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Now tracking the new emerging South Africa Omicron Variant

WATER

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bruss01 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote bruss01 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 23 2006 at 3:06pm
Beth -  see my post above.  Liquid bleach deteriorates over time, it's 50% degraded in 1 year, worthless in 2 years.  Dry pool shock lasts 10 years or more in dry form.  You want the plain calcium hypochlorite, no algaecides etc.  THIS IS FOR DRINKING WATER.  Water for washing needs to be clean, imaginie going to the trouble to sanitize your drinking water, but putting that clean water into a glass you washed with unsanitary water?  Might just as well have drunk the dirty water and saved yourself the trouble.  Yes, anything besides sodium hypochlorite in the laundry bleach has toxicity and you will taste it too.  You can get plain calcium hypochlorite at any pool supply store.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Daydreamer Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 23 2006 at 3:12pm
We have two 55 gallon drums that have spigots (faucets) attached to them. We are wanting to get a couple more and were thinking about purchasing a pump to get the water out. Does anyone know where you can purchase these affordably? We could put faucets on the new ones but that requires laying the barrel on it's side and you lose some water storage that way. The ones that have faucets on them now, we lay on their side inside a homemade stand.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote redcloud Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 23 2006 at 9:54pm
Dreamer,

For drums try:

http://www.bascousa.com/store/item.aspxDEPARTMENT_ID=73&ITEM_ID=554

For cheap siphon pumps try:

http://www.bascousa.com/store/item.aspx?ITEM_ID=165

For faucets try:

http://www.bascousa.com/store/index.aspx?DEPARTMENT_ID=145
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 40acrediesel Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 24 2006 at 5:25am
Sorry bruss01, let me clarify - New drums - I am a little leary of buying blue used FDA drums off ebay.  Never quite sure what they may have had in them in the past, and whether rinsing them with soap & water may or may not clean them.  People get burned all the time on ebay.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Guests Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 24 2006 at 5:30am
Originally posted by Daydreamer Daydreamer wrote:

Rick~very interesting that they are having a Rain Barrel distribution day. I have never heard of this before.

I do have a question for you engineer types. How would you go about constructing your own water barrels out of plastic 55 gallon drums? I know you would need a screen on the top to avoid having bugs and mosquitoes from laying eggs in the water. How would you secure it on the barrel?

 

 
I wonder if screening would work...the kind that is on your windows..it is pretty inexpensive and you could use a bungy cord around the barrel to hold it place...
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Daydreamer Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 24 2006 at 5:35am
Thanks redcloud for the links. I'll check into them. Muskrat, I was thinking along those lines for the rain barrels. We haven't been getting much rain around here but I figure having a couple on hand can't hurt.
 
As far as used plastic drums go, we live in a rural area and we always find someone selling these. Yes, we have to wash them out but the blue ones are always food grade so some soapy bleach water usually does the trick. We can usually get them for $10 or less a piece.
Don't put off tomorrow what you can PREP today
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Guests Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 24 2006 at 5:39am
Daydreamer I read somewhere the you should not use soap on plastics that will be used for storing water..as the soap still leaves a residue behind...just use warm to hot water to clean the plastics out...even the 2 litre pop bottles only use warm water to rinse....
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote oknut Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 24 2006 at 6:11am
I have two 40 gallon rain barrels that I purchased a year or so ago from Gardeners Supply. We have ours positioned under the downspouts on our patio cover because we had washout issues. Because the water they collect is runoff from the house roof and patio cover, I wouldn't want to drink or cook with it unless it was boiled, distilled or treated first. Birds poop on the roof. There are several merchants who sell rain barrel kits that you can use to convert ordinary drums into rain barrels. I've considered setting up at least one more barrel out in the open somewhere so it wouldn't contain roof runoff, but even if we can use our 80 gallons for bathing or laundry once it's treated - it will help.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Bladerunner Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 24 2006 at 8:42am
I have been doing research to have a well drilled on my property.  Keep in mind this information is based on SE Virginia, Norfolk area.
 
