Back to square three.  In the great debacle of attempting to gain drinkable water at Boxes in Fields, the city was contacted in regards to the cost estimate for having city water brought down.  Last year when working through the due diligence before buying the land, a utilities request was completed confirming or denying city water, septic, and gas.  City water and gas required an extension and city sewer required engineer.

From the numerous other properties looked at over the course of a year, it became apparent city sewer was found in a very small portion of the city and an even smaller portion in the county.  Therefore being told city sewer was “not gonna happen, ever” was not news. Being told city water and city gas was just the cost of the extension, well ok, that is completely do-able.  Besides, having a well dug is to standard operating normal round here.  Hells bells, there are million dollar homes with both well and septic because having city utilities is just not an option.

However, with the well undrinkable and RO system out of the price, it was decided to have the cost estimate done for city water to be brought to our address. Holy moly, good grief, and is that legal? In order for city water to brought 1600 feet to our property, it would cost between $32-$38 per foot.  That’s is over $60K!  And let me tell you, city water is not all that great in the taste department.  In a city and county of just over 20K people, there are close to ten water stations.  You know the places where you refill your own water jugs at a cost per gallon.  Like Culligan water, but not in your home. Having that many stations in this tiny area tells me other people find the city water and their own well water to be undrinkable too.

At this time our only choices for obtaining water are in these, IBC totes.  They are cheap to acquire, especially if purchased used, come in various sizes, are adapted with spigots at the bottom and large ports on the top, and have their own carrying systems. People have been using them for years for hauling and storing water.  However, most people using them are for places with no water in desolate regions.  West Texas for example, where it never rains.  Other people use them for rain collection purposes and we will do that, too. Just not right now.  Right now, we will use them to haul to several friends homes to collect water from their wells.  These are friends who have both city water and personal wells.  While this is only a temporary fix, it will hold us over for a while.  When filled, these totes will hold 935 gallons.  For people who are water conscious, this amount will last several weeks, even close to two months.  Living off tote water is not for people who live in two bedroom, two bath, two laundry loads a day homes.  Living off tote water is not for the people, who use according to EPA, over 100 gallons a day.  Yes, I repeat in case you think you read wrong,  a 100 gallons a day per person! And that amount of water consumption per person is for another post all together on another day.  How much water do you use a day?????