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Let’s pretend we all know someone who hauls in all their household water.
Ok, so we’re talking about me.
Ok, so I haul in my own water, in 55 gallon plastic barrels. I am setting up a 250-300 gallon tank to act as storage tank. Even though the water I haul in is either city water from the town of Index, or well water from a distant neighbor, I only use the water as-is for cooking, because in that app, it gets boiled like no tomorrow. All drinking water is filtered through a PÜR “Plus” filter. Best you can get. (At least in my price range.)
I am wondering, just for kicks and grins, if I decided to ‘chlorinate’ the water, could I use ordinary liquid clorox ? If so, how much would I add to a 55 gallon barrel of water ?
I don’t really see much point in it currently, but I have been considering building a rainwater collection system. The rainwater would be filtered first through a natural sand and gravel filter box, before going to the storage tank. It would then be filtered through a string type household filter, then a charcoal type household filter after the storage tank, before being used in the house. Even so, I would still filter it through the PÜR “Plus” filter, before drinking any of it.
The thought of the chlorine is more for ‘bugs’ than for any other reason. Even though the system will be as sealed as I can keep it, there is no guarantee that bugs of one sort or another won’t be able to get into it.
I know that I would not be able to afford any sort of ‘system’, or the chemicals for that.
Replies
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Luka
There was an article on FBH a couple of months ago on rail water collection systems. I am not sure, but it might be posted on the FHB site.
Also there was some discusion about it on the forum. I if not in the main section in the Feedback folder.
This might have been discussed.
*Luka,Chlorinating water is indeed done with household chlorox. In my system, it is metered into the line as the well pump runs, so that it is always there in a constant level. The problem with chlorinating the water though, is that it can form carcinogenic byproducts (trichloralethalines or some such mouthful) and you must filter it trough activated carbon to remove them. My system cost about 2 grand, and I did the install myself. Not cheap. I had to though, because of e-coli in the well, and the presence of iron bacteria which precluded the use of UV lights rather than chlorine. If all you are looking to do is kill bugs, the UV light systems are safer, in my opinion.Steve
*I read the article.They outline a complex and expensive system. Including ultraviolet. I am not doing anything near as complex. Besides, my interest drains immediately when they start talking a couple thousand dollars for this, and a couple thousand dollars for that. I am trying to do a low-bucks, but safe system setup here.
*The rule of thumb I've learned is five drops of Clorox to one gallon of water will make it safe to drink. That's for when one has no idea what's in the water and to prevent some sort of infection. It was also for areas where infectious diseases are more of a concern than possible carcinogens. Clorox has increased it's concentration from 5% sodium hypochlorite to 6%, so fewer drops may be required.
*Come on Luka - bug phobia???Bugs are a common food item in many parts of world. Low fat and great source of protein. Very few bugs in the wild are going to give you anything. In my youth on the farm, the cistern only had screens to keep the rats out, bugs were considered part of the drink - not to mention the little black weavils in the flower and oatmeal... Unless you are importing city bugs that have been stomping through the sewer, I can't image it would give you anything you probably don't already have. Now if you are using a mountain stream, then things like giardia or cryptosporidia can do you some damage. But little creepy crawlies? Naw...check out:http://www.beprepared.com/Articles/nastywater.htmlhttp://www.co.whatcom.wa.us/DEM/prepare/waterpur/waterpur.htmhttp://www.millennium-ark.net/News_Files/LTAH_Water_Pure(2).html
*Don't you have to get some pretty high temps to create the nasty chlorine compounds? elemental chlorine is pretty in active, since it stays bonded to itself. The Clorox dissolves and gives you chlorine bound in a cation that again keeps it from combining w/ anything else. Last of all making complex organic chlorine compounds.Don
*Can't you just dig a well. Simple, inexpensive and if maintained properly should provide you with a good supply of water. My father helped a guy one time (back in the old days) dig one in the cellar of his house. The well still works fine today. provided surface water doesn't contaminate it there should be no need to chlorinate.