First, I live in a subdivision of Norfolk called Larchmont This is an older neighborhood with most of the homes built in the 1920s and surprisingly many have wells, mostly for lawn irrigation.
 
My wife contacted a local well drilling company and their preliminary phone quotes are:
 
1. They will drill the well down to 50 feet for $500 and after that it's a rate per foot (the wife didn't get that information)
2. They will install a system complete with electric pump, well casing, pressure tank, and faucet for around $1700, including drilling (50 feet)
3. The city of Norfolk will not issue a permit to drill for potable water, but if they did it would be an extra $300 to seal the well from outside contaminants.  We are going back to the company and ask if they could still do the work constructing a well as a high quality water source but not "for drinking". Either, that or I will just plan on filtering/boiling the water.
 
I am making some assumptions (bird flu related), that electricity will still be available, but if it isn't I can run my generator each day enough to replenish my barrel and water can storage.  I will probablly also look into how easily the well could be converted to a hand pump and just keep a "pitcher pump" around just in case.
 
Even if the Pandemic doesn't hit, I will use the well for watering the lawn, car washing etc.  My water bill in the summer months generally increases by $100/month so the well should pay for itself in a year.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Beth Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 24 2006 at 4:19pm
Hi Daydreamer!   You could get some garden hose and siphon the last of the water out so as not to waste it.  You could also get a pump in a garden supplies shop they sell them for people to use in their ponds and fountains. Or maybe people use handpumps for baling out boats - just a thought.   Also there used to be a kind of cheap handpump you could get in the UK called a stirrup pump.  You could try googling that, though I haven't seen any for a while.  Happy hunting.  Love Beth
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Guests Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 24 2006 at 10:59pm
I didn't see this mentioned, so I thought I'd throw it in.

We used to go camping a lot, and fortunately have plenty of camping gear.   Solar showers, coolers, propane heater, lanterns, etc.  So we're pretty "set" as far as that stuff goes.

One problem we ran into when camping is keeping the cooler cold without having to buy ice constantly.

I started filling clean 1- and 2-liter soda bottles with fresh water, and freezing them.  When getting ready for a camping trip, I could put the frozen bottles of water into the cooler along with the food/drinks, and the ice would last longer.  The ice in the bottles took quite a while to melt, since they were very thick, and once melted, we had ice cold drinking water.

Then I realized that if I kept several frozen bottles of water in the freezer, if there was a power outage, they'd probably help the freezer stay cold longer.  Then you could drink the water afterwards.

This might be a thought as well. Smile

I've been saving up my soda bottles, and will fill them up and freeze some of them when I feel the time is right. 

We've also got a goldfish pond built into our deck (probably 500 gallons or more), and over 200 gallons of water in indoor aquariums, that we could use to flush the toilet (no, we wouldn't flush the fish - LOL!).  We've got a large 30" deep kiddie pool we could set up as well.  It fills in less than a day.

It might also be a good idea to buy a couple of new plastic trash cans, with lids, and line the interior with a clean trash bag, and fill them with water.  They could be stored in your house, in a closet.


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote kymom Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 25 2006 at 11:35am
  I found 55 gallons for water for a little over thirteen dollar, at rural kind. Look for farm supply stores in your areas. This has saved us lots of money for extras. PamSmile
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Daydreamer Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 25 2006 at 11:41am
welcome kymom! You are right about those barrels. Buying them like that will save you lots of money toward other things. What are you going to do to get the water out of the barrels? Any plans for that yet? I'd like to hear about them.
Don't put off tomorrow what you can PREP today
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote kymom Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 25 2006 at 11:57am
  You can syphon the water out using a garden hose or get a 55 gal spigot  you can use this with the barrel  laying horizonal.  This is the cheapest I know besides a hand pump.  Hope this helps, Iam new here and learning all I can. PamSmile
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote arabesqua Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 25 2006 at 1:50pm
I guess one one has any ideas on the barrel pump for my well if the electric goes out the fitings on the barrel pump is to big for a hose to attach to what should i do?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote maskman Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 27 2006 at 7:16am
shelter and medicines are luxuries compared to food and water, and a person can live a lot longer without food than they can without water.  i just purchased a katadyne ceramic gravity filter unit on ebay that can filter 35,000 gallons before the filters need attention.  this is supposed to be enough to last 6 people for 6 months.  cost $170, including shipping, and should be here by the end of the week.  if i never need it, i can resell it on ebay and get most or all of my money back. i have access to 2 small creeks, so raw supply should not be a problem.  the creks are not on my property, but one can be accessed by walking thru the woods, without going out 'in public'.
 
