Hunt Camp: The water problem

thebaron

thebaron

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Zegema Beach
Hey all,

We have a fairly well functioning hunt camp save for one thing: Water

I'm trying to find out what everyone else does for water at their camp?
We try and bring water jugs but there's never enough and it's damn awkward sometimes to manage it.

We are frequently there in the winter as well, sometimes having to walk or ATV in so bringing large water jugs can be a pain in the ass.

We have a duck pond nearby (350m) but I don't know if the water can be trusted.


What does everyone else do at their place for water?
 
If only you knew someone that could drill a well.... :)

Not sure if you remember from our place, but we have a food grade water storage container.... The camp has a well now, but we used to fill this once a year with potable water.... it's on the left of the picture....

image_zpsr1qrg2hf.jpeg
 
Our eaves troughs run off into a 200gal tank that gravity feeds into the camp. There's no water heater,so,we heat water with the wood stove and a huge pot. Showers are done in the lake with soap and a bucket. It ain't pretty,but,it works. Rain water is the best. Everything else is on propane tanks for lights and the refrigerator. This year,we're putting in a gas stove.
 
i am still trucking water in for now - potable water -

I have a small rainwater collection in a barrel - i treat with javex and use it for washing and dishes - Right now i have a 12'by20' piece of roof with an eaves-trough feeding my 45 gal drum and it does not take long to fill up on a rainy day.

i have seen various drinking water purifiers on the market - one interesting one is the "lifestraw" brand (hope i got that right)

I have plans to expand my rainwater collection with a large 1000L tank. I am going to run through a set of filters and use some javex in the mix - This will be wash and dishes water.

I am going to get a purifier like the lifestraw one to use it to refill my drinking water jugs.

This will be a lot of work but i spend about 15-20 weekends a year there not including hunt season so it will be worth the work. It also keeps the women folk happy if they can turn a tap to get water.

I think I also have a surface water seam not far from the camp - maybe 50 yards that i hope to dig out and put in a box and a small pump to help keep my reservoir full.

If i remember i will post a few pics once i get the system running.

The winter time is always an issue as any water system will freeze. I try to fill all my 5 gallon water jugs about 3/4 full and stash at camp in the fall - they freeze ok when not right full. I then stick one right beside the wood stove soon as i get it running. This is potable water - i also have a five gallon pot on the woodstove that i keep full with melted snow for hot water to wash and do dishes.


You also have to get into the water conservation habit - you cant use it like the tap at home - we brush our teeth with a cup of water not with the jug flowing- we save up dishes and do once per day - lots of solo cups and paper plates too.

sorry this is so rambling just kinda typed as i thought about it - if you have questions ask

Andy

Nice posts while i was writing this - the guy above's water collection system is what i am building but the tank will be on the ground with a 12v rv pump to feed the system.
 
Superbrad said:
If only you knew someone that could drill a well.... :)

Not sure if you remember from our place, but we have a food grade water storage container.... The camp has a well now, but we used to fill this once a year with potable water.... it's on the left of the picture....

image_zpsr1qrg2hf.jpeg
Click to expand...

I've thought of doing something like you guys have but fill it from rainwater. My biggest issue will be making sure they get drained in the winter...
 
Use rain water and Po d water for every thing but cooking and ddrinking. Rail barrel on the end if the eve's.
 
thebaron said:
I've thought of doing something like you guys have but fill it from rainwater. My biggest issue will be making sure they get drained in the winter...
Click to expand...

We have a ball valve on it.... All you have to do is drain the line to the cabin (run the sink), and shut the ball valve off.... As long as the tank is less than 3/4 full, freezing isn't an issue.....
 
I'm lucky enough to have 3 small lakes within a mile or 2 of the cottage so it's easy enough to fill smaller water jugs when needed and boil the water which we just use for dishes. For the shower, we have a water tank on a trailer, I want to say 50 gallon but I don't honestly remember. It has an electric pump on it so we just pump from the lake to the trailer then to the water heater from the trailer. It's not ideal but it works for us.
 
I think berkey makes a gravity water filter. Think they're pretty expensive but of good quality.

https://berkeywaterfilterfolks.com/water-filters-purifiers-stainless-steel-systems/

Here's a link for you.
 
I don't know what kind of soil/ground you have but when my Grandfather built his camp he used a gas engine water pump with a 2" hose, ran the hose to the lake and used high pressure water to send a wellpoint downhole by letting that firehose/pump basically act as a drill until he hit a spring. The point was about 35' down. He said it went in slick as all hell without having to use a slamhammer to sink the point. He then installed a manual pump. He had the best drinking water I have ever in my life had. It was a pain to carry buckets all the time but the supply was endless. Funny part was he plumbed the camp and in the 20 years he had it before selling it and moving away at retirement he never did finish running the water to the camp. They bucketed it for 20 years, lol.
 
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Cranky Pants said:
Superbrad- do you get any algae growth in that tank? I have the same by my garage at home and it catches the roof water. I have cleaned it a few tomes and add a bit of javex but I still get a bit of growth on the walls in the summer.
Click to expand...

Never..... And we have never added anything to it either..... We have one at the other building on the property as well and it gets none either.....
 
ampegor said:
i am still trucking water in for now - potable water -

You also have to get into the water conservation habit - you cant use it like the tap at home - we brush our teeth with a cup of water not with the jug flowing- we save up dishes and do once per day - lots of solo cups and paper plates too.
Click to expand...

Not judging anyone here, but isn't it ironic that you are conserving water by making more garbage?
 
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