Expat Exchange
Free MembershipSign In

Nicaragua Expat Forum

Water tower

New Topic Newest First
Mtvsolis
  7/20/2015 10:25 EST

Hola a todos,
Hope you are all doing well and finding time to live life to the fullest where ber you are in Nicaragua.

We have property just outside of Leon and want to put up our water tower this December when we visit. Our plan is to buildi and move permanently in 2017. We have caretakers living in the little house already on the property.
Any advise or connections that will help us succeed with project will be appreciated. Gratefully, mtvsolis

KeyWestPirate
  7/20/2015 10:57 EST

There are pics of my water system on The Real Nicaragua.

Just search "water system"


You will need more than just a tower. You need a one way valve at the meter or just beyond, and if you want water pressure, a pump and pressure tank.


All the pieces can be sources locally and the totally cost is less than $500, depending on the size of the tank you choose.

Allianz CareAllianz Care
Get Quote

Allianz Care's plans ensure that you have access to quality healthcare whenever you need it. Our flexible solutions allow you to tailor your cover to meet your needs and budget. You can submit your claims digitally and our helpline is available 24/7 to help you anytime.

Allianz CareAllianz Care

Allianz Care's plans ensure that you have access to quality healthcare whenever you need it. Our flexible solutions allow you to tailor your cover to meet your needs and budget. You can submit your claims digitally and our helpline is available 24/7 to help you anytime.
Get Quote

atz111
  7/20/2015 11:07 EST

You really do not need a pump..assuming the tower puts the tank 10 feet or so above the taps where the water comes out you'll get plenty…even the shower will be weak but will function.

A pump is not especially complicated, but just another "thing" you do not need in most instances. If you want a pump (and I cannot imagine why) use a simple on demand pump that works without a tank…come on when you open the tap. That will cost 50 bucks. It is smaller and don't have a lot of plumbing, etc.

This is practice not theory…lot of "book learning advice" given that makes little sense in practice.

Nicaman
  7/20/2015 11:47 EST

Hello to all ATZ Is correct as long as you have the altitude and you plumb the system correct you can get more than enough pressure.
But not to forget the PIRATE he is also correct , instal a anti-syphon valve as pirate suggested , it is a must.
I run my fire prevention sprinkler system on my two story palapa roof this way and it is good. Most of all the people on the expat group have all the answers, like ATZ said, most of us is live and learned experience and that is the best.
Feel free to ask any questions you may have , i was a General Contractor for 30+ year in good old California.

I welcome you soon to Nica .
Buen Provecho .??

KeyWestPirate
  7/20/2015 12:04 EST

My two reasons for going with a pump and pressure tank was shower flow, and my washing machine.

Until I had the tank system, I had no idea how much water a washing machine takes. It's by far the biggest water user.

My water in Estelí is only available from midnight to 5AM. So, the tank was an essential addition.

Because of the water availability at my site,,, pressure becomes a problem when it IS turned on. Everyone has their tap turned on waiting for the water to fill barrels for the next day.

So, I couldn't simply just raise my tank higher for a bit more pressure as it wouldn't fill some nights. But, this addition required running electrical service and anything you complicate in NicaLand ---no matter how well thought out --- will some day come back to haunt you.

There are multiple considerations that have to be addressed locally.

atz111
  7/20/2015 12:10 EST

Absolutely correct on the anti back flow valve…make sure its a good one. my neighbor had a bad one and for 2 months could not figure out why tank empties when city water went off….water just went back in the city system...

Allianz CareAllianz Care
Get Quote

Allianz Care's plans ensure that you have access to quality healthcare whenever you need it. Our flexible solutions allow you to tailor your cover to meet your needs and budget. You can submit your claims digitally and our helpline is available 24/7 to help you anytime.

Allianz CareAllianz Care

Allianz Care's plans ensure that you have access to quality healthcare whenever you need it. Our flexible solutions allow you to tailor your cover to meet your needs and budget. You can submit your claims digitally and our helpline is available 24/7 to help you anytime.
Get Quote

Nicaman
  7/20/2015 12:31 EST

Yes do not buy a PVC one i bought a brass valve 3/4 inch ,as ATZ said ,from my experience in the Construction trades and living here in Esteli Nica , the problem i found is that the water supply that comes to your system is contaminated with small particles of dirt and debris that clog the rubber flapper valve making it stick open . Even with a brass valve i would suggest a in-line water filter before your one way valve, don't forget to use Teflon tape.
I had the same exact problema when i was renting a place just out of town near the Hospital. It was a pain in the ASS. I tried to explain it to the land lord ,but it was useless. Its hard for some people admit when they don't know.

KeyWestPirate
  7/20/2015 13:40 EST

Sinsa has some inexpensive PVC unions that you could put in front and behind the check valve.

You could easily pull the check valve out and clean it with the unions in place.

I didn't do that, but probably should have. There IS a lot of fine grit in the water.

