The type of water system you choose will depend on the quality of the land and the location on the 53.5 acres you decide to build on. Reverse Osmosis systems are great here because we never run out of seawater, but they are pricey and must be maintained meticulously. I personally think the initial investment in a good RO system is worth it's weight in gold. You can live without a lot of things but water is not one of them.

You can also do a combination of rain catchment and a well. A well is ok if you can find good water and there is occaisional maintenance that needs to be done with that as well. They do wells differently here than in the states and about once every year or so you will need to dig out the silt that filters in or it will start stinking from decaying plant materials. You will know when it's time because you will smell it when you take a shower. LOL Also using one of those floating pool chlorinators with chlorine tablets works well. This water is not usually drinkable though so you will need to have access to bottled water or even a small under-the-counter R.O. system for your drinking and cooking water.

When we go through a dry spell the well may also get low and start to smell. This is when you utilize your rain catchment storage.
Rainwater is great. If you have a house with a roof large enough to collect huge amounts each time it rains, with sufficient storage capacity, you may be able to use rain water as your primary source and the well as backup.

Keep in mind all three systems require electricity for a pump to run them.

The best way to plan for your infrastructure is to imagine a worst case scenario. Don't forget any details. If you do, you will be reminded of them the first time a hurricane (worst-case-scenario)hits. LOL
Been there...done that!

There is a good website for off-the-grid products and supplies. It used to be called Jade Mountain. It has now merged with a company called Real Goods and can be found at: http://www.realgoods.com/renew/

They have everything you could possibly need to be self sustaining.

I have a schematic drawing for a household rain catchment system. If anyone would like it just email me at enigma@belizemail.net

Cheers! (as Wendy says )

Your right on the mark enigma. RO is the way to go, but requires work to keep it functioning to specifications. There is a membrane that needs to be backflushed every so often or the unit will blow up...i.e. stop working. Rain water would be fine for the toilets and showers...and the ro for drinking.

guess we got off the subject just a little tho...

Good luck Wendy....

Hi Wendy! Is this land south of the Caye Caulker Forest Reserve?
It is nice to see so many eco conscious people reading this, I hope the developer who buys the land shares the quality.
Allie

[This message has been edited by Ragga Gal (edited 09-19-2002).]

If you put one or two plastic barrels up under your eave as high as possible by the drain pipe, you will have clean rainwater to drink. It flows to our sink with no pump. We have never run out. Best drink on earth and it falls free from the sky.

Yep...Keycocker....skyjuice!
I've drank lots of rain water before, and still will in a pinch.

I got to thinking one day about rainwater and the thought crossed my mind about what actually goes into the rain barrel.
The normal stuff like dust and salt residue from the roof is ok...it all disolves or settles to the bottom...no big deal.
But then I got to thinking about birds flying over and crapping on the roof, LOL.
For some reason, I just have an aversion to drinking anything that has crap in it.

If I had never thought of it, it wouldn't bother me, but I did and now I have a hard time drinking it without thinking of bird caca. LOL The mind can be cruel sometimes eh?

The very first time I came to Belize I stayed in a house called Casa Bonita on Ambergris Caye. Nice place, great floor plan.
They had a rain barrel and the maid would fill up a gallon pitcher every morning and put it in the fridge for us. They just used a tap on the barrel itself.
The showers, toilets and kitchen sink were on a well.
I drank that rainwater for a whole week thinking it was the neatest thing in the world to be able to drink nice clean water from heaven. LOL

Oh well, such is life!
Now I just spend my pennies on bottled water.

Actually you need a that trace of nitrogen from doodoo to keep the tank healthy.It is fairly complex. The nitrogen is absorbed by the algae.They keep the tank water full of oxygen. Oxygen breathing bacteria are the good ones that eat the bad germs.
There was never enough caca in my water to show in the many tests I have had run on my rainwater
It is perhaps worth noting that humans drank nothing but rain for a half million years both direct and from streams, up until our grand parents time.
Bottled water came to CC about 10 years ago. Many folks made jokes at the idea of tourists buying water when it was plenty and free for sky juice.
Now many locals buy it though most say rainwater tastes better. Rain is nice in the shower too.

I grew up on rain water....had a big vat in the yard...bathe, drink, cook, wash and am still alive and well lol.

MR

I feel much better now keycocker after that bio lesson. I'm sure you are absolutely right, it's just a mental thing you know. LOL

I love rain water in the bath. It does wonderful things for your hair!

yada yada yada

B anal you have great communication skills. you really make your log in name proud.