Water Filteration

[svHyLyte]

Originally Posted by guitarguy56

I don't trust chlorine in my drinking water, tanks, or anywhere else... it belongs in pools and for bleaching white clothes only! I myself would NEVER put any chlorine tablets or chlorine drops of any kind into my fresh water holding tanks... I flush them out frequently with filtered fresh water and have never had the slime or bacterial growth... as long as the incoming water supply is filtered of any particulates and most of the phosphates (food for bacteria and slime) there will be no algal slime or nasties... been doing this for marine aquariums most my life... only other pure water supply is reverse osmosis and that is not doable on our boats... huge energy/water waste... Chlorine is really not good for your health as I said... can't post the link due to my posting privilage but here is a good read:

internethealthlibrary DOT com/Environmental-Health/Chlorine-and-cancer DOT htm

The US Department of Health recommends using 1 Teaspoon (.17 Fl oz) of unscented 5-6% household bleach per 10 gallons of water for purification of stored water. In our case, we use (have been using for 37+ years) 1/2 ounce per 50 gallons (2 each 50 gallon tanks), a concentration of .005% sodium hypochlorite, without evident difficulty to health or equipment.

FWIW...

[guitarguy56]

The US Department of Health recommends using 1 Teaspoon (.17 Fl oz) of unscented 5-6% household bleach per 10 gallons of water for purification of stored water. In our case, we use (have been using for 37+ years) 1/2 ounce per 50 gallons (2 each 50 gallon tanks), a concentration of .005% sodium hypochlorite, without evident difficulty to health or equipment.

Sorry but I filter the water going in the tank... coming out of the tank and use carbon/filter media for using the water for general use... there is NO chlorine for me to ingest period... to each his own... but I'm not going by the 'US Dept. of Health' to recommend how much chlorine, iodines, perchlorates, dioxin, phenols, pyrethrins, or any other petroleum distillates I should be injesting... YES the US Dept. of Health determines how much is tolerable in your water or foods... do you trust them? I don't so that is why I try to avoid any chlorine or other chemicals in my drinking or cooking supply...

[Minnewaska]

Originally Posted by wind_magic

I use different grades of water.

From "best" (most potable) to worst ...

How do you distill your own water?

As far as water from a stream, there is no way to know if it is contaminated. It doesn't take a farm upstream to do it. Ever hear of beaver fever? You can get it from the cleanest looking water. A simple backpacking water filter pump can eliminate this. In fact, you could filter water downstream from that cow farm too and very safely drink it. You test these things by putting food die in some water and it comes out clear on the other end.

[wind_magic]

Originally Posted by Minnewaska

As far as water from a stream, there is no way to know if it is contaminated. It doesn't take a farm upstream to do it. Ever hear of beaver fever? You can get it from the cleanest looking water. A simple backpacking water filter pump can eliminate this. In fact, you could filter water downstream from that cow farm too and very safely drink it. You test these things by putting food die in some water and it comes out clear on the other end.

I agree you can't safely drink unfiltered water from a stream, that is why I said I would never do that in my post. What I did say is that I would drink water from a spring when I know the source, meaning I have walked the length back to the ridge line. Sure, there's probably the occasional deer poop in it, but it's nothing at all like getting water from a river, and no beaver is going to build a dam on a ridge.

As for farm runoff, it isn't just the bacteria, its the fertilizer and chemicals too, filtering won't stop that.

[svHyLyte]

Originally Posted by guitarguy56

Sorry but I filter the water going in the tank... coming out of the tank and use carbon/filter media for using the water for general use... there is NO chlorine for me to ingest period... to each his own... but I'm not going by the 'US Dept. of Health' to recommend how much chlorine, iodines, perchlorates, dioxin, phenols, pyrethrins, or any other petroleum distillates I should be injesting... YES the US Dept. of Health determines how much is tolerable in your water or foods... do you trust them? I don't so that is why I try to avoid any chlorine or other chemicals in my drinking or cooking supply...

Sigh...Please refer to post #4, page 1 of this thread in re: filtration. N'any case, whatever works for you is excellent and I'm pleased for you.

Here Homer Nods...

[Minnewaska]

Originally Posted by wind_magic

.....As for farm runoff, it isn't just the bacteria, its the fertilizer and chemicals too, filtering won't stop that.

Can't speak to all chemicals, but the good filters have both a micro filter for organisms and a carbon filter for chemicals. You can usually hand pump a quarter of water in under a minute.

[Trekka]

I don't know why people think rain water is safe. Ever heard of acid rain? Seen deforestation on the tops of the Smokies from acid rain? Know that AG's from several eastern states have been suing midwestern states because pollution from old coal powered plants are affecting the air in eastern states? Aware that air pollution from China is strong enough to affect air quality in Los Angeles? Ever park a clean car outside and look at it after an hour of rain has fallen and dried? The atmosphere is heavily polluted and rain water falls through it. Often it is the collection of water molecules around particles that assists precipitation. I would never drink rain water, or let it into my tanks, without filtration.

[wind_magic]

Originally Posted by Trekka

I don't know why people think rain water is safe.

The only study I found on the net was an Australian study and it found that rain water was safe to drink.

[Ulladh]

Be aware that what looks like a pristine stream may be contaminated with parasites from soil or animal waste.

I have a friend who contracted chiardia from stream water high on a ridge along the Appalachian Trail in PA. It took almost 6 months to recover.

Giardia infection - PubMed Health

[hellosailor]

Trekka, "safe" is a relative term. Where do you think that rainwater goes to when you drink it? That highly acidic acid rain is in fact gentle and sweet compared to the normal gastric juices in your stomache. Stomache acids are designed to tear apart all sorts of flesh. You wouldn't want to get them on your car either.