[smudger]

Hi

I have a few fields without mains water supply and there is a spring in one of fields just above them. It seems to be pretty consistent even in dry weather and a torrent after a period of heavy rain. I presume I can't beat gravity and supply fields above it but what equipment is need to tap into the spring and then run pipes to each field below (may also supply our stables, albeit with a back-up mains supply).  It comes out of the ground from a defined hole in the ground, wondered if  a large pipe reducing down to the std black pipe would suffice, but then also how to keep it in position?

[robert waddell]

if it is a hole in the ground it could be a burst main drain
an underground pipe system with a filter of some description at the source

[smudger]

Definitely a spring and nowhere near nay mains supply. All our maps show it and the spreads below. It may have been "tapped" before, hence "hole". Any idea where I can buy equipment?

[bloomer]

simple gravity system use some form of tank as a header that you dig in and let the spring flow into.

use blue plastic pipe and connectors (good builders merchants, not cheap)

end pipes with taps.

don't forget its all going to freeze in bad weather and get hot in the summer, burying the pipes limits the getting hot but not the freezing...

i have never installed this system myself but have done enough other plumbing to know its fairly easy to connect up all the pipes etc.

without seeing the spring itself i cant advise how to ensure all the water goes into the header tank, but common sense should solve that one.

dont forget your outlet pipe needs to come out the bottom of the header tank to use the weight of water in the tank to keep the pressure constant.

[robert waddell]

i did not mean a mains water supply      you have drains that flow into a main drain  that would explain the greater flow in rain
just an idea but depends on the diameter of the hole you could plug it with a steel pipe driven into the ground then capture the water coming out and pipe it to where you want (like a fire hydrant)

[chrismahon]

Problem with Springs is if you disturb or obstruct them in any way they divert themselves and can pop up yards away. I would let the water flow out naturally into a channel and then contain it slightly lower down with distribution from there as previously described.

[doganjo]

When I built my house my water diviner found a spring for me - we dug down 12 feet and got a flow of 240 gallons an hour.  We made the hole big enough for a big plastic liner and dropped it down,  then put on a cap to fit the top.  Put fencing round it so the cattle couldn't get in there, and a pump to take the water out through blue alkathene pipes up to the filter in the barn.

[goosepimple]

We have a natural spring too, it flows into our mill pond, previous owners of our site had it connected up to the polytunnels which we may put back again next year.  Why not secure some of the water and keep waterfowl or some nice mental geese 

[doganjo]

When I built my house my water diviner found a spring for me - we dug down 12 feet and got a flow of 240 gallons an hour.  We made the hole big enough for a big plastic liner and dropped it down,  then put on a cap to fit the top.  Put fencing round it so the cattle couldn't get in there, and a pump to take the water out through blue alkathene pipes up to the filter in the barn.

He he, I am really laughing now!!!    One of the objections to my planning application, amongst other things, from 4 'used-to-be-friendly-neighbours-but-now-I'm-gone-have-the-knives-out',  was that there wasn't enough water in the hamlet and that one newcomer had to put in a bore hole (they have 4 horses and only a well suitable for a small cottage - hey, expect it??).  The well I put in for my new house was 240 gallons an hour - it's just been tested and there is now - wait for it .............634 gallons an hour!  AND I kept a wayleave on the house so I can use it.

[OhLaLa]

I once had sh*tty neighbours who got very ar*sy about the spring water. i moved a water trough in one of the fields by about 50m. Same water, same trough, same field, but they were up in arms. I've never heard so many stupid reasons as to why it shouldn't be moved ('one day in the future cows might drink from it' was one......  what??)

So, i chucked their horses and sheep out of my fields and stopped them and their visitors using my land as a car park.

Touche!!

 

[chrismahon]

We've got neighbours like that. Can mind everyone elses business but their own. Constantly moaning but when they try to do something they make a complete pigs ear of it and try to dig their way out using threats and deceipt. Objected to me building a garage because the ground wasn't suitable for a soakaway -it's sand and gravel base about a mile wide and 5 miles long. Then proceded to mess up their drainage and have secretly (not that secret) installed a foul 4" drain into the adjoining canal!

[henchard]

Our house supply is from a spring up the hill. The water is collected by digging a hole just where it comes out of the ground then inserting a large section of plastic drainage pipe (the stuff in the photo below) vertically into the ground




You can just see our collection chamber in this photo. We used some old corrugated sheeting as shuttering to concrete an inspection cover on top. In this case we have 2 collection chambers connected together (you can just see the top one as well) to ensure a better supply.



then a connecting water pipe (blue alkathene) is connected into the side (at the correct height) and trenched downhill to where you need it. In our case it feeds a storage tank with an overflow. For stock purposes you could pipe it to IBC containers for storage. If the spring flows well and the pipework is underground it is very unlikely to freeze. 


The spring is fenced round to prevent animals contaminating our domestic supply.

[doganjo]

We've got neighbours like that. Can mind everyone elses business but their own. Constantly moaning but when they try to do something they make a complete pigs ear of it and try to dig their way out using threats and deceipt. Objected to me building a garage because the ground wasn't suitable for a soakaway -it's sand and gravel base about a mile wide and 5 miles long. Then proceded to mess up their drainage and have secretly (not that secret) installed a foul 4" drain into the adjoining canal!

Is that not illegal?  It is in Scotland. Perhaps a call to the equivalent of SEPA where you are might be in order - just to check that you have done everything correctly of course, and a casual mention about seeing some strange outfall in the canal 

[robert waddell]

yes it is illegal you could what a friend done when complaining about an out fall put some human crap at the outfall with soiled toilet paper that will get the environmentalist going

[doganjo]

 :pig:Oh Robert, you ARE awful!