i purchased the katadyne unit after seeing it referenced in a few other posts on this site, but i basically bought it blind - without doing any  additional researchrd about it.  if there are any shortcomings to this unit, i'd love to hear about them now.
 
and here is the best part - the guy still has a few more left!
 
he is in the chicago area - go look on ebay.  if you can't find it there, email me, and i'll send you his email address.  he has over 500 positive feedbacks, so i think he can be trusted.  you can also look for these units in your local camping supply store.  katadyne makes lots of different units, and there are many other manufacturers out there as well.
 
and for all those planning to use containers to store water - this is an excellent idea.  but i highly recommend that you fill at least some of your containers now - to see if they have any leaks.  this is esp. important if you are planning to fill a bathtub or other item with obvious potential leak problems.  before you go to sleep, just fill the tub about halfway, use a piece of tape or crayon or something to mark the high-water mark, and then check the level in the morning.  the longer you can let the water sit in the tub, the more confidence you can have that all your water won't slowly leak down the drain.  any storage container with a large open surface area, such as a bathtub, will get contaminated very quickly, and also is subject to evaporation loss.
 
i plan to use recycled plastic milk jugs and 2-liter bottles for storage.  many of my bottles do not have lids.  i plan to cover them with a small piece of foil, and secure that with duct tape.  be sure to fill your containers ALL THE WAY TO THE TOP, no matter what the container.   air pockets will spoil your water sooner.  feedback anyone?
 
and no matter what container you use, be sure it is cleaned and well rinsed.  do this now, so they will be ready to fill when needed.
 
i read recently that roughly 1 billion people live on only 2.5 gallons of water per person per day - if they can do it, so can we!  that 2.5 number would also be a good starting place to do a rough calculation of how much water you might need to survive
 
2.5 x # of people in house x # of days = gallons h2o you will need
 
the numbers can add up quickly, which is why i decided on the katadyne
 
hope and pray for the best; prepare responsibly for the worst
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Guests Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 28 2006 at 2:18pm
I don't suggest filling the soda bottles to the top with water if there is any chance at all of the water freezing. The bottles will burst.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Guests Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 28 2006 at 2:20pm

This is interesting:

Quote If the public water system is chlorinated, it is unnecessary to futher treat water for storage.

From page 57 of this "Food Storage Cooking School booklet:
http://extension.usu.edu/files/foodpubs/fn503.pdf

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Guests Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 28 2006 at 2:25pm
Originally posted by Irene Irene wrote:

I don't suggest filling the soda bottles to the top with water if there is any chance at all of the water freezing. The bottles will burst.
 
I leave a space and wax the tops of mine...helps prevent spillage...althou they are all stacked up right...
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote phoenixrising Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 29 2006 at 4:16pm

Is there a way to disinfect sea/bay/gulf water for general cleaning & bathing purposes? 

If possible, could the water be disinfected for drinking/cooking water? 

I'm thinking since I llive blocks off the Gulf, we could use that water for cleaning/bathing & conserve bottled water for cooking/drinking.

 

 

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote redcloud Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 29 2006 at 4:39pm
Phoenix,
I used to live in FL. Trust me when I say that you would not like bathing in salt water, nor would your house pipes survive the experience, if they are metal.

My solution for "other" water has been to get a plastic tank (feed store or hardware or fuel storage place), and hook it into the roof runoff from the gutters for collection. I used this once before in a country house in Ohio, and it works very well.

