Water supply for off-grid living

[Wintergreen282]

I live year round off-grid and bring in water. The less you use, the less you need! First, looking into composting toilets. Hanging clothes after you wear them - esp in the sunshine and breezes - extends time between laundry. Get cast iron cookware. Use water more than once, if possible. Solar showers and swimming in the summer. Wiping down with a couple quarts of heated water and wash cloth (little or no soap) will get you cleaner than you can imagine. Collect rain water. Melt icicles from the yurt roof in the winter. I wouldn't drink or cook with it, but maybe if filtered. I use hot water bottles to heat the bed (or any time I am sitting and need extra heat). I have a special pan to reheat that water only! Well points and hand pumps are great if possible.

[Wintergreen282]

Sorry for the double post. I use an iPhone for my internet. Sometime using such a small screen, I accidentally hit buttons and get crazy results. I thought I had lost that whole post. Ugh! But I do enjoy this forum. Thanks to the moderator!!

[annieoaktree]

Jafo,
Just curious how you pump the water.

annie

[Jafo]

Originally Posted by annieoaktree

Jafo,
Just curious how you pump the water.

annie

I bought a cheap sump pump from Harbor Freight to pump the water from the rain barrel to the tote. That runs on standard 110 (which I power with solar). If one could situation it so the water tote was lower than the rain barrel, well, then you could let gravity do it.

As for my shower, I bought a 12volt water pump that is normally used in an RV:

Amazon.com: Eccotemp 03526-14A Flojet 2.9 GPM 50 PSI Water Pump: Automotive

In case you are wondering how I heat the water:

Eccotemp L5 Portable Tankless Water Heater and Outdoor Shower - Portable Hot Water Heater - Amazon.com

[Larzo]

I might like to put in one of those hand pumps. The land where my yurt is seems pretty wet. Once you go down several feet, you hit water. I think it is hard for me to create a root cellar because of that. Every time I dug a hole trying to create some kind of root cellar, I hit water.

Would I need to hire a professional to install one of those hand pump things that will also draw water in the winter in Maine ? Maybe I could do it myself somehow ?