*Whoops, forgot to include these reference to my above post on the epicurean delights of eating insects:http://www.eatbug.com/http://www.survival.com/bug.htmhttp://www.planetscott.com/babes/buglinks.htmhttp://showideas.com/First/TE-1_eating_bugs.htmBon Appetite
*Your taxes in the great state of Washington pay for the dissemination of all sorts of helpful informationhttp://www.doh.wa.gov/ehp/dw/Our_Main_Pages/emergencybrochure.htm
*Luka,I'm with Steve. Unfortunately we too ended up with a $2k, activated carbon system and monthly chlorination of our well. I'm not sure you can have your cake and eat it too, though. Cheap and safe may not be entirely compatible. We recently read an article in the NY Times which commented on potential health hazards to young children and pregnant women from typical levels of chlorination used in municipal systems. Had our pricey system checked to make sure it was really removing chlorine and came back with flying colors.One other thing to consider if you have a septic system. Chlorine kills bugs, including the bugs in your septic system that do the work to make dirty water clean.
*Luka,Just to confirm what Joseph said about normal chlorine. I don't know the specific ratio of drops; but I've read about, and used, this method for backcounrty backpacking. If you Google under the auspices of backpacking safety, I'm sure you'll find a link.I also remember that this method took some time to sit and disseminate the chlorine throught the water. In a gallon I think they suggested a minimum of 1 hr before drinking. Higher the chlorine level, the less time it took. But better to use as little as possible and wait a few hrs more if ya know what I mean.
*Don R.--I was a water chemist a long time ago in a place far away...When you chlorinate water (with hypochlorite solution [chlorox bleach] or chlorine gas,like the big municipal systems do), the chlorine will attack organic molecules in the water and may produce chloro-organic compounds like chloroform, which is a moderate carcinogen. The organic stuff in the water comes from the breakdown of plant materials, and so there's more of these "humic and fulvic" substances in surface water in areas with highly organic soils (like peat).In well-run municipal water systems, the amount of chlorine added is carefully adjusted so that there's a little extra chlorine (a residual) after the chlorine has done it's disinfecting job. This is so that if there's some microbial contamination in the distribution piping, that there's a good chance that the water will stay safe--the residual chlorine will chew up the bugs. To chlorinate in a home water system, you ought to buy a "residual chlorine" test kit. Hach makes a good one; you might be able to get one from a swimming pool supply house. So chlorinate and test. Check the American Water Works Association and the U.S. EPA and US Public Health Service websites for water chlorination info.And if you're really worried about chloro-organics (like chloroform) that may be created in minute amounts by the chlorination, run the chlorinated water through an activated carbon filter. If you're worried about cancer, you're better off avoiding char broiled meats, cured meats like bacon, and especially tobacco smoke. The risks from those things are a lot higher than from chlorinated water (especially if you don't shower in the chlorinated water, cuz that's when you get most of the chloroform exposure from chlorinated water...)Just my two cents.Cliff
*Stray, the link I gave above gives the particulars on disinfecting water with chlorine bleach:http://www.co.whatcom.wa.us/DEM/prepare/waterpur/waterpur.htm
*Cliff: Thanks for the poop on chlorine. I am one of those whohave to buy a $2K home treatment system for our well water. It tastes like crap, smells like crap and looks like crap. We have moderate hydrogen sulfide and heavy particulate, suspended iron. Well is over 350 ft deep, and sealed at top so we don't get any surface water. The system we are springing for chlorinates, UV's and charcoal filters. Having suffered the horrors of waterborne disease, like giardia, I prefer to take my chances w/ chlorinated hydrocarbon caused cancer at age 65.Don
*Cliff, Good job and well said. I used to be a Lab Rat too. Dale
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Let's pretend we all know someone who hauls in all their household water.
Ok, so we're talking about me.
Ok, so I haul in my own water, in 55 gallon plastic barrels. I am setting up a 250-300 gallon tank to act as storage tank. Even though the water I haul in is either city water from the town of Index, or well water from a distant neighbor, I only use the water as-is for cooking, because in that app, it gets boiled like no tomorrow. All drinking water is filtered through a PÜR "Plus" filter. Best you can get. (At least in my price range.)
I am wondering, just for kicks and grins, if I decided to 'chlorinate' the water, could I use ordinary liquid clorox ? If so, how much would I add to a 55 gallon barrel of water ?
I don't really see much point in it currently, but I have been considering building a rainwater collection system. The rainwater would be filtered first through a natural sand and gravel filter box, before going to the storage tank. It would then be filtered through a string type household filter, then a charcoal type household filter after the storage tank, before being used in the house. Even so, I would still filter it through the PÜR "Plus" filter, before drinking any of it.
The thought of the chlorine is more for 'bugs' than for any other reason. Even though the system will be as sealed as I can keep it, there is no guarantee that bugs of one sort or another won't be able to get into it.
I know that I would not be able to afford any sort of 'system', or the chemicals for that.