Erik's Upgraded Drinking Water Storage w/Pics

[UncleLumpy]

Look into local bottling plants that do soda pop, etc.
Some places also have them left over from some solid foods like olives in brine, etc. These may have a residual flavor that can't/won't wash out.

Hoses used for human drinking (potable) water are available from RV stores and places like Wally World. Probably available through your local True Value etc.

If storing the drums outside, make sure they're protected from sunlight/UV deterioration.
To prevent freezing, place on a sheet of ply over a foam insulation sheet (the hard stuff).
Surround with hay bales, stacked tightly. Should stay unfrozen for quite a while. Only drawback is possible vermin/mice.
You could make an insulated box, place drums inside.
Cover with an insulated lid, like more rigid foam glued to ply.

[maetsack]

Score! - I just picked up two 55 Gal food grade PVC barrels for $25. They came from the good folks at Kraft and I even got them to sell me 4 extra barrel bungs for a buck a piece. Previous usage - vanilla flavouring - Mmmmm.

So here's my idea - I'm thinking if building a rain water collection canopy using some galvanized metal to form a V shaped roof. This roof will meet in the middle above a PVC eavestrough with one end open above a slow sand filter. The slow sand filter is a food grade bucket with layers of sand and charcoal that filter the water before it is deposited into the barrel. The unit will be built into a wooden chasis so that the components can be attached together. The idea is to have a self-contained collection-filtration-purification-storage system.

Now right now I see one problem in that a heavy rainfall could overwhelm the slow sand filter, but I can mitigate that by making the roof panels adjustable. Anyone anticipate any other problems?

[Y.T.]

re: hoses...

I discovered that an RV/Boat hose will work as well as a "drink safe" hose since it's marked "for potable water" on the front. Got one for only $15 at Ace in case anyone else needs to replace their lead-containing hose with a drinkable one.

[colinz]

Maetsack - What is the likelihood of having water contamination due to the zinc coating ont he steel washing off, or will the filter take care of that?

[maetsack]

Colinz - Good question. I need to account for at least 2 materials prior to hitting the filter - whatever the roof is made of and whatever the eavestrough is made of. I think I'm going to go with PVC eavestrough material. Even if it isn't intended to conduct potable water, the water will be in it for seconds before it hits the filter so . As for the roof, I'm now thinking maybe bare aluminum given we use it for cooking already. The V-roof could be two large un-coated cookie sheets if I can find such an animal.

Is there a type of steel/??? sheeting that would work better? Obviously it needs to be something that won't rust.

The filter itself is alternating layers of sand and charcoal. It works on the same principle as camping filters so I would assume it can filter out 99.9 of contaminants if built properly.

[jeremya]

Since I live in an apartment and will be for the foreseeable future. I am thinking of getting 4-6 5 gallon Food Grade Buckets to store water in.

like these:
http://beprepared.com/product.asp?pn=MS ... 1220899054

Any thoughts?

-- Jeremy

[dbruce]

jeremya,

Not sure but these:

http://beprepared.com/product.asp_Q_pn_ ... +Water+Kit

Might work out better.

Stackable--The buckets are too but a hit to the side may "pop" the lid. I know with grain in them it won't but not sure about water.

Web site has no mention of folding them flat when empty but I think they do. Takes up less room when empty.

Pour Spout would be handy. No dipping from the bucket!

Your choice, I like the boxes.

dbruce

[phil_in_cs]

viewtopic.php?p=587765

These are much easier to deal with when full. 25lbs rather than 50....

[colinz]

Is there a type of steel/??? sheeting that would work better? Obviously it needs to be something that won't rust.

I would have thought that a bonded-paint type steel sheeting (coloursteel over here) would be better than zinc coated steel, and that the plastic corrugated panels (called clearlight over here) would be even better.

Coloursteel

[Chef]

I've accumulated some 5-liter HDPE jugs that originally contained restaurant-grade balsamic vinegar. Because balsamic, even the cheap stuff, is a high-value product and comes all the way from Italy, these are some sturdy, tight sealing jugs. There's a separate rubber seal in the cap, and they're squared off for space-efficient storage. They fill a useful intermediate niche between a Nalgene and Erik's battery of drums, and they're free! Plus I get a warm fuzzy feeling from keeping useful gear out of the landfill.

Right now I mostly use 'em as weights for ruck march training. 5-liters of water = 11 lb. Makes calculation easy.

