This is NOT a question about commissioning or shock treatment, but about normal treatment. Here's the scenario. You've just sailed from Port Isabel to Isla Mujeres, where you fill your tanks with water. Your tanks are in fine shape. The water may smell and taste sweet. But I advise you not to taste it. Yet. In most places outside the US, including Mexico, the running water is not potable. Unless you are fond of intestinal disorder, you should first sterilize the water. In apartments and houses, people often put on a pot of water to boil each morning, and after ten or fifteen minutes, it becomes their drinking water for the day. The other alternative, and more convenient on a boat, is chemical sterilization. Neither of these will purify water. The intent is solely to kill the microorganisms therein. (Algae is not the concern.) Peggie, what do you recommend for chemical sterilization? Is 1 tsp bleach per 10 gallons water inadequate? And if not chlorine, then what do you recommend? (BTW, if you can afford it, the easy and most palatable solution is bottled water. But it is as expensive in Mexico as in the US, and not available everywhere.)
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We've never gotten involved in...
true water "purification". With the possible exception of any well water that's become contaminated, any water taken on in th US is safe...it can just grow a few "critters" that make it a little unpleasant tasting and smelling. Our directions for recommissioning a system do a dandy job of curing that problem--which is the only problem that 99% of the people here will ever have...but I'm not about to recommend it as a means of actually purifying water from unsafe sources. I leave that to experts in that particular field. Your methods certainly make sense for the other 1% who actually sail into waters where the water isn't safe to drink...and btw, if it isn't safe to drink don't wash dishes in it either unless you boil it first. And don't eat raw vegetables either. Otoh, you can just avoid the problem altogether by drinking only margaritas and beer.
)))
true water "purification". With the possible exception of any well water that's become contaminated, any water taken on in th US is safe...it can just grow a few "critters" that make it a little unpleasant tasting and smelling. Our directions for recommissioning a system do a dandy job of curing that problem--which is the only problem that 99% of the people here will ever have...but I'm not about to recommend it as a means of actually purifying water from unsafe sources. I leave that to experts in that particular field. Your methods certainly make sense for the other 1% who actually sail into waters where the water isn't safe to drink...and btw, if it isn't safe to drink don't wash dishes in it either unless you boil it first. And don't eat raw vegetables either. Otoh, you can just avoid the problem altogether by drinking only margaritas and beer.
)))Water Purification
One solution to ensuring potable water is to utilize a water purifier, such as the ones used by backpackers. I use a PUR Voyager which is around $75-80 at most any store that carries serious backpacking equipment. With this I can purify 5 gallons of water in about 20-30 minutes. I am not sure if there is purifier that can be plugged into the main water system. Please note that there is a big difference between water filters and water purifiers. The PUR water purifiers have a filter which I think is 0.2 microns which filters out Giardia cysts, bacteria, and most viruses and is impregnated with iodine to kill whatever is not filtered out. I hope this helps to answer some of your questions. Paul Bednarzyk S/V Knot Again
One solution to ensuring potable water is to utilize a water purifier, such as the ones used by backpackers. I use a PUR Voyager which is around $75-80 at most any store that carries serious backpacking equipment. With this I can purify 5 gallons of water in about 20-30 minutes. I am not sure if there is purifier that can be plugged into the main water system. Please note that there is a big difference between water filters and water purifiers. The PUR water purifiers have a filter which I think is 0.2 microns which filters out Giardia cysts, bacteria, and most viruses and is impregnated with iodine to kill whatever is not filtered out. I hope this helps to answer some of your questions. Paul Bednarzyk S/V Knot Again
Potable Water
Been THere: Here are a couple of notes that I wrote for CWBB. I recommend that you chlorinate everery other time you fill your tank. One rule of thumb to keep in mind is "If you can smell chlorine in the water, you probably added to much chlorine". Please let me know if you have additional questions, Matias By my calculations you only need about 0.03 ml of Clorox (7% Available chlorine)/per gallon of storage to get around 5 ppm (ml/l) of residual chlorine. 100 gallon tank requires 3 ml of Clorox. One drop equals 0.01 mls. This calculation is only valid if you start with clean municipal water, not from a well. This should last about two weeks in an enclosed tank (with minimum evaporation). Over chlorination may have some negative effects on your health and your boat's plumbing. EPA Stage 1 D/DBP Rule requires that the maximum residual disinfectant Level (MRDLG) or maximum residual disinfectant level (MRDL) be 4 mg/l (ppm) of free Chlorine for drinking water. If you fill your tanks with municipal water (must meet the above requirement). I add chlorine to my tank to ensure safe drinking water because the water in the tank may be left unattended for several days. Evaporation of the chlorine and the chlorine is used to disinfect the plumbing use the free available chlorine. Over chlorination can produce D/DBPs like Chloroform, Bromoform, Trihalometanes (THM), Halo Acetic Acids (HAA) and other compounds. This stuff is not good for you (period). If you use untreated or an unknown water supply regularly, you should get a lab analysis to determine the proper dosage. If you are in a foreign country your best bet is to use a reverse osmosis water purification unit followed by chlorine for disinfection.
Been THere: Here are a couple of notes that I wrote for CWBB. I recommend that you chlorinate everery other time you fill your tank. One rule of thumb to keep in mind is "If you can smell chlorine in the water, you probably added to much chlorine". Please let me know if you have additional questions, Matias By my calculations you only need about 0.03 ml of Clorox (7% Available chlorine)/per gallon of storage to get around 5 ppm (ml/l) of residual chlorine. 100 gallon tank requires 3 ml of Clorox. One drop equals 0.01 mls. This calculation is only valid if you start with clean municipal water, not from a well. This should last about two weeks in an enclosed tank (with minimum evaporation). Over chlorination may have some negative effects on your health and your boat's plumbing. EPA Stage 1 D/DBP Rule requires that the maximum residual disinfectant Level (MRDLG) or maximum residual disinfectant level (MRDL) be 4 mg/l (ppm) of free Chlorine for drinking water. If you fill your tanks with municipal water (must meet the above requirement). I add chlorine to my tank to ensure safe drinking water because the water in the tank may be left unattended for several days. Evaporation of the chlorine and the chlorine is used to disinfect the plumbing use the free available chlorine. Over chlorination can produce D/DBPs like Chloroform, Bromoform, Trihalometanes (THM), Halo Acetic Acids (HAA) and other compounds. This stuff is not good for you (period). If you use untreated or an unknown water supply regularly, you should get a lab analysis to determine the proper dosage. If you are in a foreign country your best bet is to use a reverse osmosis water purification unit followed by chlorine for disinfection.
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