Why a tank on the roof?

[Captor]

We recently bought a townhome in Nong Kheam. And there is a water tank on the roof. I was thinking because of gaining water pressure in the shower. But the water pressure is very poor anyway.

So now we have talked to a local plumber who said that we can buy a pump and put between the tank and the shower, tap etc. There is already 1 water pump pumping the water up to the tank.

OK, so we have now bought a pump, a Mitsubishi WP-305Q5 in addition or the first pump. But it is not mounted yet.

I the meantime I was wondering why we have the tank at all? None of the other townhomes in the area do have a tank. They have a pump for increasing the pressure. Is the pressure from the city

that poor so a pump is needed? Is the tank only for storing water in case of water failure from the city supply?

Anyway, I was thinking maybe better take away the tank because I am worried about bacteria growth in the tank.

And then using the pump we already have for pumping the water up to the tank. Or using the new pump foo all water sources in the house like shower, taps, toilets.

Is that a good idea or is there any advantage with the tank that I am not aware about?

 

[simoh1490]

Keep the tank, they are important for when you experience water cuts and that will be often - secondary purpose is pressure, third purpose is heated water for showers.

Edited April 29, 2018 by simoh1490

[Captor]

OK. And if we keep it, how often do we need to clean it in order to avoid bacteria growth and how to clean it?

[Captor]

Secondary purpose, about pressure seems not to help so much because we have very poor pressure.

Third purpose, We can not have the heather for the shower if not having the tank?

[Crossy]

OK, what is your tank made of? If it's stainless or one of the opaque plastics you should not need to clean it, the chlorine in the supply will keep the bugs at bay.

 

Having it on the roof will at least give you some supply if the power is off. That said, most have it at ground level, it will fill from the city supply then so only one pump needed (which may be why you don't see tanks on your neighbour's homes).

 

Pump from the tank to supply the house, with a decent pump you can have water heaters on every floor.

 

 

 

 

 

[lopburi3]

Where you live makes a difference here - if in Bangkok water is treated and should keep tank clean and you might want to clean every few years - but water should be safe for any use.

Tank is likely on roof as being townhouse there no room for tank at ground level?  As said most are just on ground fed by normal public water pressure and pump is used to pressure the house pipes.  Not to mention you should not pump directly from feed pipes at any time (illegal and a danger if pressure in lines goes negative).  

 

[sandrabbit]

36 minutes ago, Captor said:

OK. And if we keep it, how often do we need to clean it in order to avoid bacteria growth and how to clean it?

If you are worried about bacteria you could put bleach in the tank every evening ( non scented blue bottle of haiter), I think the the world health organisation recommends 5mL per litre. It's put in when dark as UV breaks down the chlorine, I stopped doing it with our water tank as I found it wasn't necessary.

[Captor]

27 minutes ago, Crossy said:

OK, what is your tank made of? If it's stainless or one of the opaque plastics you should not need to clean it, the chlorine in the supply will keep the bugs at bay.

 

Having it on the roof will at least give you some supply if the power is off. That said, most have it at ground level, it will fill from the city supply then so only one pump needed (which may be why you don't see tanks on your neighbour's homes).

 

Pump from the tank to supply the house, with a decent pump you can have water heaters on every floor.

 

 

 

 

 

OK I think I start to understand now. Yes the tank is from this opaque plastic  so we should not be worried about bacteria then. Thanks!

[Captor]

23 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

Where you live makes a difference here - if in Bangkok water is treated and should keep tank clean and you might want to clean every few years - but water should be safe for any use.

Tank is likely on roof as being townhouse there no room for tank at ground level?  As said most are just on ground fed by normal public water pressure and pump is used to pressure the house pipes.  Not to mention you should not pump directly from feed pipes at any time (illegal and a danger if pressure in lines goes negative).  

 

So the public water pressure should be enough in Bangkok? OK then I guess the old owner put it there for the storage of water for when water is cut. Thank you very much.

