5 Hms. on Shared Well - 1 Home Added Storage & Pressure Tank - Effect on Others

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RayMan

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The well is 635 feet deep. The well driller report states 20 GPM, Aquifer 490-520, 590-600. 400-635 BASALT.

The one well is shared between five households and the original set up is a 5HP 25 GPM Jacuzzi Submersible Pump & Motor. There are 5 Proline 62 Gallon Vertical Pressure Tanks, a Pumptrol Square D 30-50 switch with 5 separate flo meters to figure the billing. The system has been great with no problems other then replacing the pump fuses twice over 12 years. The only maintenance has been fixing the well house that stores the pressure tanks and checking the air pressure in the 5 pressure tanks. According to the flo meters we have pumped out about 500,000 gallons of water total.

Recently one homeowner added a 2,500 gallon plastic storage tank and what looks to be a 40 gallon pressure tank. Both tanks are next to his home approximately 65 feet from the well. We are unsure if he installed a booster pump and both tanks may fill with the main submerged pump in the ground. He claims there is not an electric pump installed with his tanks.

What effect if any will these tanks have on the original well, the in ground pump and 5 pressure tanks? Is the added 2,500 gallon storage tank and pressure tank set up and installed the best way? If this puts a tax on the submersible pump would a pump saver correct the situation?

Thank You! Any Advice Is Appreciated
 

Cacher_Chick

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What we don't know is whether or not the pump could pump the well dry. Running a pump continuously is fine as long as the water is available in the well. There are switches and pump savers designed to shut the pump down if the well can't keep up with the pumping rate.

I would make sure there is a backflow preventers installed in the line to his system. There is nothing to say that his storage tank won't become a bacteria-ridden cesspool and you don't want his water running back into your system.
 

RayMan

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Thank You, my thoughts exactly about bacteria. Based upon his usage in the past 5 years, 2,500 gallons of water would last that one household almost 4 months. What type of switch would be needed to shut down the pump if the well can,t keep up with the demand? The water table gets pretty low in the summer out here in the desert when its 110 F.
 

Ballvalve

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Where is your well share contract? It should give you an easement to inspect his piping, and limit his water useage by some parameter. If the well can fill the tank, [and as stated, there is a pumptek] and he's not growing rice, its a smart move on his part when the power goes out or the fire blows in. But he is a dope if the tank sits unused. He must have a jet pump pressurizing his pressure tank for it all to make any sense. If the tank is level with the house so there is no gravity flow, then he would also need a generator to make it all come together.

California requires 2500 gallon minimum tanks on private new construction.... but its not worth a s&*^% if you dont have sprinklers on your roof and a generator that runs once a month. A foxhole partially filled with water is also a good backup for our area if you choose to stay and fight wildfires. I did just that last year. 30 houses burned around me, the fire department all ran away, and that 1" rainbird on the roof left me time and space to put out the spot fires. Even had time to have a few beers while all of Rome burned around me. Damned interesting to have shrapnel from the neighbors propane tanks and grill bottles and ammo depots whizzing around! had a nice waterfall come my way when a few of the neighboring 2500 gallon water tanks melted. They forgot the roof sprinklers and the booster pump and the generator.... and they allowed our friendly gestapo sherrifs department to convince them that the firemen would have a truck in each yard. They came to hose the embers and chimneys 5 hours after the fire front passed. Thus, they were able to watch their houses smouldering heaps from the tv's at the local shelter. The next day I had just about 15 various fire department trucks take a tour of what an ounce of prevention can do. Even made Fox and ABC who filmed the roof sprinkler still in action. I never even got into my 3000 gallon tank, as I have a 50' x 50 gpm well. If I did this with a tank, I would do an elaborate mister [fog nozzles] run on the roof and eaves.

Plumbers, excavators and well guys beware: Plastic storage tanks LOVE to burn. Had a big job to hose my water tank to keep it alive. NEVER buy a black poly culvert of any quality. They burn like gas soaked cigars from the exposed end UNDERGROUND. Then you have the pleasure of dropping into the unseen void with your new car a few months later.
 
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