AAA, the Puerto Rico water company

Glad to hear Gary!!  It's been crazy here in Bayamón - there has been lots of water main breaks. One of them only took a couple of days to fix that previously took a couple of weeks.  ¡Feliz Año Nuevo!

Sometimes something that was not leaking may start to leak like when hit by a sledge hammer.

There are documented cases of lighting hitting a 20 pound sledgehammer causing it to fly up in the air for a few hundred yards and landing on a water pipe, happens all the time.

Sorry to hear it took so long   shame on them

ReyP wrote:

There are documented cases of lighting hitting a 20 pound sledgehammer causing it to fly up in the air for a few hundred yards and landing on a water pipe, happens all the time.

It's OK, I got water. There's also a shut-off valve on my side of the meter so I don't really need the repair. I just wanted water and that's what I (finally) got.

Yeah, congratulations for finally getting your water back up and running!  If the valve is  not repaired, does that mean it will happen again?

Looks like there's a bit of progress with respect to the water infrastructure.  Interesting article in Water Technology.  According to the article:

NEW YORK  Dec. 23, 2015  Puerto Rico will make major upgrades to the water infrastructure in San Juan as part of a settlement with the federal government, according to a press release.

The U.S. territorial island has agreed to invest around $77 million to improve stormwater systems in the municipality of San Juan that are currently releasing an estimated 6 million gallons of untreated sewage into local waterways every day, or more than 2.2 billion gallons every year, noted the release.

6 million gallons of untreated sewage being dumped EVERY DAY, and that's just SJ Metro area.  PR has a lot of valuable natural resources.  Let's hope that this gets implemented soon.

Odd that I also saw that last night as I was doing a google news search on PR.

http://www.watertechonline.com/puerto-r … structure/

A few things came to mind. First, good news, better late then never. Some stateside cities still do it when it is crazy wet, Milwaukee into Lake Michigan, eg.  Costa Rica is horrible that way. When I see their ads on TV or print boasting how environmentally pure it is, I shake my head. They have two filtration plants in the whole country, neither in the capitol which is nestled in a valley in the central mountains. They are almost ready to open a new one there but will only treat about 1/4 of SJ. So as it is now, everything goes into the sewers and flows either into the Atlantic or the Pacific, depending on which slope. And that includes all the towns along the way. E-coli levels were astronomical in many coastal towns, too many. River rafting is big sport in the green season--want to go? Pura Vida is their slogan. hahahaha.

So not really surprised PR has the same problem, and wouldn't be surprised if SJ is the only "leaker".

What did give me a sarcastic "Really?" is the part that says if PR doesn't do it as scheduled fines will be imposed. Really? Which category of debt does that go into? The Gen Obligation must be paid first bonds? And 77 million for the repair? Somehow I think  the EPA is going to be in one of those "collection" lines.

Hey Gary,

Long chubacho?  Wimp. 

I'm thinkin propane generated electricity, well/electric pump, cistern & filtration, propane cooking.

Sitka,

I wanna locate in like Rincon, Aguada, Aguadilla, maybe Mocha.  You headed there?  Don't need to be in high class, gated, just reasonably safe.  Which I'm assuming is most of that area.

Karl

Karl,

We are headed to Hatillo.   I have been in Rincon, Isabella and Aquadilla, and most of the island, (but not Mocha) - briefly.   The north west part of the island seems more relaxed and kinda quaint.  Locals told me it was much nicer than the big city area.

I think it is a safe area - we will know more soon.   I'm lookin for some fishing pals.   

Carlos when in RD wrote:

Long chubacho?  Wimp. 

Carlos when in RD wrote:

I'm thinkin propane generated electricity, well/electric pump, cistern & filtration, propane cooking.

Sounds like a good plan.

Onan 30KW Generator

Gary,

This link has an image of a used Onan 30KW generator.  3 phase more efficient than single phase.  Puts out 208VAC across any two of 3 legs.  120VAC any leg to neutral.  Thing could run 4 casas.  208VAC is actually what the Chinese mfg mini split A/C's run on.  The engine is the big block Ford straight six like in a F-150 for a couple decades.  Ford sold tons of 'em as industrial motor on farms, etc.  It's a tank motor.  I've seen low mileage generators for under $4,000 in the states.  Take care of engine and on low carbon LPG, never wear out the engine bottom runnin 24/7.

