The water supply and primary electrification installation for the Pilón property was completed on January 8, 2005.  These infrastructural utilities systems are self-sustaining, automated, and require nominal maintenance or operational care.  This document describes the installation and certain features that need to be understood by the administration and ownership.

An infiltration gallery and coffer dam were installed just past the confluence of the two small streams contained by the property.  The dam impounds about six thousand gallons of water.  Installation of the infiltration gallery was undertaken in a hollow in the bedrock that was chiseled out in advance.  During preparation for the infiltration gallery installation, additional ground water was encountered, which is likely to also be present during the dry months, contributing to overall system capacity.  The infiltration gallery acts as a de facto prefilter to remove turbidity and sediment from the stream.  The longer the infiltration gallery is in use, the more efficient this prefiltration becomes.  In some watersheds containing abundant clay, infiltration galleries may require maintenance for clogging once a year or once every few years.  In watersheds that are not clay-rich (including in this case), infiltration galleries often work for years and years without any maintenance whatsoever.

Water is conveyed from the infiltration gallery through pipe installed in bedrock and buried in the soil of the adjacent hillside.  It is captured inside an 820 gallon storage tank that was installed on a 2.5 x 3 meter concrete pad.  A float valve inside the tank cuts off water recharge from the infiltration gallery when the tank is full.  Therefore, when the tank is full, all stream water remains in the environment.  There is a valve on the trail down to the tank pad that is protected by rocks concreted around it.  It is hidden by a rock that sits on top.  In the unlikely event the tank requires maintenance, simply close the valve to cut off all water.

Water from the capture tank is pumped to a 119 gallon pressure tank on the tank pad with a StaRight 1.5 HP pump.  The pump is regulated to sustain the facilities above with a pressure range between 20 and 35 psi.  The pressure switch is fully automated so that unless the power is out, the system sustains this water supply automatically.  In the event of a leak from a broken fixture or line, power must be cut to the pump to shut off the water so that the leak can be repaired.  In the event of power failure, the water supply will be rapidly exhausted as the reservoir of pressurized water is around 100 gallons.

An electric float switch is deployed inside the storage tank that will cut the pump off if the water level should drop low enough.  This is to ensure that the pump is never run without water, as this would damage the pump and void its warranty. 

A steel pump housing is deployed to protect the pump from theft and elemental exposure.  It is locked with one padlock at present, though a second one can be placed on the other side of the housing if desired.

Quick-connect fittings, valving, and a check valve make it possible to rapidly isolate the pump from the system without emptying water in the case of required maintenance.  The pressure tank is similarly detachable with a quick-connect coupler.

Pump, valving, and Quick Connects

The pump is wired for 220 and is powered by buried Number 8 electrical cable.  The one inch pipeline and conduit are buried in the same line going up from the tank pad to the existing structure.

A facility filtration unit with a capacity of 15 gpm is mounted on the wall of the existing structure.  This unit consists of one 25-5 micron gradient particulate filter, followed by two granular activated carbon units and lastly by ultraviolet disinfection.  A filter housing bypass enables the filter to be bypassed when water filtration is not desired or to sustain water flow when changing filters.  Pressure gages are deployed before and after the particulate filter.  When the pressure differential across these two valves exceeds 5 psi, the filter should be removed and washed.  When the pressure differential is no longer recovered following washing and/or the filter is visibly degraded, this filter should be changed.  The filter housing will accommodate filters with varying specs, and if greater functionality is achieved with either a smaller or larger nominal particle removal size, then alternate filters can be used.  The granular activated carbon filters also filter fine particles, but their inclusion in the filter is for protection against organic compounds, taste, and odor that are most likely to be nuisance contaminants only in the driest time of the year.  At other times of the year, these filters may actually be removed altogether in order to economize on operational costs as they cannot be washed or recharged.  Under normal use, filter life is around six months.  However, if they are removed during periods of abundant water, then the filters will have useable life spans of at least one and possibly two years.  The ultraviolet bulb operates whenever the unit is plugged in.  The bulb has a life of one year operating 24 hours a day.  A red light on the unit (visible by lifting the hinged lid) indicates the lamp is operational.  Also by looking into the unit, the ultraviolet light can be seen.  When the red light goes out, the bulb needs replacement.

Facility Water Purification System

The filtration unit will accommodate flow rates greatly in excess of 15 gpm, however the filter has that rating because at greater flow rates, the residence time inside the ultraviolet reaction chamber is insufficient to guarantee neutralization of viruses.  However, the larger protozoan Giardia lamblia is more susceptible than viruses and is probably neutralized at much higher flow rates.  Giardia is the predominant pathogen that is of concern in natural watersheds.  Therefore the actual capacity of the filter for this application is considered to be considerably in excess of 15 gpm.

At present the filter is plumbed to provide water exclusively to the sink.  It is adviseable that it be plumbed in a final configuration to provide filtered potable water where it is needed and not to showers, toilets, the swimming pool, etc. 

Primary electrification for the facility consisted of the burial and wiring of number 4 electrical cable from the newly constructed ICE meter post to the distribution breaker box mounted at the entrance to the existing rancho.  An ICE technician was summoned to the site to ensure that the installation proposed conformed with all applicable codes and requirements.  Upon completion of the facilities, a reconnect order was submitted under Jose’s name, and the power was reconnected by ICE.  The rustic existing wiring of the rancho was connected to the new distribution breaker box, in addition to the circuit for the pump.  The meter post was stuccoed but not painted in deference to color patterns planned for the facility.  The meter is deployed for easy reading on the road side of the post and the primary breaker is deployed on the side of the post facing the property to discourage the mischievous from casually cutting off power to the facility and for easier access to maintenance personnel in the event the power must be turned off for one reason or another.

Stuccoing electrical meter post

The existing toilet and kitchen sink were plumbed to the new water system, and a shower and outdoor spigot were installed.

The existing one-inch pipeline can be plumbed into at will for a more extensive water distribution network to conform to the construction planned for the facility.

The storage tank, pump, pressure tank, and filtration unit are guaranteed against defects in materials and workmanship for a period of three years.  Other components of the installation are guaranteed against defects in materials and workmanship for a period of five years but are expected to have a useable life of several decades.