We are thinking of converting our shop into an apartment. There is already a water supply but there are 2 homes on it already. We are considering using a holding tank to catch rainwater for dishes, bathes and clothes washing. We have decided on 1500 gallon tank and know how we are hooking it up.
Do we need a pump to get the water inside(the tank will be elevated) and if so where does it need to be, inside or out and what kind of pump is recommended?
Thank you
Best Answer
It's going to depend on how much pressure you want and how high your cistern is with respect to point of use. Typical US residential water pressure is on the order of 40 to 80 PSI. One foot of head (height of the water column from cistern to tap) gives you 0.433 PSI, so you would need a 92 foot head to reach 40 PSI. This is the concept behind water towers
You may not need that much pressure - it will just take longer to fill the tub, etc. Whether that's acceptable is a judgment call on your end.