Water Supply from spring!?

[Mortblanc]

I have delt with this situation several times and it is really not a big problem unless you are depending on the system to supply water for wastefull uses.

The first action should be to dig a catch basin or cistern in the stream channel or slightly to the side, but still fed by gravity. I have dug basins and lined them with concrete, I have sunk plastic tubs, and I have sunk barrels in or near the stream bed depending on the soil, what I had available, and the flow of the stream.

It is best to do this as far above the level of the end use point as possible. It you have an "uphill" section you can use gravity flow through a hose to supply the use point. That part appears simple, and is. All one needs is a hose and a filter device on the end in the sump, gravity will do the rest, however slowly.

If the water is level with of slightly down hill some imigination is required.

One can simply install a pump from a "caravan" or recreational vehicle if the pump distance is not great or very much lift. Even some farm equipment has 12v pumping system included with sprayers and such. They are easily obtained and operate off of 12v so your solar pannel and normal battery bank will power the.

If you obtained on from an RV it will probably have a preasure switch included so you can prime the system, then simply turn on the tap and water will flow. They are designed to pump water from the RV holding tank and work well if no greet distance of high lift is needed.

The last alternative is what I did on my last place. I plumbed the house and installed a large holding tank/cistern. I used a regular electrical pump to pump water from the spring sump into the holding tanks. After that the system gravity fed with the assistance of an RV pump and the house operated as if on a "normal" water system.