You get water from a cistern by using a standard pressurized plumbing system, similar to how water is supplied from a well or municipal source.
A cistern, typically an underground storage container made of materials like cinderblock, reinforced concrete, fiberglass, or steel, collects rainwater or water from another source. The stored water is then accessed and distributed to your household via the following:
- Submersible Pump or Jet Pump: A pump, either submerged within the cistern (submersible) or located outside and connected via pipes (jet pump), is used to draw the water out.
- Pressure Tank: The pump pushes the water into a pressure tank. This tank maintains a consistent water pressure throughout your plumbing system, preventing the pump from having to turn on every time you need a small amount of water.
- Plumbing System: From the pressure tank, the water flows through standard plumbing pipes to your faucets, showers, and other fixtures.
- Filtration and Purification (Optional but Recommended): Before the water enters your plumbing system, it's highly recommended to pass it through a filtration and purification system to remove any sediment, bacteria, or other contaminants. This ensures the water is safe for drinking and other household uses.
In summary, accessing water from a cistern involves using a pump to transfer the water into a pressurized system, which then distributes the water throughout the household plumbing, often with an intermediate filtration and purification step.