If you get a filter, you can even drink it. Try here:

http://www.pwgazette.com/gravity.htm

I just bought one of their siphon filters for this purpose. They claim it can make pond water clean.

Hope this helps.

Red
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote phoenixrising Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 29 2006 at 6:22pm
Thanks, redcloud.  it's so sad that billions of gallons of water are mere feet away and unusable...Ouch.
 
Also, what do I need to buy from PWGazette for filtering rain water?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote redcloud Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 29 2006 at 8:03pm
This is the one I bought. There is a more expensive (complicated) one, and several choices for reverse osmosis filtering and UV disinfection. I wanted the fool proof one for fools like myself.

Voila:

Pure Water Products
Simple Siphon Filters
We’ve got two basic models and quite a few variations on them. Performance is about equal, but each has advantages and disadvantages. Which one you want depends on what you plan to use it for. The description below is complicated, so try to pay attention.

Style A:
Price: $7 plus the price of the filter cartridge selected.
This simple filter adapter consists of a length of 1/4" plastic filter tubing and a Jaco elbow fitting that attaches the tubing to the threads of a candle-style filter cartridge. The end result (in case the explanation was too technical) is a filter cartridge with a piece of plastic tubing hooked to it. Not a lot of excess parts. The total cost of a siphon filter with a Doulton Super Sterasyl cartridge capable of processing pond water for drinking is $38 for the cartridge and $7 for the tubing assembly for a total of $45. If you get it with the more basic Sterasyl candle the whole thing costs just $40.



The operation is very simple. Get some water in a container—a flat container big enough for the filter cartridge to lie horizontally in works best—drop the filter cartridge into the water, let it soak until it won’t float, then suck on the end of the tubing. When you get water in your mouth, drop the tube into another container a few inches lower than the first and clean water will flow from the end of the tube into your container. The rate of flow is pretty spectacular. Three gallons per hour is a reasonable expectation, and these filters have done more than that in our tests. It’s faster than a stainless steel four-candle gravity filter and it will run on nature’s energy as long as you keep water in the top container. And, get this, the ceramic candle filter acts like a lamp wick. It will suck every drop of water from the top container, then start working again without priming if you pour more water into the container.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote floridagirl Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 30 2006 at 8:45am

Does anybody know if those Rubermaid-type storage containers would be OK to store water in?  I noticeed you can buy 48 gallon containers for under $10 in just about any store, and many people already own them. 

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Tea4Two Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 30 2006 at 8:50am
I have been thinking about how to store water, as I have no access to barrels. I have an old hardwood dresser with deep drawers. I don't need more shelf space, so I thought about taking out the drawers and laying it flat on its back, lining the sections with plastic, then using the Glad white 4 gallon plastic bags that are food grade and fill them with gallon size ziplock freezer bags that are taped shut. I don't know whether the freezer bags that have the zipper or the ones that press seal would be better for this.
I should be able to put about 40 gallons of water in the dresser frame. The drawers could also be used as frames and laid flat on the floor in the basement. I would have to put boards over the dresser and drawers because I have cats and I know they would jump in there and possibly puncture the bags. I suppose bookcases could be used in the same way. It's cheap, will only cost me the price of the liners and bags. It is something I can do now...was wondering how long it would take me to collect another couple hundred pop bottles, and this is much faster, will give me a good jump on the amount of water I have and I can still collect the plastic bottles. Are there any down sides to this??

Am also wondering,is algae toxic?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Guests Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 31 2006 at 12:59am
Originally posted by floridagirl floridagirl wrote:

Does anybody know if those Rubermaid-type storage containers would be OK to store water in?  I noticeed you can buy 48 gallon containers for under $10 in just about any store, and many people already own them. 