[Captor]

6 minutes ago, sandrabbit said:

If you are worried about bacteria you could put bleach in the tank every evening ( non scented blue bottle of haiter), I think the the world health organisation recommends 5mL per litre. It's put in when dark as UV breaks down the chlorine, I stopped doing it with our water tank as I found it wasn't necessary.

OK, then I will not doing that too. Thanks for the information.

[lopburi3]

2 minutes ago, Captor said:

So the public water pressure should be enough in Bangkok? OK then I guess the old owner put it there for the storage of water for when water is cut. Thank you very much.

That was not my meaning - public water pressure is not enough for most people if more than single story and they use a water tank at ground (or below) level filled by that public water pressure and pump from that container to home to increase pressure.  Bangkok MWA water should be treated and normally is safe to drink from tap.  I do not know if that is the water you receive however - check bill for MWA.  If water is often 'out' would have some concerns about how safe it is and growth in tank.  The tank is sandstone type?  The blue or not 100% opaque tanks can support plant growth.

[sometimewoodworker]

I have just finished my water supply system. The main house supply is from a 1,000 litre tank in the roof that supplies water with enough pressure to fill the toilets, for hand washing and cool low pressure showers. That tank is filled by the village water supply directly. 

 

As a backup up for when the village water is cut off we have 6,000 litres that can be pumped up to fill the main tank if needed.

 

For comfort and hot water showers when the power is on we have a Grundfos SCALA2 

[Just Weird]

1 hour ago, simoh1490 said:

Keep the tank, they are important for when you experience water cuts and that will be often - secondary purpose is pressure, third purpose is heated water for showers.

Frequent water cuts?  Where and for what reason?  I've been here for 24 years and not had the water cut off yet.

[simoh1490]

26 minutes ago, Just Weird said:

Frequent water cuts?  Where and for what reason?  I've been here for 24 years and not had the water cut off yet.

Unless you happen to live next door to a pumping station that has its own power supply which in turn is located next door to the reservoir, you have experienced water cuts, albeit you may not have realised it, especíally during a 24 year period. It is very common in all parts of Thailand for the water companies to suspend the supply of water for several hours or days per week, especially during a drought, the problem is, of course, more acute in some area than in others - it is also not unommon for pumping station pumps to fail from time. Here in Mae Rim we frequently see water supply suspended during a dry season, for four or five hours a day in the afternoon - in Phuket it was often suspended for days at a time - in Sukhothai often for weeks at a time and bowser trucks used instead during periods of drought.

[sometimewoodworker]

45 minutes ago, Just Weird said:

Frequent water cuts?  Where and for what reason?  I've been here for 24 years and not had the water cut off yet.

Depends on where you live. In our village the water supply was only turned on in the evening and morning during one hot season, so I guess that would certainly count as frequent (if not extremely frequent) cuts. Then there was the 3 to 4 weeks when it was completely cut off providing fun for the local fire service.

Edited April 29, 2018 by sometimewoodworker

[lopburi3]

2 minutes ago, simoh1490 said:

It is very common in all parts of Thailand for the water companies to suspend the supply of water for several hours or days per week, especially during a drought,

This would not be common in Bangkok.

[simoh1490]

Just now, lopburi3 said:

This would not be common in Bangkok.

I'm surprised, as others will confirm it's one of the main reasons for having a tank in the first place in many locations, continuity of supply.

[KhunBENQ]

7 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

This would not be common in Bangkok.

But seems common on Pattaya east side

I remember desperate threads on that.

Here in the village water pressure varies much and at certain times of day drops off completely.

We have tank and pump from the beginning. An absolute must.

At the height of the drought (end of 2014) we let bore a well.

Since then completely independent from community water. Better water quality and of course never any chlorine added.

 

Edited April 29, 2018 by KhunBENQ

[KhunBENQ]

3 minutes ago, simoh1490 said:

I'm surprised, as others will confirm it's one of the main reasons for having a tank in the first place in many locations, continuity of supply.

