Rigging up a burried water butt to a hand pump = where to start?

[Madame Mucksprout]

HI,
I have a HUGE hole in the middle of my lawn (long story). Ive got to fill it in (quickly), then it occured to me that if I burried a couple of water buts in there (fed by an underground pipe from my house gutter), and had a hose of sorts from the buts to a hand pump - I recon I could provide a decent supply of rain water to my vegetable garden and loose the ugly above ground butts).
Am I mad? too difficult? Possible?


I did have my eye on a 1000l IBC tank, but Im worried it wont cope and might collapse. ANy thoughts on this?


ANY advice greatfully recieved
Thankyou

[bikermike]

you can get systems with electric pumps for use as grey water.
I'd google them.

If you are going to do it, I'd go as big as possible, there's no point doing a half job. But make sure you have considered access for unblocking, make sure you have allowed for sufficient gradient in all the pipes.

If you are going to that sort of effort, I'd make it compliant to use in the house (for flushing toilets etc)

[bikermike]

Underground Tanks

I have a rectangular water butt from these peeps, and they were very helpful (and had a nice friendly dog in their office when I came to collect).

[veggiechicken]

I have summat like that for flushing loos but................it has an overflow back into the drainage system for when it becomes too full with all this lovely rainwater.
So think about, not just the rain inflow but the out flow too. It has to go somewhere and you won't use it all in your gardenn.

[nickdub]

May be have a look at pumps people by for ornamental fountains in ponds ? -add a switch to the circuit and you have a starter system

[Thelma Sanders]

Sinking the container certainly works Underground Rainwater Storage in an IBC With Pumped Supply: 4 Steps (with Pictures)
I'm wondering which type of pump you could use, instead of an electric one? Most hand pumps rely on gravity once the water is past the pump, so depends if your veg garden is lower than the height of your pump?

[Madame Mucksprout]

I looked at rainwater harvesting for the house but its just sooooo expensive.
I have this hole 7ft deep by 6 ft x 6ft......... soakaway that never was. But actual elecctric pumps and harvessting tank is far to much for me. I just wanted some use out of it. I completely agree, it would be brilliant to have the propper set up, but alas too pricey

[Madame Mucksprout]

@Thelma Sanders, thankyou - yes I spotted that instructable BUT I also saw the comments below it which said they arnt very stron and could collapse when empty - eeeek

[bikermike]

any tank that isn't designed for it could collapse with enough load on top...

I'd buy a good tank now and keep as much as you can of the other stuff above ground.

Bear in mind with a hand pump you'll be lifting water a fair old way

[nickdub]

Wouldn't be too hard to put in a cheap plastic tank, then pour some concrete with rebar in it around the outside to make sure the ground didn't give way - how long it would last without leaking is anyone's guess of course.

[Madame Mucksprout]

If only I could think of a better use for this blasted hole......................

[4Shoes]

I think everyone has thought about this at some time. The highest risk is that the water tank is empty, there is a sudden down pour and the tank collapses. You could get round this by sinking concrete and rebar, but how much more a proper tank ? The over flow could be to a drain, to a terrace in your garden, pond or soakaway.

Needs to be thought through, but well worth thinking about.

[bikermike]

If only I could think of a better use for this blasted hole......................

wine cellar

[veggiechicken]

Walipini. A Sunken greenhouse.

Lots of info on Goggle - here's one https://www.treehugger.com/green-arc...ear-round.html

[Chestnut]

I believe there are stronger plastic tanks specially designed for underground use (just search underground water tank), typically used a part of a rainwater harvesting system.

I love VC’s underground greenhouse, though if you have heavy clay like ours then a pond might be easier ;-)