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Sangre de Cristo Water
Services-- Deliver water to SDCR and Forbes Park 719-379-3263 $6.50 per mile to travel to your location, $100 for a 1,000
gallons of water with a 1,000 minimum. (If your tank is less-- you still pay for the minimum.) |
CLICK for Colorado Department of Water Resources Well Permit application
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Click to Read More About Rain Barrels
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Click for a New Article on Wells in the SDCR
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WELLS and SEPTIC
Wells
in our area typically are 100-300 deep and cost $30 to $45 per foot. A submersible pump with discharge line and electrical
hook-up can add another $1200. Many vacation homes use hauled water, in lieu of a well. A 1000 gallon above ground tank,
with a 12-v pump will typically cost $1000.( This needs to be secured and emptied in the fall) . A winterized water system
with 1500 gallon buried tank, a buried pump house with pressure tank , and a heat tape wrapped pipe leading into the home
, installed by a contractor will cost $4000 . Water is available for $10/ 500 gallons at the San Luis Water Department and
several people have a tank on a trailer to haul their own water. We have a water hauler, that will deliver up to 3000
gallons for $120. A 1000 gallon septic tank, delivered and placed into a hole runs $650. Connection piping and perforated
distribution piping will cost about $600. Excavation and backfill can add another $500. A permit is required and a percolation
test, that costs $375. All together, a septic system will cost from $2200-$2500 if the owner gets the permit, witnesses the
perc test, and installs the piping. A turn-key job by a contractor will run $3500 -$4000 ( February 2008)
| EXAMPLE OF A TANK/CISTERN SYSTEM |
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| Sattler Basement |
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| CLICK FOR A LARGER VERSION |
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| CLICK FOR A LARGER VERSION |
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Alternate Power and Propane Systems
About half the people in the non-incorporated areas of Costilla
and Alamosa Counties rely on alternate systems. They usually have one to four solar
panels, one or more wind generators, a 12-v to 120v converter and a battery pack as a power source and that is usually backed
up by a 1000-w- 5000w gasoline generator.
They will have a 200-500 gallon
propane tank with propane delivered on a regular basis by several reliable local vendors ( We use Monte Vista
Cooperative).
Propane is used for gas cooking, baking and heating. Many people
have wood stoves and use wood as their main heating fuel. There are regular "Woodfests" scheduled several times each year, where people go up into private forests and cut down dead trees
for firewood, and they are charged $10 per pick-up load.
Most people are familiar
with the propane refrigerators and freezers in recreational vehicles. Full size propane refrigerators and freezers are
available from Servel and other manufactures and these usually cost $200 to $300 more than the same size electric model.
These have a long life, are quite efficient, and actually cost less to operate, than similar electric models.
A starter power system ( good for 120-watts for 4 hours) costs about $1,500.
This is enough to run a 13" TV/VCR, a couple of 14 watt fluorescent bulbs, to
recharge cell phones and lap tops, and to provide a control voltage to the propane refrigerator.
A medium system, ( 1500 watt-hours) professionally installed, with the solar panels on sturdy
racks, pointing in the best southerly direction, will cost about $10,000. Sunny Daze in Blanca is a reliable vendor
for these systems- more about them on our CONTRACTORS page.
A full size system,
that allows microwave, vacuum cleaners, large electric motors, etc can cost $20,000+
But
all of the people that use alternate systems always comment how nice it is not to get utility bills, other than
propane.
ELECTRICITY
Xcell Energy provides power in this area. They have an office in Alamosa and you can get definitive information
from them by calling (719) 589-1204. There a many areas without power in Costilla County which makes it ideal for SOLAR,
WIND, and GENERATORS. When we have parcels "near" power, we will specify, otherwise consider that there is no power.
It costs about $4/ft to bring power to a property. Usually, a step-down transformer that converts the 6900 volt incoming power
to 120/240v is needed, at a cost of about $1200.
TELEPHONE
Telephone service to the area is provided by Blanca Telephone located in Alamosa. They provide excellent cellular
service in the entire area and also have land lines available. They also have internet and there are several other places
in Alamosa that will hook you up to internet. Blanca Telephone has land line connectors in most of the SLVR Area, and do a
up to 700' installation for under $100. They charge about $0.50 per foot for longer distances.
Land lines are also available in the lower elevations of the SDCR Area and throughout the Forbes Park Area.
Blanca Networks
Internet and Wi-fi Information in this area
Excellent Resource for County Information