Karl

That's a beast of a gen-set!
You're thinking of running one of those and don't connect to the grid at all?
How much do you estimate a kWh would cost you with one of those?
The kWh price went down because they finally gave (part of) the lower price they pay for oil to their consumers. On my last bill I paid only 17.4 ¢ for a kWh. First time in years  had a bill under $100.

The Ford straight six is a really smooth, quiet runner.  Yeah plan would be off electric grid, try to avoid all the interfacing trouble w/PREPA.  If I had a little 2 story place on a something main drag w/little restaurant or bar, all the lights on when the power out in eve would be a draw.  The plan depends most importantly on propane supply.  Multiple serious propane importers, TropiGas one of them.  Would have to have a decent price on propane/LPG.  There has been a glut of propane in the U.S. because of nat gas fracking.  LPG (propane/butane mixed together) is a byproduct.  Houston just finished big tank storage increase.  Wholesale price got down to $0.40 per gallon.  People here in CA have $4-5 gallon in past.  Farmers in Kansas this summer could buy delivered as low as $0.80.  I could make it fly at as high as $1.50 and make it work.  Like about $0.14 per KWh.  My guess is PREPA won't be able to stay there with the debt load.  Hard to predict where the oil will go.  Not shooting up in near term, but could go moderately up or down more.

If I was where I could put in a small well/cistern combo, that would get a guy off PR water & power totally.  Master of your own ship.  Propane price is the key.

PREPA will have to stay one way or another. Leaving the whole island without power is not going to happen.
According to what I read  Lisa  Donahue is doing a good job in restructuring PREPA's debts.

Then again, off the grid is an attractive idea. Did you already look into solar power?

Yes restructure, but PREPA is being crushed with giagante long term debt.  They can restructure, obtain some new long term for the LNG plant conversion, pare down some of the make work crony mngt jobs, demand will decrease short term, and do a better job of metering the freebies.  But it's still gonna be a tough haul.  The lower oil prices will help tremendously and they will probably stay low for quite a while.  The politicians will still give away subsidized power to some to buy votes and you are the one that will continue to pay the hidden tax in your electric bill rates.  And once PREPA has to be self sufficient in it's current operating budget, and it will sometime in 2016, the rates will have to go back up some.  Let's say at least $0.20 per KWh.  If I can generate for say $0.13, operate vacation/retirement rental apts with metered electric lower than PREPA, and charge the renters say 1/2 the difference to PREPA power, it could help my income stream.  I hope. 

Carlos when in RD wrote:

Hey Gary,

Long chubacho?  Wimp. 

I'm thinkin propane generated electricity, well/electric pump, cistern & filtration, propane cooking.

Sitka,

I wanna locate in like Rincon, Aguada, Aguadilla, maybe Mocha.  You headed there?  Don't need to be in high class, gated, just reasonably safe.  Which I'm assuming is most of that area.

Karl

We're in Aguadilla for a couple of weeks now and really like it. Shopping can be a nightmare but that's the case pretty much anywhere on the island. We're right on the border between Aguadilla and Isabela so we have quite a few shopping areas to choose from. Extremely safe so far, aside from the jackasses on the roads...

Sitka wrote:

I'm lookin for some fishing pals.   

What a coincidence! I'm looking for a guy with a boat, lol...

A Boat!!   Yea  -  I'm looking for a boat too.      What is the closest marina to Hatillo?

A Boat!!   Yea  -  I'm looking for a boat too.      What is the closest marina to Hatillo?

Sitka wrote:

A Boat!!   Yea  -  I'm looking for a boat too.      What is the closest marina to Hatillo?

Not 100% sure on that one. I know there is one in Arecibo, maybe even 2? I feel like I've seen or heard of one in Hatillo but if I have, I don't know where it's at, unfortunately.

We just got here and I LOVE sea fishing (Wahoo and Rainbow Runners, yes please!) but haven't had a chance yet. Hoping to get a charter in a few months when things have settled a bit and the father in law visits.

We need a new thread on fishing in PR.

Yeah I guess so. This thread got a bit sidetracked.