Jump to content

clever clogs required


Recommended Posts

 I'm sure I 'll be told off by someone but its important (to me at least) and does relate to the forum sort of..

 

Like many in greater Auckland and beyond, I have a water issue at home (i.e I'm on tank water and supply is difficult).

 

I am trying to confirm my math with regard to a) capacity of my 2 tanks which are connected - at the bottom (and so in my mind 1 body of water for the purpose of this exercise) and B) Usage.

 

Capacity;

I believe that to work out the amount of water I do the following;

3.14 (pii) x radius ® x radius ® = this result is the square metre measurement of the tank floor

then 

x depth in millimetres = which gives the quantity (litres) of water

so 

3.14 x 1.6 x 1.6 x (2 tanks)  = 16.0m2 to the nearest

16.0 x 1000 = 16000 Litres

 

I'm sure that's right because a cubic metre  contains 1000 Litres, and if I have 2 of em I have 2000 L

 

However here is the bit that's getting me out of shape and I'm hoping someone can confirm for me.

 

Usage

Daily, I measure the drop in water level with a staff, and yesterday the tank level in one tank changed by 30 mm.

 

So, using the same formula as above;

3.14 x 1.6 x 1.6 x 60mm (there are 2 tanks, sitting side by side on flat ground & connected, so the water level would be change at the same rate. So if one changes by 30 mm then the other must too - which means a 60mm drop) 

 

so 3.14 x1.6 x1.6 (x2) = 16.0m2

x 60 = 960 Litres 

 

Sounds like a bucket load of water to me, and I'm hoping I am wrong for obvious reasons.

 

Educated opinion would be gratefully received.

 

Link to post
Share on other sites

your tank volume in m3 is pii x r squared x height. 

Thumbsuck rule for house hold consumption is 200litres/person/day. Tank users are usually more like boaties in minimising water usage, however if you have teenage daughters who all love long showers the sky is the limit.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Thanks.

 

So do u see any error with my end result - esp the usage calc?

Yes.

Should be

total area =(Pi*r squared)*2

Then, volume = total area * height (depth)

Usage = total area * change in height

 

If your r is 1.6 m (realistic, my old concrete tank is 3.36m diameter, measured by climbing inside and getting the internal diameter), then the area of one tank is 8m2. 

area of 2 tanks (total area)=16 m2

Then, your usage is exactly the change in height on your staff, times the total area. 16m2 x 0.03m (i.e. 30 mm) = 0.48 m3

to get m3 to l, divide by 1,000, so you used 480 l per day. Sounds like a 2 or 3 person household, or a 2 person household and you did some washing... That is a normal and realistic amount of usage.

 

On a side note, I've ordered my 3rd watercart this year. I just ordered one, less than a week from the last delivery, asked for the last week of Feb (planning ahead and being super well planned etc), the earliest they can do is 4th March. We are ok, our neighbours are on town supply if we need water urgently.

 

I've got mates in Matakana who have a 25 day wait, and have about 20 days of water left. And I have mates on Waiheke who have already ran out. There are no water carts on Waiheke, because there is not enough source water. Apparently they are allowed 20 l a day from the Council tap or something crazy?

Link to post
Share on other sites

 i ordered water today for the first time in 15years of being on a tank so it is definately a dry year.

There was 6.6 mm of rain for January. Average is 66 mm for Jan. There has been no rain so far in Feb... (North Auckland area)

 

I reckon the only way we will get significant rain is if we catch a cyclone. And so far it looks like the first one will hit fiordland, like the one place in the country that has already had enough rain....

If we do catch a cyclone, the slips will be wild, there are such huge cracks in the ground, water will go pouring in and everything will let go. Glad I don't own cliff top property (or a farm, for that matter)

Link to post
Share on other sites

Thanks all. So i shouldnt double the 'drop'.

480 L per day isn't as frightening but now all i gotta do is convince the fairer sex members of the house that we do need to save...

