Cleaning the tinaco

To get water pressure, we pump it from one tank (called a tinaco) on the ground to another one on the roof. This water then goes down through the pipes and water heaters to where we need it. Because our water is stored outdoors, however, the tanks can get dusty. So we clean them every few months or so; letting most of the water run out without pumping more in and then vacuuming or sopping up what's left. Then just scrubbing out the bottom and making sure all the dust, etc. is out.

Here's me, peeping out of the top of one of our tinacos. I'm on my tippy-toes.

It wasn't too hard to get into the tinaco, but as you can see from the picture, it's about as tall as me. So I brought a 5-gallon pail in with me and stood on that to get out. But I was wet, and the rubber of the tinaco was slippery. I slipped getting out, my feet brushing on the chair I had set up behind the tinaco. I swung around, and the inside of my left knee banged hard against the concrete stand below the tinaco. I still have a pretty ugly bruise.

Then I couldn't get the bucket out. I should have tied a bit of string on beforehand, as I couldn't reach it. I thought it might float as I refilled the tinaco with water, but that didn't work. I ended up getting a broom handle and coaxing the bucket up to where I could grab it and get it out.

It was actually all pretty fun. :)