through depending on what you're using the water for, though. If you are taking it into a building and using it to flush toilets there are different requirements than just using it for irrigation.

 

[MyDomain]

I was planning to use it to water the lawn mainly.

Check here for pumps, etc.
http://surpluscenter.com/water.asp?UID=2006112719392164&catname=water

 

[Wardrum]

I'm guessing if there was a stream or lake nearby I could pump water into a holding tank of some kind?

Be VERY careful with this. Pumping water from a stream, river or lake will get you in trouble with the State Department of Natural Resources in many areas. You don't want these dudes on your case....ask me how I know

 

[Charles (in GA)]

http://164.156.71.80/VWRQ.asp?docid...aspx?fs=0442d740780d00008000000000000000&ft=7

Check out page two, second column, first paragraph.

These answers do not take into consideration special circumstances and are not a legal substitute for the actual regulations.

I suspect the regulations do not consider cisterns (they are pretty uncommon) that collect rain water from say, your roof. You would need to look into the full regulations. How could they stop you from using something that never reached the ground?

Charles

 

[MyDomain]

Not to beat a dead horse but here is the definition for "any water". They are pretty dang strict here.

§ 119.1. Definitions.

The following words and terms, when used in this chapter, have the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

Any water—Water from any source including publicly or privately owned surface or groundwater sources such as springs, wells, streams, or ponds, including fresh water, brackish water, wastewater and water collected directly from precipitation in rain barrels, cisterns or similar containers.

Source...
http://www.pacode.com/secure/data/004/chapter119/chap119toc.html

However, Ken is right. Georgia says...

I have a private well. Do the restrictions apply to me?

The EPD cannot and does not regulate water use from a private well or other privately owned sources. However, EPD officials generally ask that those who rely on a private well as their water source abide by the restrictions to conserve water.

 

[thefairlaneman]

In my town Charlotte NC they are always messin with ways to tax us and run up the utility bills,We even have what they call a "run off fee" They add several dollars a month to our water bill to pay for the city drain system because we let the rain water run off of our property into the city drains..Dont forget that our property taxes are already infalted far above what they homes can be sold for........I plan to move when the wife retires in 3 years

 

[PAToyota]

Not to beat a dead horse but here is the definition for "any water". They are pretty dang strict here.

Not trying to argue. Just know the project we did. This past Sunday's Patriot News (Harrisburg) actually had an article on "green" design and one of the things they were doing in the project was rainwater cisterns.

Fourth paragraph here: http://www.pennlive.com/search/index.ssf?/base/business/116441880943080.xml?pennbiz&coll=1

I'm not sure how they'd argue that rain that was going to fall on the grass, streets, roofs, and so forth cannot be collected and put on the grass...

The other article was on building ICFs, if anyone is interested: http://www.pennlive.com/search/index.ssf?/base/business/116441882143080.xml?pennbiz&coll=1

 

[Ken P]

Thanks for all the input. I'll definitely check into the DNR restrictions if any. Is it better to "push" water or "pull" it from a creek / river / pond? I was thinking about digging a hole in a creek bed and standing up a large piece of concrete pipe or sewer line as a reservoir with a in-&-out overflow openings.

 

[rockwithjason]

generally pumps push better than they pull. A guy around here has the gutters on his house and garage piped into a storage tank. He uses that water for irrigation.

 

[customperformance]

As long as nobody has any beefs with their neighbors just go ahead and build the rainwater collection system for lawn irrigation. Who is going to turn you in if you do build it?

 

[HoosierBuddy]

Well, well, well. I actually have an alternative source for my barn and yard, as the old farmhouse I live in had a well left over from the days before city water came into vogue. After I moved in, I pulled the inoperable pump, and replaced it, the wiring to it, and the pressure tank. Now I have a source of "free" water to do with as I will.

AND...

SIGH...

I can't use it to wash cars. I tried it on my red '65 Mustang convertible one time. It dried almost white! There was so much calcium in the well water it wasn't suitable for washing the car. It does come in handy for watering the lawn.

 

[ranger_dood]

Well, well, well. I actually have an alternative source for my barn and yard, as the old farmhouse I live in had a well left over from the days before city water came into vogue. After I moved in, I pulled the inoperable pump, and replaced it, the wiring to it, and the pressure tank. Now I have a source of "free" water to do with as I will.

AND...

SIGH...

I can't use it to wash cars. I tried it on my red '65 Mustang convertible one time. It dried almost white! There was so much calcium in the well water it wasn't suitable for washing the car. It does come in handy for watering the lawn.

Have you tried it lately? When we moved in to our farm, the barn has it's own well. We got it running and the water from it was really nasty for quite a while. But now I can wash the cars and it's no worse that the water out of the house well.

Also, you can't tell me that cisterns are really regulated in PA. Sure, it may be in the books, but drive around the country in PA and see how many farmers are collecting water from spouts, streams, and otherwise, to water their cattle.

 

[MyDomain]

Also, you can't tell me that cisterns are really regulated in PA.

Those regulations are only in place during a drought, which is when I was looking into it. There aren't regulations on them any other time.

 

[Ken P]

As far as nasty water / calcium goes I figured by using the hot tub pump and filter to circulate the water in the holding tank it would remove most all that stuff. I know that a pool filter can clean up even the most green gross water in a matter of days. It might not be fit to drink but definitely clean enough to wash cars, equipment, or parts.

 

[Hades12]

When I was in GA, my Neighbor washed his truck every evening and twice on Saturday and Sunday for the last 5 years, No one ever said a thing about it.

 

[elsensei]

Well, well, well. I actually have an alternative source for my barn and yard, as the old farmhouse I live in had a well left over from the days before city water came into vogue. After I moved in, I pulled the inoperable pump, and replaced it, the wiring to it, and the pressure tank. Now I have a source of "free" water to do with as I will.

AND...

SIGH...

I can't use it to wash cars. I tried it on my red '65 Mustang convertible one time. It dried almost white! There was so much calcium in the well water it wasn't suitable for washing the car. It does come in handy for watering the lawn.

a cheap and easy solution is to install a water softener. it'll pull the calcium (and any other minerals) right out of the water and you'll be able to wash the car, rinse it off and walk away and it will dry clean and clear!

I just installed mine in my new garage and i love it...My wife loves it as well, the dishes come out of the dishwasher film-free.

 

[kcclark]

The reason the regulations ban water from any source during a drought is the water police don't want to have to figure out where the water is coming from. If they come down your street and see the sprinklers running, they don't exactly have search warrant powers to see whether your hose is coming off your cistern or the public system. So they just ban ALL watering.

 

[tsbrewers]

Ok, I might be missing something here, but why can't you just tie in to the house plumbing for the garage? I put in a laundry tub sink (+ washing machine for rags) and just ran it off the house. It is city water and comes from the softener so that helps with the water spots. I also have a cold hard water line to a spicket so I can clean the floor etc. The sink is probably the thing I like most about the house, don't know how I would live without one.

Brew