Earlier this week I posted Step-by-Step – Getting and Unloading RecycledH2O from CCCSD Residential Fill Station. This is a follow-up in regards to the Adventures at CCCSD Residential Fill Station.
When the fill station first opened in November 2014, they didn’t have much activity. In December it rained cats and dogs and flooded parts of Sausalito. Same for January. Soon word got out and the onslaught of Free Recycled Water hungry residents descended on the Residential Fill Station at CCCSD in Martinez. CentralSan had a need to promote their fill station – its usage is apart of their 2014-2016 Strategic Plan.
The fill station has received quite a lot of activity lately. While official numbers haven’t been posted, after talking to the service attendant – during the month of March – over 15,000 gallons of RecycledH2O was given away for free. Today, the attendant said “we’re not done calculating how much water was hauled, but we’re over 103,000 gallons for the month of April.” So much water, at 300 gallons max per visit. What are people coming in to get water with and how are they distributing it at home.
To get things started, when I pulled up the other day, another guy was filling up a 300 gallon tote in the back of his truck, a Chevrolet Silverado 1500. Basically the same thing I have.. His truck was lowered with low profile tires. All I could think about was what would happen if he put 300 gallons in his tote.
He ended up leaving with about 150 gallons in his IBC tote – about half full. The sloshing that tote and truck feels as he speeds up and slows down – it must be incredible – maybe he’ll install some baffles inside his tote to lessen the slosh factor. It was his first time there – he went through the training on the water when I pulled up. Oh well, on to the next one.
I met one guy who had this tank in the back of his truck – a service truck it appeared, a Ram 3500. He drove up as I was filling my AquaTank II. He talked to the attendant and set up his hose to begin filling his tank. While he waited he came over and talked to me and asked about my “bag”. He was impressed. He said “its like a large water bed!”. That’s true, but I won’t try laying on it.
He asked what I use to unload and I told him I had a small 1/11HP pump at home and use it to water the front yard. He thought it was really cool.
I went by his truck to see what he had, that is where I snapped this picture. He said he’s built this fitting from 2″ down to 3/4″ and connects it to a small pump that he uses at the beginning to get the water flowing. Once its got good flow he disconnects the pump and passes the hose off to his sister to water her plants by gravity. Then as the tank no longer puts out good flow he hooks it back up to his pump to continue pumping out the rest of his tank.
I asked him if he looked into a sump pump through the top and he said that was his first trial. He said it had decent flow, but it took too long to empty the tank. Hence why he built the fitting and went from there. His 300 gallon tote takes about 1.5 hours to unload on a 240 GPH (gallon per hour) pump. Which makes sense.
Right after that guy left another guy pulled up with another 300 gallon tote in the back of his truck. I was blocking him so I had to leave. Seems as though most people there have 300 gallon totes.
I went by today, since my weather station at home says its 98°F in the backyard, and picked up another 140 gallons. They’re pretty active these days – a pop-up canopy has been installed to provide shade coverage for the attendant working the station.
Right as I was finishing up my load a guy drove in with 6 – 55gallon drums in the back of his truck. He was an older gentleman and as he got out he said a line that made my day – “My wife sends me here cause damnit she won’t let her plants die.”
This guy – he’s awesome.
TGIF!
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