[Erik]

Bump for posterity.

[Biff]

. . .

[Erik]

Just a few minutes ago, I went down and tested my water. It tasted great and was quite clear. I did find out my bung (pump) was ruined and will clearly need to buy a new one.

[The Highwayman]

Boy, I sure wish I lived in Arizona-http://www.arizonabarrels.com/55_gallon_closed_top_blue_plastic_barrels_drums.html

$20 each for brand new food grade drums? Sheesh. I'm lucky if I can find them for $50 each here, used....

[Phoenix David]

Boy, I sure wish I lived in Arizona-http://www.arizonabarrels.com/55_gallon_closed_top_blue_plastic_barrels_drums.html

$20 each for brand new food grade drums? Sheesh. I'm lucky if I can find them for $50 each here, used....

They are used drums , but he is the guy I got mine from and he always knows what food was in them before. A good deal for folks in the area.

[supraneurotoxin]

man, you guys got it rough.

I can get these for 2 dollars a piece around here.

[KeeblerNinjaClan]

Boy, I sure wish I lived in Arizona-http://www.arizonabarrels.com/55_gallon_closed_top_blue_plastic_barrels_drums.html

$20 each for brand new food grade drums? Sheesh. I'm lucky if I can find them for $50 each here, used....

Goddammit, why didn't you post that when I was still living in Arizona

Where's YT? She needs to buy these.

[PureHavok]

I have a quick question for this.

For the longest time, my sufficiently old fashioned russian grandmother has been using vodka for, well everything. But one of those was spritzing her clothes with it so it kills any mold on it. It even makes the clothes look brighter and nicer. Now that im using this, plus seeing this thread. I have to wonder. Would a high proof vodka be able to replace the bleach you feel necessary to put in, or am I missing a seperate point for the bleach besides to prevent it from becoming a stacrid moldy soup. I only ask since I know plenty of people who are uncomfortable putting any amount of chemical in their body, no matter how small.

Also, I was wondering if there was a 'Uses for vodka' thread somewhere in the post graveyard. Im kinda hoping to corner that market.

[Lucretius]

I only ask since I know plenty of people who are uncomfortable putting any amount of chemical in their body, no matter how small.

Your friends, I assume, are dead?

Since ethanol is a "chemical", as well as every nutrient, they chose to starve to death rather than consume the evil bonding of atoms named molecules?

[/rant]

No, ethanol doesn't equal the chlorine in bleach in water sanitation. Use bleach or die....

[MT1]

I have one of these behind my pump house...


2500 gallons of water that is on constant cycle so it's always fresh, in the pump house there's air pressurized tanks that in a power outage will keep up the water pressure for quite a while, after that gravity feed works till it's almost empty.


I would love to have some of those 55 gal. drums in the house as backup, but having a basement in CA is pretty rare - I've always been envious of those with nice basements.

[cabbagerun]

Ok so i am trying to go the easy way. I wanted to fill 2 liter bottles and store those but, I don't drink soda so I ask my neighbor if I can have his. He says sure when he puts out the recycling bins, just grab what I want.

Great!

Free water containers. What he failed to mention to me is he dips and uses his 2 liters as a spittoon.

Ewwwww........

[DropZedFred]

I have one of these behind my pump house...

Would you mind sharing?
Brand, cost, install notes, configuration, etc?
Since it is behind the pump house, I'm assuming it is pressure fed to the top, air bled and supplying from the bottom?
What happens when the pumps die? Again, assuming static head pressure takes over and things are OK until the levels drop?
Any check valves to keep from bleeding back?
Thanks!

[Merovech]

I have one of these behind my pump house...


2500 gallons of water that is on constant cycle so it's always fresh, in the pump house there's air pressurized tanks that in a power outage will keep up the water pressure for quite a while, after that gravity feed works till it's almost empty.


I would love to have some of those 55 gal. drums in the house as backup, but having a basement in CA is pretty rare - I've always been envious of those with nice basements.

I plan on doing something similar only with rainwater collection and a cistern about half that size... something like this:



or this:



Hopefully the cost wont be too much... use it for my garden and keep the flow going, Ill still have to purify the water before consumption but at least I wont be scouting for water in a bug-in situation.

[Erik]

*bump*

I have not changed the water. It is now nearly two and a half years old. Today, I tasted the water. Tastes just fine. The chlorine really did the trick. I think I will switch the water out when it warms up, just to be on the cautious side.