A Builder's Guide to Wiifefs^^
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A Builder's Guide to Water and Energy Item Type Technical Report Authors Seifert, Richard D.; Dwight, Linda Perry Publisher University of Alaska, Institute of Water Resources Download date 06/10/2021 15:17:46 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/11122/1457 A Builder’s Guide To WiifefS^^ ' INSTITUTE OF 'WATER RESOURCES ' j • . ' . University of Alaska . Fairbanks, Alaska 99701 " ' ' " The cover illustraLion by Bill Erkolens portraysa number af energy alternaLives, Some, like Lhe wood-powered clot lies drier, are traditional. Avant-garde approaches include a solar hot waler heater. Perhaps the sLenrn generator and Stirling engine with flv wheel are just a bit fanciful. \ • • ■■ ' A BUILDER’S GUIDE TO WATER AND ENERGY A builder's guide to water and energy Richard D. Seifert Linda Perry Dwight. Richard D. Seifert Institute of Water Resources Linda Perry Dwight Arctic Environmental Information and Data Center and Institute of Water Resources Institute of Water Resources University of Alaska Fairbanks, Alaska 99701 The work on which this report is based was supported in part by funds provided by the Office of Water Research and Technology (Project A-065-ALAS), U5. Department of the Interior, Washington, D.C., as authorized by the Water Research and Development Act of 1978. Report IWR-100 August 1980 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The authors thank those who have reviewed the manuscript: Meg Hayes; Karen Paulick, Division of Economic Enterprise, Alaska Department of Commerce and Economic Develop ment; Bob Shipley, Western Sun Alaska Office; Dr. John Zarling, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Alaska; John Munson, Golden Valley Electric Association; Axel Carlson, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Alaska; Fairbanks North Star Borough Planning Department; and Interior Regional Office, Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation. 1215 Cowles Street TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT ........................................................................................................................ 1 INTRODUCTION...................................................................................................................1 SITE DEVELOPMENT...........................................................................................................2 Aspect, Slope, Soil Conditions..................................................................................... 2 Permafrost.....................................................................................................................3 Permit Requirements.....................................................................................................4 Zoning...........................................................................................................................6 Soil Testing...................................................................................................................9 WATER ACCESS.................................................................................................................. 9 City Hook-ups...............................................................................................................9 Well Drilling...............................................................................................................10 Well Drilling and Water Quality................................................................................... 12 Water Quality Regualtions for Private Water Supplies..................................................13 Disinfection of Individual Wells and Water Distribution Systems................................ 14 Alternative Water Supplies......................................................................................... 14 Water Rights: Legal Aspects of Water Supply............................................................. 15 Water Problems: Where to Go for Further Help..........................................................15 SEWAGE SYSTEMS............................................................................................................ 21 Privies, Honey Buckets, Cesspools............................................................................... 21 Septic Tank Systems..................................................................................................23 Septic Tank Failures - What You Should Know......................... ................................. 23 Private Waste Disposal System Regulations................................................................. 28 Procedure for Percolation Tests...................................................................................29 Septic Tank - Seepage Pit System...............................................................................30 Waste Treatment Alternatives and Costs..................................................................... 32 ENERGY ACCESS .............................................................................................................. 36 Home Heating - The Conventional Sources................................................................. 39 Fuel Oil Systems......................................... 39 Natural Gas Systems.........................................................................................39 Coal Heating.............................. 40 Renewable Energy Alternatives................. 40 Hydroelectric - Small Scale...............................................................................40 Wind Energy.................................................................................................... 41 Solar Energy.................................................................................................... 42 Further Reading.............................................................................................. 43 Wood for Home Heating..............................................................................................44 Energy Tax Credits............................................................................ 48 Alternative Power Resource Revolving Loan Fund .....................................................49 Energy Consumer Protection........................................................................................49 Some Buying Tips, Solar and General..........................................................................49 Electricity.................................................................................................. 51 ENERGY CONSERVATION ................................................................................................55 What’s an “ R” Value....................................................................................................56 Doing it Yourself..........................................................................................................57 Vapor Barriers..............................................................................................................58 Energy Conservation Tax Credits................................................................................ 58 REFERENCES ......................................................................................................................59 APPEN DIX I - Publications List of the Institute of Water Resources..................................... 62 APPEN D IX II - Water Labs Approved by the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation........................................................................................ 72 A PPEN D IX III - A Glossary of Energy Terms........................................................................ 75 APPEN DIX IV - Cooperative Extension Service Reprints..................................................... .78 ABSTRACT Information on water and energy, while theoretically available to the Alaskan home builder and property developer, has been difficult to glean from widely diverse sources. A Builder’s Guide to Water and Energy discusses this variety of planning considerations (from selecting a lot to the fine points of energy conservation) in the chronological order needed by a builder. Selecting the actual building site, water access, sewage disposal, energy access, energy conservation, tax credits, and government regulations are all discussed. The Guide provides step-by-step assistance for developing a site and building upon it, while taking maximum advantage of a site’s best characteristics and minimizing its shortcomings. Key Words: Energy, *Water law, *Water rights, * Available water, Consumer information, *Alaska, Reviews, Information retrieval, Energy conservation, Sewage disposal, Septic systems, * Alternative energy, Renewable energy, Builder’s Guide to Water and Energy, Solar, Passive solar. INTRODUCTION This guide is designed to aid those who are developing or improving a piece of property in Alaska. It will also be useful to anyone who is considering investing in Alaskan property, especially those who are building in urban or suburban areas. Site factors are often overlooked in purchasing or developing land. Furthermore, identifying and obtaining the appropriate permits (including borough or city zoning require ments, rights-of-way, and water rights certificates) is a necessary but time-consuming prerequi site to construction. This book is a guide to development and construction options, required permits, and regulations. It is generally directed at residents of urban Alaska and the organized boroughs, as there are many requirements for developing sites in these areas. Yet the basic information is useful