I have a geothermal system in my log home and it is an open loop system. It uses well water from my household well, and dumps the water after use in one of my ponds which is .62 acres. I believe the well pumps about 20 gpms but this is not continuously.

The water is perfectly safe and helped keep the pond topped off before I put in a trout pond and another well in the back that overflows into the .62 acre pond. Now it is not necessary but still dumps into that pond.

The only disadvantage of this Geothermal system was the initial cost, but it has proabably already paid for itself in the 6 or 7 years I've had it. It is also the most effecient way to heat or cool your house. I recently had a technician come out to do maintenance and he said it looked brand new. Mine is a "WaterFurnace and is made locally in Ft. Wayne, Indiana.

If pigs could fly bacon would be harder to come by and there would be a lot of damaged trees.