Preparing to Live Off Grid

Water

The first issue we face with being off grid  is our water source.  The farm has an old bored well with a pump that is a few years old.  We haven't yet tested the pump or the water, but that will be happening during the next trip.  

There is no way to know how old this bored well is, but the pump and tank are most likely around 2-3 years.

Well pump and tank

With an well that has been unused for a long time there are measures that must be taken to ensure the water is safe to drink. 

It's odd that the health department is very strict about the septic system, but absolutely could care less about the source and condition of the drinking water.

The plan is to begin by getting a close measurement of how much water is in the well and determine how much bleach to use to shock it.  Following that treatment, we then run the water through the system, i.e. pump and storage tank, and take a primary sample. 

We will be replacing the tank with new, larger one.  And once we know whether we can salvage the pump, we will proceed from that point.

Next, according the instructions from VA Tech and the state, the water must run through the system to for a while to flush the system and then we take another sample for testing.  Both samples are used for comparison.

States may have their own set of instructions for testing wells and you should research for your area. Usually the state university will have an agricultural extension which provides all the information you will need to help get settled on your off grid land.

Electric Power

At some time we will be getting connected to the power lines, but until that time we must produce our own electricity.   This $300,  gas powered generator produces 3300 watts of power and is sufficient to run the refrigerator, lights, microwave and even the flat iron.  It also runs the air conditioning, and supplements the motor-home's battery system.

Depending on the load, we must refill the 2.5 gallon tank at least twice a day.  We keep it running all the time for the refrigerator and to keep the battery system charged.  

The electric power in this area is very affordable so we will be connecting once we have our permit from the health department.  However, it never hurts to have an alternative to the grid, and we are researching solar and wind options.  For the well especially, if the grid goes down how will we get our water?  The bored well is shallow enough to drop a bucket, but a hand pump or wind mill would definitely be better.   

There are a myriad of web sites about alternatives, so investigate as many options as you can until you find what will work best for you and your situation.

At this time, for our current situation, the generator is our best option, although it is temporary.

No Septic System

That's right, no septic system.  Since we will be using water-less toilets we don't need a septic system.

This doesn't mean can just use any alternative however.  The health department must approve our method for disposing of "human waste" as well as how we will deal with the gray water created by showers, sinks and washing machines.  

Once again, each state has its own regulations regarding these systems so check with your state's Department of Health before doing anything.  

For us, at this time, the water-less toilet model we have selected has been approved by the VHD, but now we must meet with someone in the conservation department regarding the gray water.  Not all water filters are approved in all states.  But, after discussing the topic with the VHD agent we know that once the gray water has been filtered we can just let it flow on the grass, or trees, as long as it isn't used to water livestock or food gardens.  

Water-less toilets come in many types from a 5 gallon bucket fitted with a seat and using saw dust, to an electric design that incinerates the solid waste so it is burned into ashes.    Once again, do a web-search for water-less toilets and investigate until you find what will work best for you.

Once you have decided on the toilet, the next step is dealing with the gray water.  Gray water is water from showers, sinks, washing machines, etc. Daily household waste water is gray water.  Because this water may contain organic matter, such as can be found in water from the kitchen sink, it must be filtered before being released into the environment.  

Some states are have more stringent regulations than other states, so once again check with your states Health Department.

There are many of benefits to using this method of processing both black and gray water.  First and foremost is the money saved by not needing a costly septic system installed.  This system also benefits the land as neither system will contaminate the ground water or the soil.