Mtvsolis
  7/20/2015 14:21 EST

Muchas gracias! I am really grateful for the members who are open and willing to share freely their "live and learn" experiences. I know everyone has an opinion; it's the real life tests that I am interested in, successes and failures because we can all learn from both. :)

As you said, "live and learn" experiences are priceless. My husband has built homes in Costa Rica yet, we know things are a bit different in Nicaragua. What would the cost for an anti-siphon valve be, more or less?

Besides the water tower for a future two story 4 bedroom / 4 bath house, we want to build the wall and gate across the front of the property along the hwy in December. Any suggestions for materials and were to purchase? What would we expect to pay for labor per hour? Thank you!

atz111
  7/20/2015 17:15 EST

The valve is about six bucks. All the rest is too much to do on here…I am sure you will get some answers, but quite honestly anything but the broadest estimates of "cost" need to be taken with a big grain of salt..or perhaps a lot of FDC.

The range will be so big it hardly does any good to use it. More important, if you are getting set to build a big house, you need to get this sorted out and not with a dash of it here and another there.

JohnSS
  7/21/2015 05:02 EST

Altitude gives you about .45 psi/ft so to fill a washing machine or decent flow for an electric shower head a lot of altitude is nice. But altitude/pressure works against you to fill at the highest point the top of the tank and if your Nica style city pressure is low you won't fill as KWP said.

But a lot of people get by with tanks only. I sometimes turn the pump off to conserve water with only a 10' altitude at the tank bottom. The electric shower heads don't work that is fine the trickle you get is warmed by your body.

I have had an integrated pump/tank pressure system similar to what KWP describes for 10 years here feeding a lot of rooms. My advice buy brass unions & brass check valves. When (usually not if) you use the plastic ones they will go south & you have mess. The sliding double compression nut plastic unions will eventually slide loose under high pressure so wire them.

My system was a little complicated & needed 3 check valves but sitting here i can't see where you need more than 2.

Allianz CareAllianz Care
Get Quote

Allianz Care's plans ensure that you have access to quality healthcare whenever you need it. Our flexible solutions allow you to tailor your cover to meet your needs and budget. You can submit your claims digitally and our helpline is available 24/7 to help you anytime.

Allianz CareAllianz Care

Allianz Care's plans ensure that you have access to quality healthcare whenever you need it. Our flexible solutions allow you to tailor your cover to meet your needs and budget. You can submit your claims digitally and our helpline is available 24/7 to help you anytime.
Get Quote

atz111
  7/21/2015 07:29 EST

Thought and question…will a small inline pump…like a boat or RV pump placed in the line from the city water to the tank help ? The idea is the volume is OK, but it is the pressure that keeps you from getting the water into a taller tank or even the top of a regular tank..as KWP problem is. These little pumps (30 bucks) produce a lot of pressure..60 psi …but not sure of lift…and not sure if their design allows them to draw water from the pipe inlet…I think it would.


If that works be a great solution to fill the tank as high as you want and quickly. Not needed for everyone, but surely in Estilli and some other places might be a cool way to fill the tank and ez and cheap. to rig.

KeyWestPirate
  7/21/2015 07:47 EST

RV style water pumps work great, and are available in 110V. Readily available in the US, probably less so here.

Only problem with them is the constant cycling. That is where the pressure tank comes in, buffers the water so the pump doesn't have to come on and off as much.

I had an RV style pump in my boat and a very small pressure tank, maybe 1 gallon, and even that helped a lot.

I brought down a couple of pumps from Harbor Freight, and bough pressure tanks from McGregor. If I were to do it again, I would just buy the SINSA combo: pump, tank, pressure switch.

One small aggravation: as the water pressure varies (pressure tank is drawn down before the pump cycles on) the water temp in my shower varies.

There is a flow restrictor bushing included with the widow maker kits, and I assume that this would make for a more even flow. I didn't install it.

JohnSS
  7/21/2015 09:35 EST

Water weighs .45 psi per foot of height so a pump that produces 60 psi will push water up to 133 ft.. Volume depends upon the pump obviously.
A tank is like a battery and a trickle charge will keep,it full if you have a water supply that is fairly reliable for a few hours a day..

I have had had a couple of live aboard power boats with bellows types of pumps and the belts broke occasionally and brushes needed replacing. Don't know how long they would last with heavy home use & big family, washer etc.
Can't imagine the cheap vane type bait tank pumps lasting long but maybe that's wrong.

For me the obvious is a cheap pressure pump/switch/ tank combo available here. The replacement I just bought (Truper) was $175 and you can probably expect at least 5 years lifetime with heavy home use. 1st & 2nd no name one gave me about 4 yrs each with continuous commercial use if I remember correctly. May need to replace the rubber bladder more often but that is a story I am not gonna get into.

My guys did not install the flow restrictor washer that KWP mentioned on a few electric shower heads and a 60 psi system would blow the bottom section off. The do surge a little that is life in Nicaragua

mapper55
  7/21/2015 11:32 EST

KWP, I tried to search The Real Nicaragua for 'water system' and got a file not found error. Same thing happened googling 'the real nicaragua water system' and clicking on the first link. Maybe something is wrong with the site.

mapper55
  7/21/2015 12:13 EST

Most modern HE washing machines seem to require 2-5 Bar (30-70 psi) water pressure to function properly. Tank height isn't going to get anywhere near these pressures. Does municipal water provide this kind of pressure? If you don't have a pump, do you have a washing machine? Does it work OK?

atz111
  7/21/2015 12:46 EST

Running a modern washer…bought here.

