4. Might a new, perhaps deeper Love’s Point well access better quality water?

Not likely, or at least not cost effectively.

The Love’s Point Parcels A & B sit at the end of a ridge called Leubow Point. The wells on these parcels were purposely dug to approximately Clear Lake level.

A neighbor on Leubow Point recently dug a well. His first attempt failed because the shaft kept collapsing. His second attempt tapped the same colloidal clay contaminated water as the Love’s Point wells.

All three wells are deeper than 600 feet.

While is it is possible that better water might be found below the aquifer that the three existing wells tap, the risk and cost would be daunting.

It would be possible to dig a well on one or more of the lower Love’s Point Parcels D, E or F. But, nearby existing well have their own issues, namely boron content.

Back to FAQ –>

5. Is there anyone else in the area with the same well water issues as Love’s Point Parcels A & B ?

Yes.

By every measure, the aquifer tapped by the Love’s Point wells is sourced, or shares the same source with nearby Thurston Lake. (LP water source)

There are two ranches located on the shore of Thurston Lake.

thurstonhaldenjorgen

The Jorgenson’s reportedly use Thurston Lake water as is, and import their drinking water.

The Haldens have a sand filter treatment system.

thurston-treatment-equipThe Thurston Lake water is

  1. Ph adjusted with soda ash
  2. An alum based flocculant is added
  3. then water is run through a sand filter

This system requires frequent backflushing of the sand filter
in a kind of three steps forward, two steps back approach
that produces only 1 gallon per minute of final product water.

Back to FAQ –>

6. How much would it cost to create an automated system for treating LP Parcel B well water ?

Dunken pump provides us with an “preliminary” estimate for a treatment system to produce 5-7 gallons per minute by using a settling tank to drop out sediment before sand filtering.

Dunken’s recommended system might look something like this:

Not at all to scaledunken_config

See Dunken Pumps “itemized” estimate

With sales tax Dunken “preliminarily” estimating $31,000

The Dunken estimate  includes or does not include:

  • Slab only – no covering building/shed
  • Does not include electrical panels, outlets, wiring, installation.
  • Only one solution tank and dosing pump (The Halden system uses two solution tanks and two dosing pumps. A truely effective system might need three sets)
  • No mixing apparatus (mixing solution in the settling tank is recommended)
  • No accounting from calibration time (this can be significant as effective flocculation is a mixture of science and art).
  • Does not include well pump and motor, well piping or installation.
  • Does not include Ozone system for purification and final clarification polish.

A more comprehensive system might look like this:

realistic-estimate1

A more complete Estimate of Cost Spread looks like this:

parcel-b-estimate

Back to FAQ –>

7. Are there professional consultants available for developing and/or improving the Love’s Point water systems?

Yes

Water Systems Engineer
Tom Sawyer
707 546 7262

Tom is a freelance water system engineer
who comes highly recommended by Brock Dolman
of The Occidental Arts & Ecology Center Water Institute

Tom’s offers expertise in designing and implementing
development of integrated water & power systems.

When I spoke with Tom in September 2007 he expressed
disinterested in residential projects. But, real money and
commitment would likely pique his interest

Dunken Pump
Lakeport, CA
(707) 263-4486

Dunken Pump maintains the only equipment in Lake County
capable of serving a 600-700 foot well. They offer comprehensive
pump and water treatment systems services.

Dungeness Development Associates, Inc.
John Macpherson
206-730-5370

Specializing in construction run-off water treatment.
Dungeness offers expertise probably more suited to the Love’s
Point special water clarification needs than conventional water
purification companies (for example, Culligan could not help us).

Dungeness supplies a chitosan flocculant product.

Vanson – HaloSource. Inc
Frank Knieb
602 334 3474
http://www.stormklear.com

Vanson supplies chitosan flocculant and offers
system design assistance. They recently provided
a dose analysis from a sample of the Love’s Point water.
See there report here.

Back to FAQ –>

8. Are there other ways to clarify the Love’s Point well water?

No, not cost effectively.

• Simple filtration does not work because the colloidal clay is too finely grained. It either passed through the filter or clogs it too quickly.

• Sand filtration works because such filters allow for automated back flushing and work effectively with flocculation agents.

• Vanson has experimented with centrifugal filters, but found that the process breaks down the floc rendering it ineffective.

• There is a process called D.A.F. (dissolved air floatation) that would almost certainly replace the need for a settling tank and might reduce the demand for floc use. However, the D.A.F process would still require sand filtration for final clarification, and even a small D.A.F. unit would cost in excess of $50K alone.

Return to FAQ –>

9. Are there alternatives sources of water for the Love’s Point Parcels other than well or lake water?

Yes

http://www.harvestingrainwater.com/

Rain harvesting

Advantages

  • minimizes water processing
  • minimize need for floc agents
  • minimize maintenance
  • eliminate (or minimize) need for flocculation agents minimize electrical power demand
  • could provide gravity feed to users
  • provide a fundamental, tangible focus for cooperation between Love’s Point “owners

Require

  • fundamental attitude and life style change of users
  • collection and storage infrastructure

Back to FAQ –>

Generator

The Love’s Point House is equipped with back-up Electric Power via

  • diesel GenSet
  • automatic transfer switch

These are designed to provide  uninterrupted power to the House during PG&E power failures. However, the automatic start up feature of the transfer switch is not presently working properly (Nov 2010), so during a power outage the generator would require manual start up.

The GenSet is not connected to the service buildings
or well water systems.

Short power failures are common during the year. In the last six years there has not been a failure longer than ~ 12 hours. During power outages the well pump and domestic water pressure pump must be connected to a portable, gasoline generator via a manual transfer switch.

genset-tankThe GenSet should be maintenance run for ~ 20 minutes each week. When the auto-transfer switch is working properly this weekly maintenance is run automatically, but presently it must be done manually.
This consumes a small amount of diesel fuel.
The GenSet is serviced annually
Real costs amortize to approximately $50 / month

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Propane: Appliances & Systems

Propane for House:

  • stove & range
  • heating – forced air

Propane for service buildings:

  • Hot water heaters (2)
  • Space heating – direct vent wall heaters

One 500 gallon propane tank serves the entire property, i.e. both House and service buildings. A flow meter could be installed on the propane line leg that branches to the House ( estimated cost ~ $200), thus allowing propane use to be separately deduced for the two locations. However, at present (Nov 2010), propane consumption at each separate location (House & service area) can only be estimated.

propane-tank

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