 
I would be shocked if those containers could hold the weight of the water if filled close to the top.  Water is extremely heavy and those containers are not designed to deal with that much weight I think.  They are ok as a last resort, but only partially filled and you would need to keep an eye on them to make sure they don't rupture.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Tea4Two Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 31 2006 at 6:22am
   I have used a regular plastic garbage can for a rain barrel for the last seven years. It is outside year round and holds the water fine, even when it's frozen and hasn't leaked yet.
I would suggest putting some newspaper under the tote so you can check for leaks. You could also email Rubbermaid and ask them about using it for water.
I plan on getting some of the name brand name totes and lining them with leaf bags, and then putting the water in one gallon ziplock bags, and taping the ziplocks bags closed. I might not get as much water in the totes as filling them without bags, but the water could be easily moved and protected from any leaching from the tote. Just get the name brand totes, the thin cheap ones are risky for water storage.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 40acrediesel Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 31 2006 at 6:55am

They are probably not good for potable water anyway.  I think containers approved by the Food & Death Adminstration use some kind of certified plastic which has not been determined to cause a disease or cancer yet.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote fritz Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 31 2006 at 9:02am

I am planning on treating all water. Even tap water can be hazzardess if power is on again, off again. I think it would be ok to catch the rain water in the rubbermaid trash can and then use drops of bleach to kill any bacteria or virus' and then filter to get out the bleach taste out. That is my personal plan. (not making rec. for anyone else mind you, I am far from an expert!)

I just purchased a berkey light water purifier this week. I got it from www.HMDwater.com and I found the elderly gentleman I phoned very pleasant and he was more than happy to answer all my questions. It was really nice to talk to an actual person as opposed to trying to communicate with a machine.  I know the big berkey model has been mentioned on this forum many times but the berkey light has the most advanced filter and it has a slightly larger capacity than the big berkey. He is also running a deal (where you hit the "instant rebate" button on the left side of the screen) it's 35 off the price, free battery adapter and free shipping. I thought it was a good deal, it came in 2 days and I had no problems.

Disclaimer: I do not know this man, I found him on the web, and have no vested interest. I just have a soft-spot for mom & pop businesses so I thought I would post what I thought was a good deal. I am very happy with my purchase. :>}
Good luck! fritz  :>}
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote phoenixrising Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 31 2006 at 9:51am
Originally posted by Bumpman Bumpman wrote:

 
 
I would be shocked if those containers could hold the weight of the water if filled close to the top.  Water is extremely heavy and those containers are not designed to deal with that much weight I think.  They are ok as a last resort, but only partially filled and you would need to keep an eye on them to make sure they don't rupture.
[/QUOTE]
 
That's our plan as we speak.  We have Rubbermaid, not off brand, containers  purchased 10 years ago holding books to the brim that we rotate for homeschooling.   If these things held up after being filled with heavy books we rotated over 10 years, lugged 1200 miles across country in a moving truck, and still being used to store books not currently in use, I'm sure they'll hold water just fine. 
 
Ours are stacked two high,  and are the 18 gallon sized totes.  If we loose water, they'll also come in handy for gathering rain water in a pinch if covered with fine mesh, screening, or other material to initially filter out twigs, etc.  The fine mesh also will reduce mosquito infestation.
 
I do agree with Bumpman about the larger sized totes, though.  I'd stick with 20 gallon sized totes or less as they appear thicker.   The larger totes are more for storing clothing or decorations, where the smaller ones are great for heavy tools, etc.  
 
 
 
 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Bumpman Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 31 2006 at 9:54am
Originally posted by fritz fritz wrote:

I am planning on treating all water. Even tap water can be hazzardess if power is on again, off again. I think it would be ok to catch the rain water in the rubbermaid trash can and then use drops of bleach to kill any bacteria or virus' and then filter to get out the bleach taste out. That is my personal plan. (not making rec. for anyone else mind you, I am far from an expert!)

I just purchased a berkey light water purifier this week. I got it from www.HMDwater.com and I found the elderly gentleman I phoned very pleasant and he was more than happy to answer all my questions. It was really nice to talk to an actual person as opposed to trying to communicate with a machine.  I know the big berkey model has been mentioned on this forum many times but the berkey light has the most advanced filter and it has a slightly larger capacity than the big berkey. He is also running a deal (where you hit the "instant rebate" button on the left side of the screen) it's 35 off the price, free battery adapter and free shipping. I thought it was a good deal, it came in 2 days and I had no problems.

