Living Off The Grid

A self-contained motorhome (generator, batteries, inverter, etc) made the move to the land easy and pleasant. With a septic system installed, the immediate needs were propane (for the refrigerator, hot water heater and stove), gas for the generator, and water. I could transport small quantities (5 gallons) of propane and gas easily and on a reasonable schedule during construction. Water was needed in larger quantities – about thirty some gallons per day minimum.

After installing a cistern I would need a tank to transport water so it was best to purchase a tank before moving and use it to provide water for the motorhome. Since I no longer owned a pickup truck, a tank and trailer were needed. I have a small trailer but it was not designed for the weight that would be needed. I began shopping for a trailer and water tank.

Locating a tank turned out to be a bit of a challenge. Surprisingly, I could not locate a business in Flagstaff that sells tanks. I checked the web, the yellow pages and building supplies. I did not consider ordering a tank on the web because of the cost of shipping one tank. I checked the classifieds in a local newspaper and found an individual advertising tanks and trailers in Williams which is about 35 miles west of Flagstaff. He had various trailers and tanks for sale.

Transport tanks come in various shapes, sizes and materials. Options include 55 gallon polyethylene drums, polyethylene cubes reinforced with aluminum frames, polyethylene tanks designed for pickups and tanks shaped like vitamin or herbal capsules. Polyethylene tanks can tolerate expansion from frozen water whereas a fiberglass tank will break.

Tank sizes range from 55 gallons to more than 500 gallons. A major consideration when purchasing a tank was the weight of the trailer and full tank of water. I have a small SUV with a small engine and cannot haul a heavy trailer. I’m concerned about gas mileage and unnecessary expenditures so purchasing a new vehicle was not an option. The tank I purchased holds 250 gallon. Since water weighs about 8.3 pounds per gallon, a tank full of water will weigh over 2,000 pounds plus the weight of the tank and the trailer. This was within the weight limit for my vehicle.

I purchased a new fiberglass tank shaped like a capsule mounted on an old, old functional trailer. The cost was $500 for tank, trailer and all fittings. I’ve been pleased with my decision.

The tank and trailer used to transport water.

Of all utilities and services – electric, septic, phone, propane, refuse, mail, television, internet, and water – the most problematic is water. Electric, septic, phone, propane, television (not a necessity) and internet, once installed, require little maintenance. All six have multiple options and/or multiple vendors or installers. Refuse management – composting, recycling and trash disposal – require more work but little expenditure of money or time if managed with discipline. Water, however, is a necessity with few options. There are three options for water – drill a well, install a rainwater harvesting system or haul water from a commercial well.

I did not consider a well since water is 1,400 feet below the surface. The cost of drilling a well and providing power to pump from that depth caused me to eliminate this option without much consideration.

A rain water harvesting system is attractive. In contrast to a well, I can purchase the materials and install a system myself. Once installed, the system will require less expense and labor than hauling water. The negative aspects of a rain water harvesting system are initial expense due to the need for adequate storage tanks and adequate roof area. Since I live in a remote arid area, it’s a little difficult to project anticipated rainfall. Flagstaff is 25 miles west and 1,400 feel higher. Flagstaff receives about 110 inches of snowfall and 23 inches of rain annually. Winslow is about 45 miles southeast at an elevation of 5,000 feet and receives seven inches annually. The Navajo reservation is about two miles east and reports approximately 11-12 inches annually, much of which falls during August, September and October. To further complicate matters, the area has been experiencing a drought for the last several years. Here’s an abbreviated report dated January 26, 2006 (two days ago) from the National Weather Service:

EVEN WITH THE LATEST SNOWFALL YESTERDAY…FLAGSTAFF CONTINUES WITH THE LOWEST SNOWFALL SEASON TO DATE IN RECORDED HISTORY. THE CURRENT SEASONAL TOTAL IS NOW 1.6 INCHES…WHICH IS STILL THE LEAST AMOUNT OF TOTAL SNOWFALL EVER RECORDED SINCE 1898 UP TO THIS DATE FOR THE CITY OF FLAGSTAFF. FLAGSTAFF SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED 46.9″ OF SNOWFALL BY THIS DATE BASED ON 1971-2000 NORMALS.

THE AVERAGE OF THE TOTAL SEASONAL SNOWFALL FROM THE PREVIOUS NINE YEARS WITH THE LOWEST SNOWFALL SEASON TO DATE . . . WAS 42.5 INCHES WHICH IS 39% OF THE NORMAL TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR FLAGSTAFF (109.4 INCHES USING 1971-2000 NORMALS).

The problem I faced initially was moving onto the land without a house (ie: no roof area to catch water) and moving before the annual monsoon season. Initially, rain water harvesting was not a realistic option though I do plan to install a system.

Delivered water — the third option and my only viable option — can be somewhat expensive if purchased commercially or can take time of hauled myself. I chose to purchase a tank and trailer and do it myself. Fortunately, I live two miles from a privately owned water station so my commitment to time and expense is minimal.

In the next post, I’ll describe the temporary installation to provide water until a cistern and pump were installed.

Getting a load of water from the water station located about two miles from home..