Today, we added another addition to our off-grid setup. We already have our six solar panels up on our roof and our biogas digester is digesting away. Now it’s time to get our water tank ready and to collect some rainwater.
Our water tank
Buying a water tank was finally an easy task compared to our other off-grid setup. A lot of research went into that. But we still had to decide on the size of our water tank. That’s a tricky one since it’s hard to estimate how much water we actually use.
We know that we need water for showers, the washing machine, drinking, cooking and dishes. Basically all the daily things. (Luckily, our toilet doesn’t need any water since it’s a composting toilet.) What we don’t know is how much water we actually use on a daily basis.
Also, the water tank will have to last us through periods of dry weather spells. We experienced four months of no rain whatsoever recently. People relying on their rainwater tanks ran out of water during that time.
We also only have a small catchment area since our roof is tiny, so we were worried that we won’t be able to fill up the tank. Finally, we decided to buy a 10,000L tank. I guess, we can always buy a second tank should this one not be enough.
Connecting the water pump to the tank
The next thing to do was connecting the water pump to the tank and install the drains. Luckily, our delivery guy installed the valve on the tank for us. It took him around 10min whereas we probably would have spent half a day figuring out how to do it 😉
Connecting the water pipe was fairly easy and straightforward. Our local hardware store supplied us with everything we needed. We just had to make sure that there are no leaks.
Filling up the tank
We are a bit worried that we won’t be able to fill up our tank. After all, our roof is tiny. But we had a fair bit of rain as well as a storm lately and now our tank is almost full! That’s quite a relief. Now it will be interesting to see if our 10,000L water tank will suffice on a daily basis.
I never knew that water tanks are needed water for showers, the washing machine, drinking, cooking, and dishes. I am getting a new tank installed this summer. Thank you for the suggestions on rainwater tanks.
Do you have any sort of filtration system set up to process the water prior to drinking or food prep?
Hi Steve, thanks for your comment. We have a filter on the tank to keep out leaves and such and also have a water filter installed under our sink.
Hi Steve, thank you for your comment. We have a filter on top of our water tank to prevent leaves and bigger items from falling in. Apart from that, we installed a drinking water filter to our tap.
Hi there! I have fallen in love with your tiny home, and it includes all of the off grid ideas I have dreamed of. (loooovvvvee no propane) I live in a climate where we can experience some really cold winters. I was wondering if you had any ideas for preventing the water storage from freezing for my situation. Thanks! 🙂
Hi, Thank you very much. Regarding water tanks in winter, I suggest talking to suppliers and companies in your area as they will be able to provide you with the best advise. All the best!
Hi dears, nice, wich water pump you use? This is work on demand or how is working? Could you provide me more info please?
Hi Alejandro, we bought the tank and pump as a package. The pump works on demand. 🙂
Hi, just looking for an update on whether 10,000L has been sufficient for you.
Hi Helena, thanks for your comment. So far, our watertank has been sufficient for us.
Hi,
I’m wondering about your gutters. Are they detachable for when you move? I’m not too sure how to go about putting gutters on ours.