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Our homestead fire plan was put to the test when overnight high winds kindled a fire from an old burn pile that had been extinguished (or so we thought) three days prior. Because we had a fire pump much like yours, 1.5-inch hose, water and a little know-how, we were able to extinguish the blaze that had already gotten into the trees and brush by the time we discovered it.

Our remote location meant that this fire would have spread far had we not been able to jump on it right away with ample water and enough 1.5-inch hose to reach all around the fire. A garden hose would have been totally insufficient. We needed big water and we needed it fast. Our fire pump and supply of fire hose paid for itself that night.

Fire can happen at any time, it’s not just a summer time issue. Our fire happened in early winter. Even though we already had some rain, the high winds dried things out enough for this fire to get going.

Don’t forget to have safety clothing at the ready. Leather gloves, 100% cotton long sleeve shirt and pants, good eye protection and something to cover your head will help protect you from radiant heat and blowing embers.

Hi Randy, Typically filtration or softeners are installed at the point where the pipeline enters the home or shortly thereafter. And it’s usually an inline water filtration system. So yes, you could definitely install a filter or softener on a water system like this, as it would be installed at the same point. The only difference would be that the input for the house is coming from a cistern rather than straight from the well. If you are asking about building a filter or softener into the cistern itself, I haven’t seen that done, but I suppose anything is possible. Thanks for your comment!