Water System
As of September 7, 2026: water delivery to the upper property still needs a specific plan. The septic system has not had its final inspection or final backfill. The immediate water job is to supply the tank fill required for septic closeout; the permanent job is reliable water at the home, workshop, and lookout.
The July water-system study gives us a useful starting point: an active well, lower storage, a photographed uphill-pump candidate, a pressure tank, and preliminary elevations. It remains a concept for review, with measurements and equipment checks still needed before an installation design can be completed.
The next field package
The first useful result is a short, measured plan that Barb and Eli can coordinate with Dave and the pump-system installer. It should establish:
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The amount of water and tank readiness. Confirm the required fill level and timing against the issued septic permit and tank instructions. Check the tank’s present water level and support. The supplier’s instruction about backfilling around the tank before adding water must be reconciled with the county’s inspection and visibility requirements before filling.
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A usable route to the upper site. Trace the actual water line or proposed temporary route. Record endpoints, elevation change, total length, pipe markings, inside diameter, connections, and condition. A utility trench already being present does not establish that its water line is connected or usable.
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A verified source and pump arrangement. Record the lower tank’s available water, refill performance, pump condition, inlet conditions, and available electrical supply. The installer can then assess the HP7D-02 against the measured route and required flow.
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A complete fill method. Compare a supervised temporary transfer from lower storage with completing the first permanent uphill-transfer phase. If neither can be made ready promptly, obtain a water-delivery alternative for Dave’s review. The choice and any resulting schedule or purchase remain for review.
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A witnessed trial and closeout record. Before the septic fill, demonstrate the selected method’s flow, pressure, source protection, and stopping procedure. Record the volume delivered and the tank’s final level. Complete the required inspection record and obtain authorization for final cover.
The permanent upper tank, lookout service pump, and automatic backup-well system do not all have to be finished to accomplish one septic fill. A temporary arrangement still needs properly rated equipment, source protection, and separation between the clean-water supply and the septic tank.
See Septic System for the photographs, permit record, and inspection checklist.
What the current system provides
The working submersible in the active 2002 well fills the existing 1,200-gallon lower tank. The proposed uphill pump would draw from that tank. A verified hard low-level cutoff at lower storage is required to stop transfer before the pump runs dry or the protected reserve is exhausted; test that protection before an uphill run. It is a separate pumping stage, not a replacement for the well pump. The inactive 1995 well remains a possible later source.
| Location | Preliminary elevation |
|---|---|
| Home | about 361 ft |
| Inactive well | about 456 ft |
| Workshop / pump-house area | about 459 ft |
| Existing lower storage | about 499 ft |
| Active well | about 512 ft |
| Proposed upper storage | about 656 ft |
| Lookout base | about 669 ft |
These are Dave’s January 2025 planning elevations, not a survey. Actual water surfaces, the septic fill outlet, and the tower’s fixtures still need measured elevations. The relationship between the workshop and the map’s pump-house label also needs confirmation. Exact well, pipe, and control locations remain in the private project record.
Pumps and pressure tanks already identified
Eli’s July 6 equipment photographs identify a Sta-Rite/Pentair HP7D-02, 3/4-horsepower booster pump. Its condition and suitability for this installation still need checking. Its inlet supply, maximum pressure, and electrical requirements matter as much as its horsepower. The Pentair installation manual governs the equipment review; pipe size and promised delivery flow cannot be selected from horsepower alone.
The same photographs show a 34-gallon pressure-tank carton, with 10.8 gallons of drawdown at 30/50 psi. Dave has referred to it as the new Well-Trol tank. The photographs reviewed do not establish its exact manufacturer or model, so a clear tank label is still needed before treating it as a particular Well-X-Trol product.
A pressure tank is a small pressure buffer: it reduces how often a service pump starts. The 34-gallon label is the vessel’s total volume; the photographed 10.8-gallon drawdown is the water available between pump cycles at the stated settings. It is not bulk storage for a septic fill. Amtrol’s Well-X-Trol instructions explain this distinction, but that manual should be applied to the owned tank only if its identity is confirmed.
The tank’s eventual role remains open. It may belong with a separate lookout service pump, or with a workshop booster. Its final pressure settings, drawdown, and cycling performance must match the selected pump and service requirements.
The permanent system under consideration
The July concept uses lower and upper storage with separate pressure zones:
The proposed upper tank is about 13 feet below the lookout base, so it cannot provide lookout service pressure by gravity. Conversely, a direct line from upper storage down to the home would develop about 128 psi before losses, based on the preliminary elevations. This explains why the study separates the service zones. Fixture heights and measured pressures will determine the eventual equipment and settings.
Decisions and measurements still needed
| Needed input | What it determines |
|---|---|
| Septic fill level, timing, present water, and tank support | Actual fill volume and readiness for water |
| Lower-tank high/low levels, usable reserve, and current refill rate | Water available without exhausting existing service |
| Route length, elevation profile, pipe markings, and fittings | Pump operating point and pipe suitability |
| Pump and tank labels, condition, and available power | Which owned equipment can be reused |
| Target flow and pressure at home, workshop, and lookout | Service-pump and pressure-tank duties |
| Upper storage volume, fire reserve, freeze basis, and acceptable outage | Permanent storage and operating requirements |
The well logs record one-hour air-test yields of 7 gallons per minute in 1995 and 4.5 gallons per minute in 2002. Those historical figures do not establish today’s well output. Current refill performance and usable lower-tank water must be checked before making a fill-time promise.
Next decision: review the measured temporary-fill and first-permanent-phase options, then choose the immediate method. The detailed installation package should include the selected pump duty, pipe and component schedule, power and controls review, and commissioning checklist. The website will record the approved choice and actual field progress.
Record basis: Dave’s January 2025 design brief and July 2026 well-role clarification; Eli’s July 6 equipment photographs; official 1995 and 2002 well reports; Willamette Graystone tank correspondence; the July 27 Water System concept; and Dave’s September 7 status correction. Photographs establish what is visible, not inspection approval or installation performance.