Getting Drilled in Puna

[nanasohana]

So Bobs Catchment tests water? Where are they and what do they charge? Phone number?

[HiloHaole]

quote:

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We have two of the same gauge large filters: composite 20 micron fiber with 10 micron carbon/coal.

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I think you need a 2 micron filter as the last filter in addition to the UV light. While many recommendations is to change the UV bulb every 6 months, one place in Hilo said that once a year is fine. But, I've read that the bulb still may not purify the water as well after about 6 months even though the bulb still lights up. The effectiveness decreases with age.

[Les C]

Bob's Catchment Testing - 936-3426. Drop off samples in Kea'au at the Hawaiian Springs plant; Bob is a microbiologist and manages the plant. The tests cost about $60 for two samples (tank and point of use [post-treatment]). I think we paid $80 for three samples a few months ago. We got that report as a PDF. It's very in-depth with photos of slides showing bacteria colonies, or lack thereof. He makes recommendations for treatment.

According to the "Guidelines on Rainwater Catchment in Hawaii" (GRCH), the ideal filtering pore for the last filter if you want to drink your water is 1 micron, to catch cryptosporidium spores. This will likely affect your water pressure and may require a larger pressure pump. Bleach is not effective in treating the protozoan spores (cysts) of Cryptosporidium or Giardia, according to the GRCH. It also states that UV light may not affect the cysts either. Additionally, it noted that there were 3 cases of Cryptosporidium infection in 1998 on O'ahu and none in 1999.

The owner's manual for our Sterilight Silver UV disinfection light notes that the lamp must be changed at one year. It's possible that the lamp will not function at full capacity because of deposits on the glass in the exposure chamber; therefore it may need periodic cleaning. The manual doesn't address any dropoff of effectiveness due to age of the lamp. If your UV light is properly positioned after filtration, any turbidity in the water will be reduced, allowing the light to do its job better. Periodic testing should reveal any dropoff of effectiveness of the treatment.

Les

[HiloHaole]

Here's an excerpt from a web page concerning a typical UV light:

UV lamps (bulbs) require annual replacement to ensure optimal performance. UV lamp performance, just like any other light source, will slowly diminish over time. Beyond one year, there is no assurance that the UV light emitted from the bulb will provide sufficient disinfection. Remember, UV light cannot be seen. The bulb may still produce light, but not necessarily UV rays. The quartz sleeve does not need replacement unless it gets broken, however, it should be cleaned several times per year (outside only).

[craigwatanabe]

I was told by one of the few water haulers in Puna that if you drill in HPP you need to buy the water rights from Shipman. Is this really the case as I hear those water rights can run around $5,000.

There was a seminar on drilling at the HPP community center a few weeks ago and the guy there indicated that you shouldn't drill a well within a 1/4-mile radius of a leach field or a cesspool.

This same water hauler told me that some wells in HPP down by the ocean had gone "sour" because of this problem with new developments encrouching on existing wells. I'd hate to have spent in the tens of thousands of dollars to drill a well and secure a water right from Shipman just to have it go sour because a new neighbor built a septic tank too close to my well head.

I'll stick to catchment. Legend has it that if there is a short but heavy outburst of rain late at night, the nightmarchers are near. Thank god for them as my catchment tanks would be bone dry without them.

[HiloHaole]

I don't think any person other than the State of Hawaii has water rights in Hawaii. I've benn told by Hawaiians that the State considers that it owns the water below the ground. That, I'm told, is why you have to pay the State for the water you use from your own well.

[Punamom]

Except for the 90.00 permit fee to drill,I've never heard of being charged for well water.

Does anyone know how much the gov charges?

How can Shipman be involved when HPP was Watamula's property?
Yes the lots in HPP by the ocean are small so you may run into a contamination problem. I've also heard of salt water getting into the wells down there.Wells by the ocean cost 5k to drill not 10's of thousands.

[craigwatanabe]

If you're down on Beach road it may be $5k but as close as 3rd street the cost can reach $17,000.

[malolo]

I dunno. My cheapskate opinion only of course, but unless one were to be assured that a potential well was going to "pay for itself" somehow (ie. if you absolutely had to have it to keep your enormous orchid-greenhouse watered, or you had a huuuuuge family and always found that you were having to have water delivered), I'm not quite sure I see the point.

Seems to me you'd still want fresh-from-the-sky catchment-water with a knock-'em-dead purification system for home-use in addition to the well, yah? So you're not tapping into your neighbors'...ohhh....never mind. Ha!

---Malolo (...who's been on catchment for ages, with no deleterious effects whatsoever) (...twitch...twitch)

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Edited by - malolo on 09/28/2006 15:14:49

[Les C]

I got word back from Bob's Catchment Testing that our water is drinkable, no detectable bad stuff. Yay! No more hauling water in for drinking and cooking.

Did you see the article in today's Hilo Tribune(?) A mild El Ninyo (my tildes don't translate) has begun to form and it is expected that rainfall will be about half of normal this winter in the Islands. This set up has also brought stronger storms in the past. But the climatologists admit that it's difficult to predict exactly what will happen.

Oops, just noticed the other thread about El Ninyo.

Les

Edited by - Les C on 09/28/2006 18:01:38

Edited by - Les C on 09/28/2006 18:06:32