Installing a New Water Tank

The tennis school (escola, in Portuguese) in Sao Carlos was configured out of what was originally intended to become Bob´s mansion when he lived in Sao Carlos and worked as a Physics Professor at the University of Sao Paulo in Sao Carlos. The original water system has a 5 hp pump suspended a meter or so above the nominal water line in a hand-dug well. The pump elevates the water to a pair of tanks installed in a semi-enclosed attic in the central peak of the roof underneath a level platform which sheilds the tanks from the heat of the sun.

After committing the facility to use a tennis school, an additional building (seen in the photo above, to the right and behind the mansion) to be used as a dormitory for students and visiting players, was added. This dormitory has two levels, each comprising four dormitory rooms capable of accommodating up to four students in bunk beds, or only one (as in the case of visiting tennis stars). Each dormitory room has a private bathroom, complete with flush toilet, a shower and a lavatory. The first level (see photo at right) also has two rooms centrally located, which are used as a kitchen and dining area for the entire dormitory. The second level has corresponding central located `common room´ which may be used as social areas.

The dormitory was constructed in two phases, the first level connected to the mansion water system which worked fine. The past year, the second level was completed and the water main system was extended in the ceiling area of the top level. Much to the chagrin of all involved, the water would not flow to these upper bathrooms! So much for the hydraulic design skills of a Physics professor! He should have consulted his brother Engineer! Ha! ha!

The new water system began with a 3 kiloliter (about 790 gallons; about 6300 pounds of water) tank. This tank had to be lifted to the top of the roof where it was mounted on top of the afore-mentioned level platform. Then a new water main was installed to connect this tank to the existing water main and to a new water pump using the same well. An isolation valve was already installed which could separate the existing mansion water system from the new system for the dormitory building.

The operation of raising the tank to the roof consisted of two steps: rolling the tank onto a concrete shelf near the edge of the sloping roof, sliding the tank up an extension ladder (seen in the background in photo) as a steep ramp, then sliding or rolling the tank up the sloping roof, a less strenuous ramp and finally lifting the tank from the sloping roof onto the level platform.

We attached a long rope to the outlet hole near the bottom of the tank and with a Mechanical Engineer standing on the level platform pulling, the Physicist guiding the tank up the ladder, and the resident budding tennis star using his muscle, we rather easily got the tank onto the roof. It was much easier to pull the tank up the sloping roof and finally, again with the muscle and determination of the budding tennis star and the encouragement of the Mechanical Engineer, we hoisted the tank the three or so feet onto the level platform, as seen here with the two brothers in a classical pose (note extended arms and opposite-crossed legs).

FootNote: In an e-mail to the wife of the Great Grumpy, a statement was made referring to the budding tennis star as a `tennis pro´. This caused great consternation, since the local tennis pro is a female of known repute, and visions of Great Grumpy (aka, the Mechanical Engineer) cavorting on a narrow roof platform with said female naturally resulted from said miscommunication. Subsequent e-mails have hopefully cleared up this misunderstanding and it is believed that Great Grumpy is back in good graces albeit, not necessarily to the status deserving of a Lemon Meringue Pie. G.G.