Irrigation Pump with dual water sources?

[Jahjahwarrior]

I have a well for drinking water, that is currently hooked up to two pumps, one for the house and the other for irrigation.

I also have a small pond (20 feet by 50 feet by 5-10 feet deep depending on the season) that has a fountain fed by the irrigation pump, and is piped for sucking water from as well.

Currently, the irrigation pump is hooked up to the well, but I'd like to hook it so I can turn a valve and pull water from the pond instead of the well, only for the irrigation pump.

Of course, I'll use a check valve...but it still makes me nervous to just have that one little valve to keep the pond water from making any contact with the well water line that connects to the house.

I have had trouble finding information on others hooking two water sources to one pump. My plan so far is to cut into the current pipe with a T, with a ball valve to shut off the pond water, and to add in a ball valve and check valve to the well side, with the check valve going closer to the well, and the valve going closer to the pump. So, in order it would be check valve, well shutoff, lake shutoff, then the pump.

The idea is, I want to be able to recirculate the pond water eventually, and force it through a filter. Also, I'd like to have the pond as a second source of emergency water. For example, with a hose bib on both pumps, I could pump twice as much water as from the well alone.

 

[OldracerJones]

I use a "T" to switch between my clean water tank and the lake water. Check valves on both lines. since I chlorinate/filter/sanitize with UV, I don't worry too much about mixing. When the lake is full, I use that after for everything. Lake level down, I switch to a clean water tank and use that. My irrigation is a seperate pump on my dock where I pull a 2" line for watering the grass.

 

[The Cobbler]

personally, I wouldn't mix the two sources, too easy to get mixed up and be drinking pond water ( if I read your post right). I would buy another pump, or totally disconnect the irrigation pump from the well.

 

[kbs2244]

You can do it, but..............
It is against any code.
It is cakked a "cross connect."
They are afraid of a back flow getting the dirty water into the clean water system.

 

[Hornman]

You should have a physical disconnect, not just valving, or heaven forbid only a check valve. It is best to always assume a check valve will not work, then design your piping accordingly. Unless you are willing to drink your pond water, don't hard pipe it to your drinking water pump.

 

[jhelrey]

My buddy waters his lawn via the pond water. You will need to put filters, etc on the pick up ends or you will get frogs, etc. in the pump.

 

[DangerousDan55]

Does pumps ever fail?
Does block valve ever fail?
Does check valves ever fail?
Does piping ever fail?
Does humans ever make mistakes?
Are you ok with pumping pond water into the water aquifers that other people use?
If I was your neighbor, I would report it to the state.
Might as well pipe up the well water to your septic system so you could flush out a plugged sewer pipe. When you need to. But, put in a check valve, cuz they NEVER fail.
PLEASE, DON'T DO IT!

 

[Jahjahwarrior]

Thanks guys for the advice! I'll leave them seperate systems.

For what it is worth the well is 25 feet deep and is about 60 feet away from the pond... Neighbors wells are over 300 feet away from mine. My septic tank is closer to their wells than my well is to theirs. The nearby surface wetlands provide drinking water for the entire city. I'm sure risk of harming others is almost 0 but hearing others experience with check valves is enough to convince me even minuscule risk to my house is not worth it, so I'll just keep them seperate.

 

[rkevins]

you need a RPZ (backflow preventer ) in the line going to your house