Holding tank

[Tnred]

First time poster so some patience please. I have a rather shallow well that is currently supplying my house but barely adequately. i can run the water full blast out of the water hose for maybe 6 minutes before the well cant keep up. I am fine with that as long as the clothes washer isnt running water while someone is in the shower. I think you get the idea of how week my well is.
My question involves building a pool house that can also double as a bachelor house that is about 200feet from the existing house. The pool house wont have a clothes washer or other high water use devices other than a toilet and sink and kitchen sink and shower that needs to be more than for the 5 minute shower. Overall it will be a rather low daily water usage amount. Should I install some type of holding tank with a pump that can fill at its leisure during low demand times and if so how large should the tank be? Keep in mind the relatively low daily water usage.

 

[WorthFlorida]

Nothing is as simple as you want it to be. Here are some of my thoughts.

Is there an elevation change from the well & house to the pool house? How long does it take for the well to replenish itself? In those six minutes how many gallons of water can be had?

Do you currently have a Pump Saver? A few other issues, you'll need a few more check valves. I would install a timer to limit the fill of the storage tank to the middle if the night but a problem will be when the well runs short of water, a pump saver could help. At the storage tank you'll need a float switch for the well motor and it'll need to be in parallel to the pressure switch at the house. At the storage tank, controls would be needed if the tank ran dry to save the pump at the pool house.

I would do before getting a lot of equipment and expense into this project is to tee off the pressure tank at the house and see if the things work out. You'll still need to bury a pipe, line voltage cable and low voltage wiring for any controls. Will there be any kind of water heater at the pool house? It sounds though you want to make this a rental, not seasonal use, everything will need to be protected from freezing.

At least for a size of a storage tank a 50 gallon may be all the well can handle. A typical shower uses 2.5 gallons per minute at continuous 60 psI.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[LLigetfa]

I have a rather shallow well...

How shallow and what does it have for casing? You could deepen the well for more storage and/or increase the casing diameter.
Have you tested how many GPM the well can produce?
What pump do you currently have?

 

[Reach4]

It would be nice to not need a tank. WIth a tank you need to use a second pump, and there is concern about stuff growing in the tank. A tank can have advantages. Iron can be oxidized and settle out as rust. Other sediment can settle out. H2S and radon can leave. But if there is sediment, sometimes you will need to remove that sediment.

Sixty gallons per day person is typical usage for non-pool non-irrigation. You probably don't need to store a whole day worth.

https://www.plastic-mart.com/ would be a good place to look for tanks.

 

[Valveman]

When the well won't produce enough to supply peak demands, a cistern or storage tank is the next option.

 

[Reach4]

Other possibilities include well rejuvenation and new drilling.
And if the well is a sand point, the answer may be a new sandpoint driven.

 

[Tnred]

First time poster so some patience please. I have a rather shallow well that is currently supplying my house but barely adequately. i can run the water full blast out of the water hose for maybe 6 minutes before the well cant keep up. I am fine with that as long as the clothes washer isnt running water while someone is in the shower. I think you get the idea of how week my well is.
My question involves building a pool house that can also double as a bachelor house that is about 200feet from the existing house. The pool house wont have a clothes washer or other high water use devices other than a toilet and sink and kitchen sink and shower that needs to be more than for the 5 minute shower. Overall it will be a rather low daily water usage amount. Should I install some type of holding tank with a pump that can fill at its leisure during low demand times and if so how large should the tank be? Keep in mind the relatively low daily water usage.

Thanks all for the responses. I have not checked the actual output of this well but it is only about 50 feet deep and puts out maybe 3 gallons a minute. It is a submersible pump. I do have the option of connecting to utility water for my house but I am stubborn and like my old well.
As to a water heater, I have considered using a propane unit and even using a few solar panels for lighting. Extending the electricity from the house would get difficult and expensive and can't justify it for such light use. I know this well can supply this need. I just wanted to avoid a situation where water in the main house and the pool house is being called for at the same time.

 

[Valveman]

Other than just posting a schedule I don't know how you would do that. You just need enough stored water to supply both demands. It may not take a very larger cistern or storage tank to make up the difference.