From
a basic single pump unit to provide potable water to a single dwelling to
the largest project to date for a complete water booster system, to a village
of several thousand population is not far away from the ordinary.
However when asked what can be done with a disused well, which at best could provide no more than 400 ltr's per hour to give a potable water supply to three flats, one site managers house, a cafeteria, plus the normal toilet facilities you will see our problem. The peak demands required in excess of 1000 ltr's an hour plus.
The site of the disused well and the derelict cottages which were used as coastguards accommodation, and the only source of fresh water was from the well. The nearest supply of mains water was more than three miles away and it was not considered a viable alternative to install a mains supply to site.
The site was used by the military during the Second World War and the seaward facing first floor had been fortified to provide as observation point. The heavily reinforced ceiling proved to be an ideal base on which to stand the 4000 ltr storage tanks !
Work undertaken for this project included preparation of a scheme, drawings and installation. On receipt of the order we carried out test pumping of the well, took water samples for analysis and installed a stainless steel submersible pump and float control. We built an electrical control panel suitably protected against the elements (and vandals !) and connected the pump to a 25mm bore MDPE service pipe to the properties.
An outbuilding was provided by the client in which we housed PH correction equipment, control pipework in ABS plastic to blend the incoming water via an especially designed mixing unit and completed this section by adding ultra-violet treatment as a further barrier against bacteria. In the property roof space we fitted 4000 ltr's of tank storage and three 200 litre accumulator tanks.
The reasoning behind the accumulator tanks was to allow pressurized water to be provided to showers and taps, it also had the effect of providing some back-up in the event of a power failure. This system has know been effective for more than eight years and it has stood the test of a very severe drought. We are proud to have been entrusted with this project by the National Trust.