Monday, March 12, 2007

Off the Grid tips - water tanks


Maui Off the Grid tips for homeowners:

Water catchment is a system of storing water when other sources of water are unavailable. Here on Maui there are parts of the island that are not serviced by Maui County water mains. If there is ample rainfall, most homeowners have a system where they catch the water from a rooftop, and channel it to a storage tank. From there it's fed to the household plumbing, usually by means of a pump and pressure tank, though sometimes by gravity. These days the most popular tank is the Scafco brand, which is merely a modified grain storage container made of corrugated steel. They are relatively quick and easy to install and should last for years without any maintenance. This tank is placed on a concrete pad and has been primered and painted to blend into the surroundings. The capacity here is 12,000 gallons, which is more than adequate for our household needs.

Scafco water catchment tank on Maui's north shore

For more information about off the grid living and properties for sale, please contact me.

Georgina M. Hunter R(S)
Jim Sanders Realty Inc.
Paia, Maui HI
808 283-0635
EMAIL
www.eastmaui.com
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2 comments:

Anonymous said...

these scafco water tanks are so expensive, are there any alternatives to water storage tanks?

Georgina M. Hunter R(S) e-Pro said...

Anon - thanks for reading my blog!
These seem to be the most popular water tanks in Haiku these days, and I'm thinking that price would be a factor in most people's decision. They are relatively quick to put up, and last many years. Depending on your water needs, some less expensive options might be above ground pools which might only last for a few years.
If you're creative, you might find something that could be repurposed. My husband once bought a huge tank from a sugar mill that was being dismantled, and it's been working fine for about 30 years now. If you're in the hotel industry you may come across some 300 gallon containers that have been used for water purification chemicals, and use a number of these together. I guess it all depends on your needs and abilities.
Let me know if I can help.