Water Quality

[tatom]

I know there has been alot discussed about drinking water, so I hope this is new material.

I live in the boondocks and we drink rain water. Everyone has at least one "oong" (sorry about the spelling, its a large concrete water jar, probably 100 gallons). Usually, everyone leaves the hose from the rain gutter in the opening and when it rains, the rainwater, dust, leaves, birdsh*t, etc. goes into the oong. I leave the hose out and cover the opening with a mosquito net and a cover. At the end of the rainy season, I empty and clean out my oongs, wash out the gutters with bleach, and fill them with fresh rainwater. I replace the mosquito nets and covers. This is usually in October. Soon, the rain stops and I figure Im good for the year.

My question is about the quality of the water in say, 6 months, 9 months, etc.? We have been doing this for 10 years with no obvious ill affects. The water tastes good, but if I remember from my schooldays, Columbus and those other explorers, had to find fresh water, as the water they had would go stale.

I once had water tested from my well in the states, and was told I had to put the water in a sterile bottle and get it to the labratory within 36 hours because the bacteria would multiply and not give a true reading. So, how come bottled springwater has a 2 year expiration date?

So, Im wondering if water goes stale or not?

[Sheryl]

I know there has been alot discussed about drinking water, so I hope this is new material.

I live in the boondocks and we drink rain water. Everyone has at least one "oong" (sorry about the spelling, its a large concrete water jar, probably 100 gallons). Usually, everyone leaves the hose from the rain gutter in the opening and when it rains, the rainwater, dust, leaves, birdsh*t, etc. goes into the oong. I leave the hose out and cover the opening with a mosquito net and a cover. At the end of the rainy season, I empty and clean out my oongs, wash out the gutters with bleach, and fill them with fresh rainwater. I replace the mosquito nets and covers. This is usually in October. Soon, the rain stops and I figure Im good for the year.

My question is about the quality of the water in say, 6 months, 9 months, etc.? We have been doing this for 10 years with no obvious ill affects. The water tastes good, but if I remember from my schooldays, Columbus and those other explorers, had to find fresh water, as the water they had would go stale.

I once had water tested from my well in the states, and was told I had to put the water in a sterile bottle and get it to the labratory within 36 hours because the bacteria would multiply and not give a true reading. So, how come bottled springwater has a 2 year expiration date?

So, Im wondering if water goes stale or not?

It's not that it goes "stale"but that any organisms (germs) present will multiply over time (less so if refrigerated). Although rain water itself should be free from contamination, there are many ways that organisms can get into the water containers. Whilethe water is relatively "fresh", the amount will be small but over time, especially when it is no longer raining so the water is still and stagnant, it will multiply.

I do exactly what you do (I prefer the tast of rainwater) except that I add the step of filtering the water using a counter-top water dispenser which contains a charcoal filter. This way I'm assured that any organisms that may have gotten into the oong are filtered out. Also, I pour the ater through a strainer when transferring it from the oong to the water dispensor, that's more to remove debris than bacteria.

This system has worked fine for me, water very good tasting and no health problems. My only difficulty is that my dispenser/filter device is getting old and worn and seems to no longer be manufactured, and I can't find anyhting else like it so far in Thailand. All the filters sold seem designed to fit onto taps.

There is one other method that can be used, which is solar disinfection. If you put the water into clear plastic containers and leave them in the sun, the UV rays will sterilize the water. For more info, try this link:

www.sodis.ch

Meanwhile if anyone out there knows where I can buy a simple one-step filter with water dispenser attached for counter top use, please advise!

[lopburi3]

I mentioned the unit imported from Korea earlier (expensive and large and three stage) but just tossed a Singer brand unit we have had for many years (unused) that contained a charcoal filter in a pitcher container so you might check the sewing machine store. Believe we got it as a promo for buying a refrigerator about 10 years ago. As we have an in line filter never used it. It specifically says only for city water systems.

[penzman]

When it rains, I have noticed that water coming from the roof carries a lot of dust that had settled on it, I can actually see the dust/sludge collecting on the ceramic tiles in the carpark. I wouldn't have the hoses funelling water to the oongs straight away but would wait a good 5-10 minutes before collecting it once it rains. That would surely help.

[tatom]

Thanks for the replys. As I said, I leave the hose out and wait till the end of the rainy season. By then, the roof and gutters are clean. Then I wait till we have a real downpour, let it rain 10-15 minutes and insert the hose. If its raining hard enough, the oong will fill in 15-20 minutes! These water vessels are really well designed. The spigot is about 10 inches off the bottom, so any debris either sinks to the bottom or floats to the top, and the water comes out clear. Ive noticed my Thai neighbors water also comes out clear although there is alot of debris floating or on the bottom. One neighbor doesnt have a cover and my wife once saw him reach in and pull out a dead chicken.

As for filters, Ive never bought one because, as I see it, they will filter out debris, but I dont believe a filter has yet been designed to filter out bacteria. Boiling is usually recomended, but Im too lazy to do that. Several years ago, I looked all over for a place that would test water, but had no luck. As our health doesnt seem to be affected, I guess I will just continue to keep everything as clean as possible and drink the rain water. It does taste good and the price is right.

[lopburi3]

Filters surly can filter out most bacteria and they have been used for many, many decades. The British ceramic candle type is the best known and almost every expat had one of these a few decades ago. There was a large ceramic container with one or more "candles" of slightly porous ceramic that water dripped through to collector at bottom. It was good for most situations other than virus and even if not 100% the levels of bacteria remaining your body would normally be able to take care of. Some places were so bad that boiling was also required (Dacca was one place) but that results in really foul tasting water in my opinion. The filter "candle" is still sold and used here in the normal three stage filter you see in most shop house restaurants but now is under pressure so works much faster than the one drip at a time of the old gravity system. They have also improved candles with silver making them much better. The reverse osmosis system is another good system but much newer. There is also UV light treatment. Any of these should be better than boiling for taste.

[penzman]

Every now and then, I pour bleach down our underground water tank or else it ends up smelling like boiled eggs.

[bazmlb]

when i use to live on our farm in australia we had charcoal and mesh filters, but these wont remove bacteria and the like, we had to add chlorine to the tanks to kill that then the filters were able to remove the cholrine, i am pretty sure this is why they have the reverse osmosis filters to remove the bacteria here.

[lopburi3]

Charcoal most surly will remove the larger, and most common, bacteria and is used for that. But it will not remove everything. This photo is the old standard candle ceramic filter that most people with the money used several decades ago and can still be purchased. Most have gone to SS tanks these days however. This is the Canada website for Doulton.

[Sheryl]

Yes, charcoal will filter out most bacteria and for a pretty clean water source to begin with (which rain water, properly collected and stored, is) it should be more than enough.

The methods the OP describes are good and his water should be pretty safe (and as he notes, no health problems to date). For extra safety, addition of a single stage filter (charcoal, ceramic or whatever) or UV disinfection would work without altering the taste. (Important though with charcoal filter to rinse the filter before use and each time the filter is changed, otherwise there will ne both taste and discoloration from the charcoal.