Couldn't agree more, but some are among the happy few.

No power outages, no water shortages

Edited April 29, 2018 by KhunBENQ

[lopburi3]

Just now, simoh1490 said:

I'm surprised, as others will confirm it's one of the main reasons for having a tank in the first place in many locations, continuity of supply.

That is not the main reason in Bangkok - it is to use as pumping supply to increase pressure - in the 45 years we have had home here do not recall any water outage longer than several hours (for new mains transfers). 

[simoh1490]

Just now, KhunBENQ said:

Some are among the happy few.

No power outages, no water shortages

You've done it now, just you wait. 

[jenny2017]

54 minutes ago, sometimewoodworker said:

I have just finished my water supply system. The main house supply is from a 1,000 litre tank in the roof that supplies water with enough pressure to fill the toilets, for hand washing and cool low pressure showers. That tank is filled by the village water supply directly. 

 

As a backup up for when the village water is cut off we have 6,000 litres that can be pumped up to fill the main tank if needed.

 

For comfort and hot water showers when the power is on we have a Grundfos SCALA2 

Self-made?

[simoh1490]

1 minute ago, lopburi3 said:

That is not the main reason in Bangkok - it is to use as pumping supply to increase pressure - in the 45 years we have had home here do not recall any water outage longer than several hours (for new mains transfers). 

More recently in my current location, we've seen times when the water pressure has been so low that whilst it wasn't entirely cut off, the flow made the supply almost unusable apart from very very slowly filling a toilet perhaps, for me that's a supply that is effectively cut off or suspended.

[sometimewoodworker]

3 minutes ago, jenny2017 said:

Self-made?

No, made in Denmark AFIK  

[lopburi3]

3 minutes ago, simoh1490 said:

More recently in my current location, we've seen times when the water pressure has been so low that whilst it wasn't entirely cut off, the flow made the supply almost unusable apart from very very slowly filling a toilet perhaps, for me that's a supply that is effectively cut off or suspended.

Again - suspect that is not Bangkok MWA at your location, which has water under pressure at all times - I agree most other locations tanks would be for storage due outages - but that is not the case in Bangkok..

[55Jay]

I would imagine Bangkok is well taken care of being it's the center of the universe. 

 

Probably over-blown by social/Thai media, but recall a light panic last year when the BKK Guv'na had to suck his teeth and level with his people - that they might have to endure some tap water rationing due to the drought.  OMG!     

 

Rough and tough up-country folks could only look on with giggles and grimaces.  LOL.

 

[uffe123]

Its on the roof so no one will steal it?

[Just Weird]

9 hours ago, simoh1490 said:

Unless you happen to live next door to a pumping station that has its own power supply which in turn is located next door to the reservoir, you have experienced water cuts, albeit you may not have realised it, especíally during a 24 year period. It is very common in all parts of Thailand for the water companies to suspend the supply of water for several hours or days per week, especially during a drought, the problem is, of course, more acute in some area than in others - it is also not unommon for pumping station pumps to fail from time. Here in Mae Rim we frequently see water supply suspended during a dry season, for four or five hours a day in the afternoon - in Phuket it was often suspended for days at a time - in Sukhothai often for weeks at a time and bowser trucks used instead during periods of drought.

Nonsense, if I had experienced a water cut I'd know about it, obviously, how could I not know about it? I do not live next to a pumping station next to a reservoir, there's not too many reservoirs in Bangkok.

[JAS21]

On 29/04/2018 at 1:21 PM, Just Weird said:

Frequent water cuts?  Where and for what reason?  I've been here for 24 years and not had the water cut off yet.

Not the sameone for everyone JW. MWA turn ours off without any notice ... reason to repair leaks.

 

I agree ... it's been off twice in the last three weeks. Before that I can't remember when.

 

We are close to the Prachachuen Road plant so our water pressure is high and we leave our pump switched off ... now and again we use the tank and pump to water the garden ...now and again I dump some bleach into the tank.