Well Holding Tanks - Reserve Water Grows Mold and Bacteria

Holding tanks to offer reserve water in the event ofwater pond to supplement a marginal well in terms of
drought or simply to give large homes a reserverecovery. The pond water is pre-filtered and
have become common in Texas, Georgia and Arizonaoxygenated as it contains cedar tannins and other
and most recently in California and Florida. Typicallyturbidity.
these tanks are 5000 gallons or larger, involveThe site is used as a movie site for one of LA's
repressurization pumps and level switch accessoriespremier movie producer/directors and has zero
to keep the reserve water in place.volume water use for many days and heavy volume
The treatment strategies or water quality concernsfor one to two weeks straight. "This movie director
are no different than those warm water developinghas actually done this strategy in Beverly Hills and at
countries such as India where a water truck literallyhis newest set in Maui as well," said Joe Cantin,
delivers the water to an underground holding tankRegional Manager and the technical salesperson on
two or three times per week to support 60 personthe account.
dwelling units. No infrastructure plumbing of the waterIn addition to the low level copper ion and
is part of the development and as with the upscaleoxygenation put in the water, specific filtration
American single family dwellings the water beginsstrategies and EPA/ETL lab water analysis is included
growing algae, mold and bacteria in some cases.with the equipment.
Now there is technology from three week Apollo"We change the calcium from the scaling carbonate
missions to the moon in the late 1960's protectingform to a soluble calcium bicarbonate, in essence
the holding tank water. This technology usesgiving the customer a non-salt water softener,"
electrolysis to put low level copper ions into theCantin added.
holding tank to prevent the plant life growth andEquipment costs installed range from $6,000 on the
actually kills coliform, ecoli and pseudomonas bacteria1,000 to 5,000 gallon sites to as much as $20,000 on
as well. Water can remain "crisp" in the tank forthe 33,000 gallon application.
weeks, and specific sites exist between 1,000 and"We'll do a movie set or a high density housing
33,000 gallons since 1998. The 33,000 gallon tank inproject for 60 people for the same money, it's sort
the Puget Sound also draws water from a stormof ironic," says Cantin.