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It wasn't until we
started receiving our water bills at Osprey Lakes that we began to realize
that something was terribly wrong. For just the two of us, monthly
water bills were in the hundreds of dollars. A family a couple of
doors down received a water bill one month well over $450. Before
long, homeowners were investigating serious alternatives. Some
drastically cut back on water consumption. Others invested in
shallow or deep wells. Before long, those of us with lake front
properties determined that we were allowed to use lake water for
irrigation.
Lake access irrigation
means we draw the water we require for landscape from the lake. In a
typical home, that may represent up to 60% or more of total water
consumption.
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We launched a
thorough investigation of the benefits and pitfalls of lake access
irrigation. We also shopped around for the best bids to
install lake access irrigation systems. The results can be
found HERE.
Ultimately, we selected
Dobson's Woods & Water and we would later be
glad that we did. |
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Our first obligation was to submit plans for the system to the
Osprey Lakes Architectural Review Board. The process is a
little tedious, but the greatest stress is simply the wait for
approval. Then, as soon as approval was granted,
Dobson's Woods & Water took
care of all the rest.
On August 6, 2004, utility companies began to mark their lines with
flags and paint in our lawn. This is to prevent the new
digging from hitting existing utility cables and pipes. In
all, the cable, telephone, water and electric companies all had to
do their part. |
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On
August 12, 2004, Dobson's Woods & Water arrived to take care of the installation.
Most of it was all completed in one day, but bad weather did force
them to complete the work on a second day. |
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The first task was to dig the trenches for the pipe and wiring.
Although Dobson's Woods & Water made it clear that the high voltage wiring did not
have to be placed in PVC pipe underground, we decided to invest just
a little more to have it done anyway. |
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Leaving plenty of room for a possible installation of a swimming
pool, Dobson's Woods & Water trenched to one side of the home for power and the
other side to access the timer. |
| At
right is an image of the high voltage wiring and low voltage wiring
running parallel to each other. The high voltage wiring powers
the pump. The low voltage wiring turns the pump on and off at
the house so that the current through the yard is only present when
the pump is running. |
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The pump is installed on a concrete pad. PVC extends out to
the lake to draw the water and PVC is also used to transfer the
water to the irrigation pipes that were installed by the builder. |
| At
right, the original pipe from the water company to the irrigation
system has been severed and capped. |
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Looking back toward the home, the pump is poised to draw lake water
to irrigate the landscape. |
| We
have since planted a couple of small shrubs around the pump which
should lesson its industrial look at the edge of the property. |
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A
floating "decoy" is used to keep the pipe above the floor of the
lake minimizing the chance of getting it clogged with debris. |
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This bird finds the decoy as a handy oasis to dry its wings after a
little underwater fishing. |
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The Lake Access
Irrigation System has reduced our bills to around $60 each month. In
less than a year, the system pays for itself.
The water rate is still
unacceptably high here, especially when compared to much lower rates
charged in adjacent communities. But until Public Service Commission
properly enforces fair and equitable rates in Chuluota, at least we have
found a way to better adhere to a more reasonable monthly utility bill. |
