Before the Concrete Cistern is poured...

[Mollymoe]

Hi, I'm new here and new to water system designing. Just bought 5 acres in a dry part of northwestern Washington. I have a 237 foot 10 gpm well with a new 1 1/2 HP submersible pump. I share this soon to be water service with the other 5 acres that was also just bought. They already are building and want water, but I want to put together a "best practices" system. So I'm installing a 1750 gal cistern. I'm seeing that there may be reasons for something installed in the tank to help hang (or support) shut off valves, low water alarm floats, etc.
Before the tank is poured in its form at the "tank" yard. Would it be brilliant to some how design-in a way to run some stainless steel support? Or just build a clean concrete weight with a stainless steel "T" that sits in the bottom and is adjustable for whatever support "ball floats" might need? Example: a double ball float for pump shut off.
The other questions are: I also want to put in a back up hand pump. Should I ask for a hole in the lid? (Which really spooks the tank guy), or just make sure I have an outlet from the tank for the hand pump water line to access, or does one tap into the 'soon to be' main line going to the house?

We were thinking of building a "service house" over the cistern, but since its lid is 9'6" x 6'6" we thought about just covering 6'x6'. With the possibility of two small pressure tanks ( for on demand secondary pumps) and all the electrical controls; A. Do you think that is big enough? and B. If so could one then put the hand pump on the remaining part of the lid?

 

[Valveman]

Here is the way I would set it up and how to attach float switches in a cistern tank.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Mollymoe]

I saw this diagram posted. Thank you! And assumed the bucket was concrete and the supporting post was pvc, or stainless steel. That answers that question.
The pump in the well is 1 1/2 HP and will be a few feet from the cistern, so it should pump directly to the cistern. I'm looking for the best way to monitor the cistern level, as in; a contact switch and floats? or another kind of monitor within the tank
I see anything that gets run inside goes in and out the manhole... but could we put an electrical "hole" in the lid for wiring? It seems like it would be better than running things in and out of the hole one may need to climb in and out of themselves.
Anyone have any thoughts about the hand pump? Is it best just to make a concrete pad for it inline with the house line, or should we seek to get a hole made in the top of the cistern lid for it? Which would make the pressure tank/service house, that sits on the cistern 6x6 instead of 6x9.
I'm meeting with a plumber, but I would like to be informed enough to not get over charged or under served (by my own doing).

 

[Reach4]

How about adding a drain spigot over a little pit. That could serve to fill a container with gravity in the case of a power failure, and it could serve as an aid to cleaning out the cistern.

Consider a submersible pump in the cistern. It is quieter and more efficient than a jet pump. It is less expensive than an external multi-stage centrifugal pump. The pump can be horizontal. Consider a slope on the bottom of the cistern toward the pickup, pump, and drain spigot.

There are liquid tight fittings that you can pass a cable through. So I would have an auxiliary plate to mount feedthroughs rather than put cables through the manhole. You may want the cistern vented through a bug-proof screen like they have on well caps. I don't have a product to point you to. Maybe that vent is unneeded since making the cistern airtight is not going to happen. Do make it bug proof. Do sanitize your well, cistern, and plumbing once installed.

Do get a water test. I like http://www.karlabs.com/watertestkit/ You might decide to do some water treatment in your service house, or you might leave that to each homeowner.

I am not a pro.

 

[Mollymoe]

Thanks, which on demand submersible was my next question, but as for the spigot, the cistern is under ground. I think the hand pump will be great, just need to know if it should be right on the lid or off on it's own?

 

[Reach4]

which on demand submersible was my next question

That would depend mainly on the altitude of the two houses with respect to the cistern. Horizontal distances may matter some also.

Don't know about the manual pump.

If you want to really be ready for no electricity, Simple Pump makes pumps that could pump out of the deep well itself. http://www.simplepump.com/ I know that does not answer your question, but it is kinda neat.

 

[Valveman]

If by on demand submersible you are talking about one of those variable speed types or those with a flow switch then you will certainly be using the hand pump a lot. Use a regular pump with a pressue switch if you want something dependable.

 

[Mollymoe]

That would depend mainly on the altitude of the two houses with respect to the cistern. Horizontal distances may matter some also.

Don't know about the manual pump.

If you want to really be ready for no electricity, Simple Pump makes pumps that could pump out of the deep well itself. http://www.simplepump.com/ I know that does not answer your question, but it is kinda neat.

I looked into the Simple Pump and just couldn't pull it off. Very pricey. But we can use a generator to fill the cistern if need be, then just have limited water for a week that way. (2- 3 families)
One house is slightly downhill 50 feet, 1-2 houses will be slightly uphill 350 feet. The one house will have its own secondary pump and the other 1-2 will share another secondary pump. (secondary to the large well pump.)
OK, so I just need to figure out where and what kind of secondary pump the slightly uphill 350 feet houses will need to draw from the cistern.
Because my biggest challenge is to turn in a cistern diagram tomorrow. Thanks!

 

[Valveman]

350' horizontal is no problem. How much up hill elevation is there?

 

[Ballvalve]

350' horizontal is no problem. How much up hill elevation is there?

Put the cistern above ground for gods sake and mound some dirt around it. Now siphon the water out. If you want water after the upcoming nuclear war, courtesy of Bin ladabama, you need a down the well hand pump next to the existing drop pipe. likely impossible now.