Disclaimer: I do not know this man, I found him on the web, and have no vested interest. I just have a soft-spot for mom & pop businesses so I thought I would post what I thought was a good deal. I am very happy with my purchase. :>}
Good luck! fritz  :>}
 
Did you buy the solar charger?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote fritz Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 31 2006 at 10:00am
Hi Bumpman, solar charger for what? this is a gravity filter. the battery adapter is for the optional light/stand feature?
I'm not sure if we are talking about the same thing.
"I am only one; but still I am one, I cannot do everything, but still I can do something. I will not refuse to do the something I can do." -- Hellen Keller
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote fritz Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 31 2006 at 10:08am
HI, Bumpman, Iwent back and checked out the site. No I didn't. I thought 80 bucks could be better spent elsewhere at the moment. but maybe I was wrong b/c he said it did light up the room well enough to move about in. I may go back and purchase it at a later date but my main concern was to be able to filter the water. I think this unit will pay for itself in no time (less bottled water purchased) if BF somehow manages to pass us by.(not likely, just wishful thinking on my part.lol)
Prep on!!! fritz :>}
 
"I am only one; but still I am one, I cannot do everything, but still I can do something. I will not refuse to do the something I can do." -- Hellen Keller
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote co_ski_bunny Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 31 2006 at 1:36pm
Does anyone know if a water filter in your refrigerator will filter out all the contaminants of polluted water?  I would assume that it will still need electricity to do its job properly??  Also, if I have bleach and can bleach my water, do I still need to buy bottled water?  I am trying to spend my money where it is most feasible at this point and having these questions answered will help.  Also, are we assuming the water supply will be shut-off or non-existent?  Therefore not need to answer above questions if that is the case. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote redcloud Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 31 2006 at 1:55pm
ski,

It is my understanding, which is NOT based on personal experience, that the filters in fridges are mostly for taste. If you still have water pressure, the filter should work, though if electricity is off the fridge itself will be off.

I am using "pool shock" (recommended by SophiaZoe of this forum), or 68% calcium hypochlorite diluted down, to treat my stored water barrels. But I have also bought this ceramic siphon filter as insurance in case I have to seek other sources:

http://www.pwgazette.com/gravity.htm

The one I bought is "Style A," which seemed so simple I couldn't pass it up. They claim it can make pond water drinkable, but it is NOT FOR VIRUSES, only bacteria, giardia, etc. You would still need to treat with bleach for viruses, as I understand it.

If the water pressure goes off from the municipal water company, then you will need some stored. If you are on a well, then you need some way to pump the water up, or use a well bucket like this:

http://www.lehmans.com/shopping/search/searchresultsmain.jsp?fresh=1&searchType=advanced&iMainCat=0&iSubCat=0&attribute14=0&attribute15=0&attribute16=0&RS=1&keyword=well+bucket

I bought one for my 100' deep well.

Hope this helps.

Red
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Tea4Two Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 31 2006 at 2:10pm
Hi co_ski_bunny,
Yes, we are assuming that the water supply will be interrupted, polluted, untreated if it is on, or shut off, so storing water is vital. You can fill empty pop bottles, juice bottles, milk jugs, garbage cans with food grade liners, totes. Plastic swimming pools, rain barrels too. That will save money on bottled water. You will also need a way to filter water along with your bleach.
1-2 gallons/person/day for cooking and drinking. Other uses like laundry and showers are in addition to that.
One idea, is if your state has a deposit on plastic pop bottles, is to buy back some of them from the grocery store, and use them for non-drinking water storage using tap water. You don't need to add bleach to tap water.

