My friend in the water business gave me some good tips. Essentially, the chlorination method is your foundation for cleaning water. The problem comes with water stored in containers open to air (such as our water tanks and lines). To use that water, we should treat and filter it, after it leaves the tank and lines.
Dan uses UV treatment, in his drinking water vending machines (which I believe is placed before the RO membranes, doesn't matter for this story). UV will kill bacteria even when chlorine levels have dropped off, as well as the bacteria which can now live in pure chlorine. A UV unit before your carbon filter would be a good device. This link show below is Pura, and Dan said to talk to Ed Roberts. They have a 12 volt UV unit that can handle 1 gallon per minute. I don't know what it costs, but his big units are only about $150 or so.
http://www.hydrotechnology.com/newtext/products.htm
Now for the scary stuff. Last year a bunch of people died in a town in Canada....it was in the news. Same thing happened to a couple hundred people in Milwaukee, some years ago. The cause was Cryptospiridium parnum ococysts. This stuff, like Giardia, is a parasite in cyst form (unaffected by Chlorine, or UV) that turns into a parasite in your body. When the Milwaukee outbreak occurred, they were in full compliance with all federal water standards, at that time! The link below will take you to Katydyn site, who have the answer for removing this type of problem. These are low cost, effective water treatment devices. Read this site and you'll learn a lot.
http://www.katadyn.net/
Dan had a last recommendation for us.
1. Chlorinate our tanks properly, use filters carefully, keep our eyes and mouth shut when we clean with our tank water. He said be careful with any water treatments....whatever kills stuff can kill people. Even ozone treatment (very effective) can be bad for you in enclosed spaces.
2. Carry commercial bottled water for drink, etc. in small bottles, sealed, out of any direct sunlight.
3. When traveling (hotels, marinas, whatever) and you want a source of "cleaner than tap" water, get lots of ice from the commercial ice making machines. When water freezes, the particulate solids come to the top (that's the crustys on your ice cubes). Commercial ice makers have a flush cycle that rinses off the crustys. That way they don't get runaway bacteria in the cube locker, and it is less work/expense to maintain the machine. Melt the ice cubes and use it for your drinking water. It'll be safer and better tasting.
leinfam@earthlink.net
Water treatment safety
Moderator: Jim Walsh
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John R.
Thanks
This is good information, thank you. Katadyn has been a major player for years in water treatment. we used to use their portable units when backpacking.
For excellent info on the effects of machine made ozone check out the EPA website. Extremely informative information there on the dangers of ozone,usually more harm than good.
When as you say bacteria can survive in pure chlorine that should tell us all we should be extremely careful about consuming our tank water without first boiling it. The UV unit may be just the answer. I installed a UV unit on my home air conditioner here in Florida and what a huge difference it has made, no musty odors, no mold in the A/C unit, clean evaporator, clean drain tray, clean blower. No more A/C problems. I'm sitting here thinking about what it could do for the boat water supply.
For excellent info on the effects of machine made ozone check out the EPA website. Extremely informative information there on the dangers of ozone,usually more harm than good.
When as you say bacteria can survive in pure chlorine that should tell us all we should be extremely careful about consuming our tank water without first boiling it. The UV unit may be just the answer. I installed a UV unit on my home air conditioner here in Florida and what a huge difference it has made, no musty odors, no mold in the A/C unit, clean evaporator, clean drain tray, clean blower. No more A/C problems. I'm sitting here thinking about what it could do for the boat water supply.
JimL wrote: My friend in the water business gave me some good tips. Essentially, the chlorination method is your foundation for cleaning water. The problem comes with water stored in containers open to air (such as our water tanks and lines). To use that water, we should treat and filter it, after it leaves the tank and lines.
Dan uses UV treatment, in his drinking water vending machines (which I believe is placed before the RO membranes, doesn't matter for this story). UV will kill bacteria even when chlorine levels have dropped off, as well as the bacteria which can now live in pure chlorine. A UV unit before your carbon filter would be a good device. This link show below is Pura, and Dan said to talk to Ed Roberts. They have a 12 volt UV unit that can handle 1 gallon per minute. I don't know what it costs, but his big units are only about $150 or so.
http://www.hydrotechnology.com/newtext/products.htm
Now for the scary stuff. Last year a bunch of people died in a town in Canada....it was in the news. Same thing happened to a couple hundred people in Milwaukee, some years ago. The cause was Cryptospiridium parnum ococysts. This stuff, like Giardia, is a parasite in cyst form (unaffected by Chlorine, or UV) that turns into a parasite in your body. When the Milwaukee outbreak occurred, they were in full compliance with all federal water standards, at that time! The link below will take you to Katydyn site, who have the answer for removing this type of problem. These are low cost, effective water treatment devices. Read this site and you'll learn a lot.
http://www.katadyn.net/
Dan had a last recommendation for us.
1. Chlorinate our tanks properly, use filters carefully, keep our eyes and mouth shut when we clean with our tank water. He said be careful with any water treatments....whatever kills stuff can kill people. Even ozone treatment (very effective) can be bad for you in enclosed spaces.
2. Carry commercial bottled water for drink, etc. in small bottles, sealed, out of any direct sunlight.
3. When traveling (hotels, marinas, whatever) and you want a source of "cleaner than tap" water, get lots of ice from the commercial ice making machines. When water freezes, the particulate solids come to the top (that's the crustys on your ice cubes). Commercial ice makers have a flush cycle that rinses off the crustys. That way they don't get runaway bacteria in the cube locker, and it is less work/expense to maintain the machine. Melt the ice cubes and use it for your drinking water. It'll be safer and better tasting.
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JimL
Re: Thanks
I'm glad to hear the Katydyn is a good unit....I'm going to get one. By the way, Dan had a "thought" for boaters. He pointed out that distillation is still the best method, especially for seawater, to make drinking water. Dan says reverse osmosis watermakers are very dangerous (and prone to membrane damage) when left unused and "unpickled"......which is exactly what happens in boats. He says we would all be better off with an efficient distillation method, for making and/or purifying our water.
I don't know how to do it.....anybody got a great idea? I know it all comes down to "most efficient use of available calories". That rules out stove heating (especially alcohol), but perhaps some type of catalytic device, that could be hung over the transom? Diesel fuel has more calories per pound than gasoline, gasoline more than propane, propane more than butane, etc. etc......
I don't know how to do it.....anybody got a great idea? I know it all comes down to "most efficient use of available calories". That rules out stove heating (especially alcohol), but perhaps some type of catalytic device, that could be hung over the transom? Diesel fuel has more calories per pound than gasoline, gasoline more than propane, propane more than butane, etc. etc......