campolife

Which is the most cost effective option for water storage.

As I cannot in the foreseeable future get the mains connected I will have to have it delivered and have been advised that the options are :-

1 Above ground plastic? cylinder type tank.
2 Below ground plastic? tank with surface, covered, pump enclosure.
3 Below ground concrete and tile deposit with covered pump enclosure.
4 Above ground concrete and tile with simple cover.
5 Small wheeled tanker hire & replace when empty.

Ideally it would hold 20000 litres but am told 2/3 people can make 10000 litres last 6 weeks.

Anyone got experience of installing any of these and the costs would be appreciated.

Dxf

Hi

I have seen several above ground tanks - I think fibreglass - of around 14,000 litres. Installed on a concrete base with a pump house nearby. Mostly covered with a "car port" type structure to keep the sun off.

Davexf

Casa Santo Estevo

Whatever material you choose with that amount of water in Storage I would strongly recommend you have some sort of chlorination system.

fionamw

We have 20,000 litres in 2 above-ground cylindrical depositos, but they're backup cos we do have mains most of the year.
However 10,000 would only last 2-3 people 6 weeks if you knew at the outset that it had to last that long and you have no swimming pool and no garden to use that water for, and restricted your laundry etc to the bare minimum.
Last summer (not this year, there were for some reason fewer weeks without mains water) we had a period of some 19 days with barely any mains by which I mean the odd trickle at night; with 2 adults and a child most of that time, we'd used about 9,000 litres. Point being we've a pool - with cover, which saves summer evaporation - and dishwasher, and washing machine, and until about 10 days in, we didn't know we had to be careful.

campolife

Thanks for the replies.

Can I ask if you know the costs involved.


Fiona
I am confused regarding water useage as when I had a water bill in the UK it seems that we were able to use only about 20-25000 litres per period (3 months). The 2 of us were careful but didn't skimp on daily showers etc.

Where did your cylindrical tanks come from?

Thanks for you help

Rotor

Yes soap dodgers can

Number 3 is best and may well out last you!! also most expensive ,make sure its built with reinforced concrete not blocks!!!, I dont understand the tile bit?

fionamw

The depositos were (of the order of) €1000 each - I'm afraid I'm a bit dozy so can't help ref whether this included our costs for having concrete bases laid, plumbing them in etc. I suspect not.
Ref usage, well I think topping up a pool is significant, and entertaining.

Pool: Well even with a cover, which definitely saves on evaporation, in hot periods our 9x4m can drop more than a mosaic tile (let's say over 1cm) virtually every day & the maths is more than I can do quickly but certainly volume of water adds up. If you don't top the pool of course once the level drops below the skimmers you have to rely on re-circulation or turning the system off.

Entertaining - however much you tell visitors to be careful with the time they're in the shower, particularly with young people (I've a 21 yo and a 19 yo) the message doesn't sink in. Having people to stay in the summer adds to washing up, and washing, too - ok not doubling it necessarily, but ......
and of course visitors just LOVE bombing in the pool so water wastage is greater again!

Other than that, I don't have a total explanation for the difference because my OH always showers, I do too & rarely bathe but our 7yo does most days, and I've always been in the habit of turning off taps when doing teeth, washing up, etc., and have stillages for water collection around the garden to minimise mains water used on plants.

Nige

I have a 'deposito' or ALJIBE (water cistern) holding about 20k built below ground with internal pump. It was built using brick with 2 skins with reinforcing bars and concrete between. The internal walls have been 'plastered' with basically pure cement and made shiny = I believe that this is the traditional Moorish way but not certain. Tiles are therefore not required. So far absolutely fine and would recommend this method. You need a good builder.

jdr

I thought the snakes kept the water clean.

Casa Santo Estevo

Dead ones do not! .................................................. ....Live ones hiss (with a p)