 

I can't even make an arrangement for a load. Seems like most water truck operators believe that the best way to manage extreme demand is to stop taking bookings - as if ignoring it makes the need magicly go away. I get they are busy, i get they can only do so many loads a day and all the rest, but, the closing of bookings I can't fathom. I'd be over the moon if my forward bookings were under pressure-its called certainty.

 

So anyway we'll have to wait till we got nearly none in the tank and have faith in human nature.

Cheers all for your replies.

Link to post
Share on other sites

We'll be back pn board in just over a week. Sounds like I'll need to run the watermaker.

You've got enough fishing tackle hanging off your boat and mooring lines to open a shop and make a bit of money... you could whole-sale it back to TopCatch and create a nice resource recycling money merry-go-round.

Oh, and congratulations on the new family. Very cute they are :-) although they may have fledged and flown away by the time you are back.

 

PS, I don't think your fancy new mainsail covers are very good at keeping birds out...

Link to post
Share on other sites

I can't even make an arrangement for a load. Seems like most water truck operators believe that the best way to manage extreme demand is to stop taking bookings - as if ignoring it makes the need magicly go away. I get they are busy, i get they can only do so many loads a day and all the rest, but, the closing of bookings I can't fathom. I'd be over the moon if my forward demand was under pressure -its called certainty.

Romany,

What part of town are you in, and which companies have you tried?

I've now establish a relationship with a smaller and slower outfit, but one that I can book with via text message. One of the local companies with many more trucks only takes bookings by phone. I managed to book with them by phoning on a Sunday, then couldn't even get hold of them to cancel when my other guy came a week earlier with a cancellation slot.

The short story is these guys phones are ringing off the hook, so being able to book via text message is a major advantage. They reply to the texts while loading or emptying, and don't have to deal with calls while driving. Unless the company is big enough to permanently man the phones, but those are the ones you can't actually get through to...

Link to post
Share on other sites

Helensville, Fish.

 

Hard to create a relationship when they will not book because it forces u into thinking about throwing the panic mode switch.

I have somewhere around 15000 L which ain't bad compared to some people ive been told of, but i know it gets less every day and naturally - eventually will be zero.

Hence my focus on understanding my usage. If i focus hard on stretching what I have got, I'll be sweet but it is a concern for obvious reasons.

 

 

Yesterday we used 150L between 3 adults, 1 toddler and dogs n cats - so thats pretty good.

Link to post
Share on other sites

If you really want to conserve water:

1. Don't use the dishwasher (if you have one)

2. Don't use the washing machine - take washing to a laundromat

3. 2 minute showers

4.If you are waiting for hot water to come thru the tap have a container to catch the initial cold water, I always have a bucket in the shower and water bottle beside the kitchen sink

5. one glass of water for teeth cleaning, not a running tap 

6.Don't flush the loo every time you have a pee (this may encounter female resistance)

Link to post
Share on other sites

We're on tanks up in the Waitaks. We have 2x 25,000l tanks.

I think we've got ~14,000 left, so just under a third. 

Being on the hill means we tend to catch precipitation first, so we managed to catch all and more of that 6.6mm we had in January.

 

Having said that, we're beginning to conserve water, although at 400l/day we've got 35 days. We're 2 adults, 7yo and 5yo, so maybe more like 600l/day = 23days.

 

I ain't sharing with my neighbours though.....

Link to post
Share on other sites

I dont name and shame, and I'm not starting now, but if anybody else reading this lives in this neck of the woods -Everson Contracting aren't stupid about it.

I texted Simon, he responded with uncertainty about the exact date, but also indicated "about a week wait, maybe". There is quite a few holes in that onion bag but at least his reply is positive.

 

I can and probably will offer to wait longer because there are plenty out there worse off than me, but I'm stoked to have a positive reply.

Not taking bookings because you're 'busy as' is just dumb and does nothing to help, so I know where my business will go in the future

  • Upvote 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...