Works fine on a 12 foot tower (to bottom)..which means it's about 19 feet when full…and seems to work when tank in not full so like 15 feet.

KeyWestPirate
  7/21/2015 13:09 EST

There are two search windows.
One works,, one returns an error

JohnSS
  7/21/2015 13:27 EST

I have 2 of the old whirlpool mechanical timer washers and low pressure only means it takes more time to fill. I rigged a fill hose above the washers to manually fill but other AHs walked away and the room got flooded so I removed them.

The cleaning girls, bless their hearts, showed some rare Nica ingenuity and were filling the washers with a garden hose when city water was off. I had shut off the pump off to conserve backup water so it was hard to tell them thanks but no thanks we need the water for other use.

BTW the repair guys here know where to get parts to keep the old machines going. They warn against electronic controls since voltage spikes here can destroy them.

majicjack
  7/21/2015 14:38 EST

You can get a 1/2 hp 110 volt electric pump at just about any ferreteria for about $40. It will pump all the water you need for washer, shower and just about anything else you need. On a 1/2 inch garden hose with a spray nozzle it will shoot water 50 ft.

tommyhawk
  7/22/2015 16:37 EST

I didn't see KWP's tank post but used this one-

http://www.therealnicaragua.com/vb/forums/showthread.php/9229-Automatic-Water-Tank

which was simple and works well for me. Coming from the meter I have a shutoff valve, check valve, 2" line -with valve at bottom to isolate tank- to top of tank and a spur to bottom of tank with a check valve to stop overfilling. Vern's drawings in his post were a big help.

An 18' tank platform gives good water pressure and a nice spot for a sunset cocktail.

hknbass
  7/28/2015 22:00 EST

Hi. We are considering Nicaragua to build a home and have a nice organic garden but it seems most are having water issues. is this true for all if nica? what about a well?

Allianz Care
Allianz Care

Flexible solutions allow you to tailor your cover to meet your needs and budget. Use Promocode: LIFE10 and get 10% off your international health insurance for life!
Get Quote

Allianz CareAllianz Care

Flexible solutions allow you to tailor your cover to meet your needs and budget. Use Promocode: LIFE10 and get 10% off your international health insurance for life!
Get Quote

Living in Nicaragua GuideLiving in Nicaragua Guide

Did you know that lots of homes in Nicaragua don't have hot water? Did you know that it's very easy to meet other expats in Nicaragua? Expats share their tips for living in Nicaragua.

Nicaragua Forum Nicaragua Forum
Join our Nicaragua forum to meet other expats and talk about living in Nicaragua.

Contribute to Nicaragua Network Contribute
Help other expats and newcomers by answering questions about the challenges and adventures of living in Nicaragua.

Best Places to Live in Nicaragua Best Places to Live in Nicaragua

If you're dreaming about living in Nicaragua, here are the 15 Best Places to Live in Nicaragua in 2023.

Healthcare in NicaraguaHealthcare in Nicaragua

Expats living in Nicaragua discuss health insurance and quality of medical care in Nicaragua. Additional topics include health insurance for 65+, in-home nursing care, prescription medicines and more.

Cost of Living in NicaraguaCost of Living in Nicaragua

Expats offer insight into the cost of living in Nicaragua.

Moving to NicaraguaMoving to Nicaragua Guide

If you're thinking about moving to Nicaragua, you must read these 13 things to know before moving to Nicaragua. Expats offer realistic and honest advice about cost of living, learning the language, poverty, renting vs.

Real Estate in NicaraguaReal Estate in Nicaragua

Real estate listings in popular cities and towns in Nicaragua.

Pros Cons of Living in NicaraguaPros & Cons of Living in Nicaragua

Take off your rose-colored glasses and learn what expats have to say about the biggest challenges and the greatest rewards of living in Nicaragua.

Retiring in NicaraguaRetiring in Nicaragua

Advice for people retiring in Nicaragua.

10 Tips for Living in Nicaragua10 Tips for Living in Nicaragua

If you've recently arrived in Nicaragua, here are 10 tips for digital nomads living in Nicaragua.

Allianz Care
Allianz Care

Flexible solutions allow you to tailor your cover to meet your needs and budget. Use Promocode: LIFE10 and get 10% off your international health insurance for life!
Get Quote

Allianz CareAllianz Care

Flexible solutions allow you to tailor your cover to meet your needs and budget. Use Promocode: LIFE10 and get 10% off your international health insurance for life!
Get Quote

Contribute to Nicaragua Network Contribute
Help others in Nicaragua by answering questions about the challenges and adventures of living in Nicaragua.

GeoBlue
GeoBlue

Copyright 1997-2024 Burlingame Interactive, Inc.

Privacy Policy Legal