BajaNomad
Not logged in [Login - Register]

Go To Bottom
Printable Version  
 Pages:  1  2
Author: Subject: Building a Water Pila
fire
Junior Nomad
*




Posts: 40
Registered: 9-19-2018
Member Is Offline


[*] posted on 9-22-2018 at 08:45 AM


Having lots of water in the desert is not a bad idea!!!
View user's profile
ncampion
Super Nomad
****




Posts: 1238
Registered: 4-15-2006
Location: Loreto
Member Is Offline

Mood: Retired and Loving it

[*] posted on 9-23-2018 at 01:24 PM


Does anyone know what the lifespan of a standard black Rotoplas tank is?(5,000 l) I hope it's a long time as mine are now 9 yrs. old and I hope to never have replace them in my lifetime. (They are shaded at all times)



Living Large in Loreto. Off-grid and happy.
View user's profile
Bob and Susan
Elite Nomad
******


Avatar


Posts: 8802
Registered: 8-20-2003
Location: Mulege BCS on the BAY
Member Is Offline

Mood: Full Time Residents

[*] posted on 9-23-2018 at 03:29 PM


15 years




our website is:
http://www.mulege.org
View user's profile Visit user's homepage
KylesBahiadrean
Newbie





Posts: 15
Registered: 7-20-2020
Member Is Offline


[*] posted on 7-23-2020 at 04:06 PM


I’m a water treatment guy. what’s the long term storage plan for that much water? and what’s the long term disinfection plan? Do you live down there full time ? I’m just curious I always thought people kept the amount of water to a minimum because of storage and disinfection problem.. like legal advice I will not give any information or solutions to these problems cause I don’t want it to come back to me later...
View user's profile
RFClark
Super Nomad
****




Posts: 2331
Registered: 8-27-2015
Member Is Offline

Mood: Looking forward to 2024

[*] posted on 7-24-2020 at 01:11 PM


When I was working near Roserita Beach years ago I had a chance to see how Mexican tract builders do water storage. They dig a round pit and put a round plastic tank in it. They built a block wall around the tank and poured the garage slab over it with a hatch to gain access. The tank was 7K to 10K L.

When we built our house we did much the same thing. We dug an 8’ round hole 6’ deep. Cleared the rocks out to make a sandy bottom and grouted around the tank with cement, filling the tank as we grouted to balance the pressure. We placed 3 courses of 6” concrete block around the tank to bring the top level with the dirt around it and poured a patio slab with a hatch over the access hole in the tank.the house is raised with the patio under the front half. 10 years with no problems and the water stays between 85F and 70F. Worked so well we put a 2nd one in the garage floor. We can transfer water when necessary. The garage is the fire reserve tank.

2 of us use 400 gal/week and our truck hauls 400 gal. The well is 8-9Km north and water costs 100 pesos a load.
View user's profile
RFClark
Super Nomad
****




Posts: 2331
Registered: 8-27-2015
Member Is Offline

Mood: Looking forward to 2024

[*] posted on 7-24-2020 at 01:27 PM


Water treatment guy.

We have sulfur and Iron in our water. We treat that in the storage tank with H2O2. We transfer to a smaller 400gal tank for use. We bubble the small tank with Ozone daily and add bleach every couple of weeks. No iron or sulfur problems and no water quality other than a Chlorine smell.

The Water is very hard 3000 ppm dissolved solids but the water is reasonably soft. Wells near the beach have lots of salt even miles back there’s some. No one drinks the stuff!

The above description is for discussion only I’m not qualified to offer advice and your results may be different than ours!
View user's profile
David K
Honored Nomad
*********


Avatar


Posts: 64478
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline

Mood: Have Baja Fever

[*] posted on 7-24-2020 at 01:40 PM


If you are lucky enough to buy a lot at Playas Pacificas, you won't worry about water! Rob gave me a tour of the facilities at his Rancho La Aguja development.




Note the "with water" part!

[Edited on 7-24-2020 by David K]




"So Much Baja, So Little Time..."

See the NEW www.VivaBaja.com for maps, travel articles, links, trip photos, and more!
Baja Missions and History On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/bajamissions/
Camping, off-roading, Viva Baja discussion: https://www.facebook.com/groups/vivabaja


View user's profile Visit user's homepage
KylesBahiadrean
Newbie





Posts: 15
Registered: 7-20-2020
Member Is Offline


[*] posted on 7-24-2020 at 07:51 PM


Quote: Originally posted by RFClark  
Water treatment guy.

We have sulfur and Iron in our water. We treat that in the storage tank with H2O2. We transfer to a smaller 400gal tank for use. We bubble the small tank with Ozone daily and add bleach every couple of weeks. No iron or sulfur problems and no water quality other than a Chlorine smell.

The Water is very hard 3000 ppm dissolved solids but the water is reasonably soft. Wells near the beach have lots of salt even miles back there’s some. No one drinks the stuff!

The above description is for discussion only I’m not qualified to offer advice and your results may be different than ours!


Hey I wasn’t expecting that at all..I expected “we just filter it”

Good job honestly..
View user's profile
RFClark
Super Nomad
****




Posts: 2331
Registered: 8-27-2015
Member Is Offline

Mood: Looking forward to 2024

[*] posted on 7-24-2020 at 11:00 PM


We filter it too! Water is very important in the desert! I think most just add bleach and filter it. You’ll discover that a lot of us do all of our own utilities and road maintenance as well. It’s common to separate gray water and use it for irrigation as well.
View user's profile
JDCanuck
Super Nomad
****




Posts: 1159
Registered: 2-22-2020
Member Is Offline


[*] posted on 4-11-2022 at 06:11 AM


Found this thread after my newer post on rainwater recovery and use as I didn't know what a "Pila" was. Thanks to Pacificobob for posting his pics, looks like this may be the best way to accomplish what we are looking for.




A century later and it's still just as applicable: Desiderata: http://mwkworks.com/desiderata.html
View user's profile
JDCanuck
Super Nomad
****




Posts: 1159
Registered: 2-22-2020
Member Is Offline


[*] posted on 4-12-2022 at 08:53 AM


Quote: Originally posted by pacificobob  
a photo of the last 10 tanks being installed




10000 liter storage tanks.jpg - 46kB




A century later and it's still just as applicable: Desiderata: http://mwkworks.com/desiderata.html
View user's profile
 Pages:  1  2

  Go To Top

 






All Content Copyright 1997- Q87 International; All Rights Reserved.
Powered by XMB; XMB Forum Software © 2001-2014 The XMB Group






"If it were lush and rich, one could understand the pull, but it is fierce and hostile and sullen. The stone mountains pile up to the sky and there is little fresh water. But we know we must go back if we live, and we don't know why." - Steinbeck, Log from the Sea of Cortez

 

"People don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care." - Theodore Roosevelt

 

"You can easily judge the character of others by how they treat those who they think can do nothing for them or to them." - Malcolm Forbes

 

"Let others lead small lives, but not you. Let others argue over small things, but not you. Let others cry over small hurts, but not you. Let others leave their future in someone else's hands, but not you." - Jim Rohn

 

"The best way to get the right answer on the internet is not to ask a question; it's to post the wrong answer." - Cunningham's Law







Thank you to Baja Bound Mexico Insurance Services for your long-term support of the BajaNomad.com Forums site.







Emergency Baja Contacts Include:

Desert Hawks; El Rosario-based ambulance transport; Emergency #: (616) 103-0262