Williams, AZ -- Hauling Water and Water Tank Size (Phoenix: renting, how much)

[Advocate4]

We are considering buying a house just outside Williams, AZ. Apparently there is a cistern, we are waiting on our realtor to find out what size and whether it is set up for hauled water to go into or is just for catching rainwater.

If the cistern turns out to be for rainwater, what size tank would we need to store hauled water? I have read that average household water use is around 90-100 gallons a day so am thinking a 3000 gal tank would be best? What would that size tank cost us (and whatever other equipment needed such as pump for it, etc.)? We'd have to have someone else deliver it and install it, any idea of charges for that?

Apparently the delivery services in the area are dependable, lots of people get delivered water or haul it themselves, so we are okay with that part of it.

Thanks for any information!

[Zonie5]

i live in Ash Fork , about 20 miles west of Williams so prices should be close . i had a 5000 gallon tank installed for us . that gives me a safety margin in case of bad weather . most 2500 gallon tanks are plastic , to get a bigger cap you might have to go metal like mine . just a guess is that the tank , pump,heated pump house might run between $4-5000 . i am guessing on that . mine cost me $2500 16 years ago .
trying to sell my house now and people think that the prices are the same as they were back then . i have heard that a new construction house needs a $30000 septic system , where on a established property it is grandfathered in .

[Advocate4]

Thanks for your reply, Zonie5. So, re a 5000 gallon tank. How much does it cost you to fill that, and how long does that water last you?

We will be 2 adults with a few house pets, not farm animals.

Am curious about why a heated pump house? I am guessing that it would be because temps could stay in the 20's for days at a time, right? But what about heater tape (plugs in electrically), does anyone use that to wrap pipes?

[Zonie5]

just got my bill for last months water. i hauled 1460 gallons , tax and all the bill was $14.29 . to fill it from empty would be about $50-60. i nevr put much faith in heat tapes , most people here put a 60 or 75watt light bulb in there . temps at night do get low as 12f on the average . in Williams it will be colder . last December it got to 5 above and my 60 watt bulb was not enough and my pipe froze . in case of power outage i keep a kerosene lamp in there for heat when needed .

[Zonie5]

forgot to add how long my water lasts . i really don't know . once a month a fill it up however much it needs . how much you use will depend on you . we were told this when we met some locals on our first day . if its yellow, let it mellow . if its brown , flush it down . if you need hot water from tap , run your hot water into a clean container for use later . shower once a month, whether you need it or not . that was just a joke .

[Advocate4]

Well, the water costs don't sound at all unreasonable to me. Certainly can work with them.

So do you have to have an actual pumphouse, or is it more like a large box, or what?

Sorry if I am asking dumb questions, but I can't get smart until I know the answers!

[Zonie5]

my pump house is about 4'x4'x4' . situated so the tank valve is inside the housing and hooked up to the pump . house is insulated and keep kerosene lamp in there and extra light bulbs . an important fact is , the door to the housing has a small crack in it . that is so at night before i go to bed i look outside and see if the light is on . many a people have had frozen pumps when light have gone out and they did not check . no worry , ain't no dumb questions . i moved here and i realized just how dumb i was about most of things . i heat strictly with wood and that was a learning experience all by it self .

[Advocate4]

Back with additional question on water delivery.

We just heard from a guy who knows the Williams area (but has not lived there), and he said that during the winter, people up there can go 2 or 3 months with no water delivery.

Any feedback on this?

[Slater]

My wife and I live just outside Williams (I moved up here from Phoenix to take a job). We get water delivered every two weeks and the bill averages about $45 per delivery. I would imagine that a family with kids would go through water faster than that.

We ended up renting, and kind of learned the hard way about frozen water pumps in the winter, with temperatures dropping well below freezing. A small space heater in the pump house solved that problem.

[Advocate4]

The pump hookups for this house are inside the house, actually. Apparently the cistern is the place where hauled water is delivered, and the cistern is underground which seems like it would help in terms of reducing chances the water in it would freeze.

What my concern is, though, is whether there are times when the delivery trucks can't get to you -- I can't figure out how that could happen for as long as a couple of months. If the roads turn to gumbo after rain, or during snow melt, then it could make sense that those trucks would run risk of getting stuck. But if you are close to a paved county road and have a well graveled driveway, seems like that would resolve such a concern, and I don't quite see wet roads staying that way for a couple of months.