[SunRiverMan]

I live over an underground spring that opens up in a state park about a mile from my home. I was checking my sump pump in my basement and after ten years there is crystal clear water. No dirt or mineral buildup, nothing.

The basement has a french drain underneath because of the spring and high water table. The flow is about a gallon every 2-3 hours.

I was thinking in an emergency I could filter this water in a Big Berkey and use it for our needs. Maybe use it if the city water got contaminated because this is from a different source.

Is there any problems I am not thinking of? SRM

 

[dcliffhanger]

does the french drain empty into the sump pump for evacuation?

one gallon every 2-3 hours is not much flow. would provide drinking and cooking with minimal extra. Is that adequite for your needs?

I would filter and chemically treat any water consumed. Just common sense.

 

[SunRiverMan]

Yep, the french drain empties into a large, probably 10 gallon bucket. The pump runs about half full so there may be more than a gallon every 2-3 hours. It is hard to guess, but it runs allot. Pure clean looking water. I have two generators in case of a short term grid failure, a Yamaha 2000 and Honda 1000 I think. I would have to go look. SRM

EDIT- I also have a hand pump laying around for what I don't know. I just have one. If I dig a fence post hole and come back later it will be full of water.

 

[FarmerJohn]

Id worry about creating a sink hole but maby I am paranoid

 

[SunRiverMan]

Something about the bedrock. I never heard of any sinkholes here. The water travels through the bedrock from the mountains on the way to the spring.

 

[FarmerJohn]

Something about the bedrock. I never heard of any sinkholes here. The water travels through the bedrock from the mountains on the way to the spring.

o ok that makes sence. is ther a way to increase water flow maby dig a cistern on your property somewhere?

 

[SunRiverMan]

That's an Idea. I could get a water tank, ie: cistern, and have the pump fill it in an emergency. Maybe make a switch to divert the water when I need too. Thanks! SRM

 

[Discordish]

Cant you grab a sample and take it to your local agricultural/DNR dept for testing? Once they test it and give you an "OK" I say use it.

 

[SgtBooker44]

Cant you grab a sample and take it to your local agricultural/DNR dept for testing? Once they test it and give you an "OK" I say use it.

Great minds think alike. Your local County or University Cooperative Extension should be able to test it.

 

[Varmit]

Great possible source of water, but as mentioned in a couple of posts
above, definitely get it tested if you're serious about using it.

I would be concerned about potential contamination from (1) any chemical
termite (or other bugs) treatment, and (2) bituminous water proofing
materials leaching off your foundation walls.

I think charcoal filters will address some, if not all, of those concerns,
but I would want to know what I'm dealing with.

 

[FarmerJohn]

I would recomend burrying a 500- 1000 gallon cictern in your backyard and divert your drain or what not into it and from there back on its original course as the water flow through the cictern will prevent it stagnating that way you alwaysae have a large supply of drinkable water on hand http://www.tank-depot.com/productdetails.aspx?part=A-AST-0525-1W
the tank here is 525 gals for $445 just as a thought

 

[kev]

1 gallon every 2 - 3 hours is better then nothing.

About how far from the water table are you? Could you hand drive a shallow well, and install a hand pump well head?

 

[veganfarmer]

1 gallon every 2 - 3 hours is better then nothing.

About how far from the water table are you? Could you hand drive a shallow well, and install a hand pump well head?

Shoot that's 8gal daily! That's a huge amount if it's good water!

Life support minimum is 1gal a day, 2gal/day for some comfort. You've got support for 4 people or 3 people and a dog or two.

 

[Enscheff]

I live in the desert, and your potential water source sounds really cool to me. I am extremely jealous. My parents moved from the midwest to the desert when I was 6, so I can't even comprehend what it must be like to have water around. If the lines ran dry around here we would be in a serious situation.

Even if that water were contaminated with some pest control poison, wouldn't the Berkey filter that stuff out?

 

[veganfarmer]

I live in the desert, and your potential water source sounds really cool to me. I am extremely jealous. My parents moved from the midwest to the desert when I was 6, so I can't even comprehend what it must be like to have water around. If the lines ran dry around here we would be in a serious situation.

Even if that water were contaminated with some pest control poison, wouldn't the Berkey filter that stuff out?

I'm pretty sure that accident-contamination levels of most solvents and poisons would cause problems with filters. I'd love to see some authoritative info on this, but you can certainly run any liquid through a filter, such as gasoline, and that's what you'll get on the other side.

 

[Enscheff]

That seems to make sense. Waiting for the Berkey Guy to come save the day!

 

[MikeK]

I'd have the water tested just to be sure. Sounds like you could dig a shallow well easy enough too.

 

[muttieb]

I would get it checked just to be safe, just in case something is leaking into it that you cant see

 

[ackbob]

Take a sample and have it tested - along with a sample from the local spring -- see if they are the same, and if they are I would not hesitate to drink the water. At my BOL I have a spring which comes up thorugh the sump hole (pump runs once and hour and pumps out probably 5 gallons an hour) and I have a tank ready for once the SHHTF because that location has a propane generator and a 1000 gallons of propane for the generator............