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Author Topic: EPA ANSWERS  (Read 34688 times)

rmchambers

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Re: EPA ANSWERS
« Reply #75 on: March 03, 2007, 05:53:48 AM »
I'll vouch for UV treatment, I work for a company that sells bottled water.  In the past we used to use ozonation to kill any pathogens in the water that might be there (just a tall cylinder with ozone bubbling up through it - it would oxidize anything it found) the drawbacks to that was it left particles of things it killed which had to then be filtered out.

Now we do some heavy duty UV treatment of the water as part of the process before it goes into the fillers.  There is an expiration date on the water bottles but I'd wager they'd be safe long after that.  the only thing I have noticed with bottles kept for an extended period of time is somehow some of the water disappears and the bottles get softer and easier to squeeze.

Robert

okiezeke

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Re: EPA ANSWERS
« Reply #76 on: April 01, 2007, 08:47:25 PM »
Capt  Fred,
I've spent a lot of time in the Bahamas.  They use cisterns there too, but havent seen any with more than a particulate filter.  They seem to get by, guess your gut can get used to anything.  Another thing I saw a lot was reverse osmosis systems fed by brine wells.  By taking the salt water from a well, it is already filtered and minimal worries about pollutants.  I drank a lot of both, and the only side effect is my desire to own large green engines with flywheels.
Zeke
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Lovson 20-2 in blueprinting/rebuild
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captfred

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Re: EPA ANSWERS
« Reply #77 on: April 02, 2007, 12:02:14 PM »
Hey Zeke,

Back in the day when I was living on the boat, I collected rainwater for drinking and cooking: no worries ( course I did come down with a coupla nasty cases of dysentery in central america,  probably from some restaurant-  the rest of the cruise around the pacific, no dysentery).


Anyway, here on Saipan we hold the distinction as the only insular area under the American Flag as having an un-potable municipal water supply. Living out in the boondocks, surrounded by jungle we get a lot of crap in the water we collect; decaying vegetation, bird, bat and gecko droppings; and my cat loves to leave dead mice and rats up on our roof.

I've worked on a few R.O. systems on several boats, but found the maintenance considerations too high for home use (and quite frankly the water it produces  doesn't taste as good as rainwater). The UV system has low power consumption, low maintenance ( just clean the quartz tube when I change out the particulate filter cartridges and change the uv light tube once a year) and is highly reliable.  I filter particulates down to 3 microns, which is probably ok, bit I  look at the UV as insurance; When the SHTF I really don't want to worry about trying to get medical attention for dysentery (trust me, no fun at all) or something worse.

I really like the idea of self reliance- producing my own water (rain-catchment and cisterns with UV) and power (listeroid generator with inverter and battery backup).  I guess I'll have to learn to write my own books, too. ;D

On a side note, my desire to own a large green engine with flywheels has been realized; my arrived from Anand a few days ago, I was going to have it delivered today, but Typhoon Kong-rey popped up and spoiled my plans.  Hope to have it delivered after the blows  through and start the tear-down for inspection and moving into the generator bunker.

cheers, fred


rmchambers

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Re: EPA ANSWERS
« Reply #78 on: April 02, 2007, 01:14:39 PM »
Fred,
   At least your cistern will be full.  Do you have the tablets to sanitize the water too in case you lose power for whatever reason?  I'm just thinking when TSHTF you may want to have all your bases covered because water is the one thing you can't live without.

Good luck with the new engine, and let me be the first to say "post some pictures!" when it comes.

Robert

captfred

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Re: EPA ANSWERS
« Reply #79 on: April 03, 2007, 12:18:14 AM »
Hey Robert

I keep a few gallons of household bleach available for sanitizing filters etc that could be used in a pinch if necessary.  Until the generator is up and running I can run my household very comfortably on my inverter and batteries for about 24 hours,  under extreme conservation (a few lights and the UV system) maybe a week.  Eventually  I hope to have a coupla months of fuel stored up.

Will definitely be documenting the teardown and post as good (hopefully) or bad are found.

Cheers, Fred

dkwflight

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Re: EPA ANSWERS
« Reply #80 on: April 03, 2007, 12:58:24 AM »
Hi
A number of years ago I lived with a cistern. The water was trucked in from a treatment plant Clorinated when it went into the truck. So it was pretty clean stuf. It also got rain when we got some.
The water would get some scum on the surface. Really very thin and colorless.
I would put 1 cup of bleach in the 2000 + gallon tank would keep the scum off for a month or more.

The rock did not have enough cracks to keep any water. Some of the neighbors had well drilled very deep and got around 1/2 gallon a day.
Dennis
None of us would drink the stuf, just for flushing toilets and washing.
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Still in devlopment for 24/7 operation, 77 hours running time