Tea4Two
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Karianne Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 01 2006 at 8:00pm
Rocky, you asked if water still runs after the electric is out for several days. Last year during hurricane Wilma we were without power for 7 days. Our water did run BUT we were told to boil it so listen to your local radio (why a hand crank or battery radio is necessary) station for information regarding whether the water is safe to drink even if it does flow.
 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Guests Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 02 2006 at 6:17am

Bruss,

I read your post above about your water storage barrels & 40Acrediesel's response.  Most states have a place that they can send a water sample to and have the quality tested.  Out where I live when someone drills a well they generally do this.  They look for bacteria but also salts, heavy metals and things that occur from ground water contamination.   If you have stored water for awhile, in a drum, bottle, or have a nearby creek - pond . . . and you want to know for sure what your water quality is then pull a sample and have it sent out tested.  I think the charge is not much to do this - I'll see what I can find out locally.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote bruss01 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 02 2006 at 7:01am
Originally posted by fritz fritz wrote:

I am planning on treating all water. Even tap water can be hazzardess if power is on again, off again. I think it would be ok to catch the rain water in the rubbermaid trash can and then use drops of bleach to kill any bacteria or virus' and then filter to get out the bleach taste out. That is my personal plan. (not making rec. for anyone else mind you, I am far from an expert!)
 
Sounds like a good plan to me.  We captured rainwater over our "Dry Run" weekend.  We live under a gigantic oak tree, and the amount of organic material in the water we collected from the rooftop runoff was just unbelievable.  It looked like ice tea!  A bit of calcium hypochlorite cleared it right up, though.  I agree with chlorine treatment rather than boiling as a SHTF plan.  Fuel for boiling is likely to be more expensive and harder to replace than a few teaspoons of calcium hypochlorite when the water supply is "iffy".
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote fritz Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 02 2006 at 10:48am
HI bruss, thanks for hellping out here. I'm still a little confused re: calcium hypochlorite. I thought it was a heaping teaspoon to 2 gal of water to make "clorox" like solution to use by the dropperful to decon. other containers of water. Actually, I was planning on using 1/2 a well rounded teaspoon to a gallon jug since that seemed simpler to me. Is this not right to think that I'm making clorox with this. Is this amt to be added to water that is then to be filtered? That is the point I am unclear on.  Thanks in advance for your help. fritz :>}
(ps. I'm not really here, I'm just peeking in from my son's college library in Boston!) 
"I am only one; but still I am one, I cannot do everything, but still I can do something. I will not refuse to do the something I can do." -- Hellen Keller
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote redcloud Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 02 2006 at 10:52am
Fritz,

SophiaZoe has a good calcium hypochlorite protocol at the beginning of this forum. That's what I'm using too.

Red.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote fritz Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 02 2006 at 10:53am
 
Sorry, sorry sorry, my bad!
 
bruss, I just read your earlier post from above and now I am crystal clear so no need to repost again on my acct.  thanks!
I should've looked all the way up before I posted.
thanx again. :>}
"I am only one; but still I am one, I cannot do everything, but still I can do something. I will not refuse to do the something I can do." -- Hellen Keller
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote redcloud Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 02 2006 at 11:30am
Fritz,

Not criticizing! Just thought you would want to see it.

Red
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Rocky Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 03 2006 at 2:29pm
This question was asked but unanswered. Is it safe to chlorinate water, then run it rhough a filter to remove the chlorine taste. Or does that defeat the purpose of the chlorine? Rocky
Prepare for the Unexpected!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote bruss01 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 03 2006 at 3:04pm
Rocky,
 
I will offer my opinion on your question.  The chlorine needs time to kill infectious organisms and oxidize organic matter.  The rule of thumb is add the proper dose of chlorine, wait 30 minutes.  If you have a good filter, putting chlorine in the water before filtering it would be redundant.  If you are using chlorine, filtering will remove grit, organic matter and particles and make the water more pleasant to drink. 
 
If the smell/taste of the chlorine is all you find objectionable, this can be removed by letting the chlorinated water "stand" and evaporate some chlorine several hours, or aerating the water by pouring it back and forth between two containers for a while to liberate some of the chlorine.  So you do not need to filter the water unless you want to.
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