How should I pump water throughout a house from holding tanks in the basement?
To set this up with a submersible pump, you need to have:


Submersible pump: at bottom of cistern. You'll want to clean any sediment from the tank before installing, as if the intake is directly on the bottom then it will suck it up and could possibly clog the pump or your plumbing fixtures.
Control box: needed only if you have a 3-wire pump; 2-wire pumps don't need this.
Normally open float switch: located at bottom of tank, set so that when it's down, it shuts off, and wired in series with the power to the control box so it prevents the pump from turning on when the tank is empty.
Pressure tank system: Pressure tank, pressure switch, gauge, and sed valve (not shown). This is just the typical setup to use with a pump
Shut-off valve to the house: again, just typical part to make servicing easier




Optionally, you can install a second normally closed float switch (set to turn on when facing down) at a slightly higher level than the other one, and wired to an indicator light in the bathroom or wherever. This will alert you when the tank is almost empty.