# Bad water question



## budgetprepp-n (Apr 7, 2013)

Ok so if you put tap water in an old washed out milk jug it may not be good to drink a year from now.
But wouldn't it be ok to have that water around to use for washing and stuff like that? 
Use tiny bit of bleach in each jug?

I mean you can store up plenty over a little time For "FREE" and every gallon you use later will be a 
gallon of good drinking water saved. If your on a budget this could help conserve the water you need to buy.
And you will have jugs to reuse for something else.

I don't think a lot of pepole realize how much water we use and how important having water is and will be.

I have been using only my back up water system now for about 6 months. I was surprised how much water
I was using. I was also surprised how easy it is to conserve water with just a little effort.

This is where my running water for the BOL will be pumped from. I like the idea of having running 
water and be able to flush a toilet is a huge plus.

I have a electric water heater I'm going to switch over to propane so I can have hot and cold running
water after TSHTF


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## Camel923 (Aug 13, 2014)

My parents saved extra water like that. So do I.


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## Prepared One (Nov 5, 2014)

I found a roadside place that sells used 250 gallon tanks that where used in the food industry. I was thinking of picking a couple up and using these in a rain catchment system. Then I can use this water for plants in the back yard and have extra storage for flushing toilets and washing as suggested. Using the clean stored water for drinking and cooking only. I have a swimming pool so I have plenty of storage but if in the tank it would be easier to manage. Just wondering if it's worth the time or not,


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## Camel923 (Aug 13, 2014)

I think you have a great idea Prepared One.


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## tinkerhell (Oct 8, 2014)

. I wash my milk jugs with warm water ( cold congeals fats, heat cooks protiens) Then i soak them with anti-bacterial dish soap and water. 

They pass the nose test, and do not produce any odor or flavor with 30 day old water. I have atleast a dozen that keep my dogs water dish full. I use them same jugs for tailgate water. I drink it with no concerns.

If they go sour on the counter before i wash them, then i send them straight to recycling


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## 8301 (Nov 29, 2014)

Prepared One, I'd do it if you can mount the tanks a few feet above where you'll be using the water. I keep wanting to use my barn's metal roof with good gutters to collect water but the barn is lower down on the property and I'd have to pump or carry the water up 20' elevation to use it.


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## budgetprepp-n (Apr 7, 2013)

FoolAmI said:


> Prepared One, I'd do it if you can mount the tanks a few feet above where you'll be using the water. I keep wanting to use my barn's metal roof with good gutters to collect water but the barn is lower down on the property and I'd have to pump or carry the water up 20' elevation to use it.


You need to figure out how to move that water up to where you need it.

Is there any way to have a drum or something mounted up high close to where the spouting starts? 
The higher you mount your water the farther it will go up that hill if you can get it higher than where it needs to go
it will flow the hole way

Water is one of the most important preps. We die without it.


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## budgetprepp-n (Apr 7, 2013)

Prepared One said:


> I found a roadside place that sells used 250 gallon tanks that where used in the food industry. I was thinking of picking a couple up and using these in a rain catchment system. Then I can use this water for plants in the back yard and have extra storage for flushing toilets and washing as suggested. Using the clean stored water for drinking and cooking only. I have a swimming pool so I have plenty of storage but if in the tank it would be easier to manage. Just wondering if it's worth the time or not,


If you can get a good price on these and have a place to put them just think what they will be worth after SHTF
You could trade one of those for something you need.


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## paraquack (Mar 1, 2013)

So budgetprepp-n, I'm curious. Are the tanks in the photo connected to you water system so the 
water is constantly refresh? Or even better, are they in line before the hot water heater so they 
temper the water so the hot water heaters doesn't have to work so hard? I'm watch for a dead 
but non-leaker hot water heater to put in front of my hot water heater for tempering and to add
another 30-50 gallons to my 300 gallon supply.


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## GTGallop (Nov 11, 2012)

PQ - When I looked into Solar Hot-Water, they had that already. Basically one tank that was just a tank and then the Hot Water Heater. Your roof had the solar collector on it and there was a small pump like you would find on a hot water loop that did just that. Pumped from the HWH to the roof, and back into the holding tank that fed into the HWH. When you turned the tap on, hot water would come from the HWH but the idea was that it was already heated so there was no need to heat it. If for some reason it was night, it would kick on and provide heat. City water fed into the large storage tank.

The nice part was that you had about 100 gallons of hot water on tap and the cost was minimal.


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## budgetprepp-n (Apr 7, 2013)

paraquack said:


> So budgetprepp-n, I'm curious. Are the tanks in the photo connected to you water system so the
> water is constantly refresh? Or even better, are they in line before the hot water heater so they
> temper the water so the hot water heaters doesn't have to work so hard? I'm watch for a dead
> but non-leaker hot water heater to put in front of my hot water heater for tempering and to add
> another 30-50 gallons to my 300 gallon supply.


 The tanks are tied into my water system right at the accumulator tank the water in the tank goes everywhere
the water from the well would go. The tanks can be filled from the well or a spring or if all else fails I 
can open a valve and collect rain water if I need to. 
The pumps for the tanks are 12 volt and they get there power from my solar set up so I have water
even if the grid goes down. I have an electric water heater I would like to switch over to a 
propane water heater. Then I would have running water hot and cold with no grid


The set up has two pumps but I only run one at a time sort of like a ready to go spare pump 


I can also fill the tanks with city water from a tote I have a place to fill the tanks from outside


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## Will2 (Mar 20, 2013)

Water is a chemical substance H20, it contains two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom according to science. Commonly 2H20 is the common form. water can contain extra oxygen, this is what fish breath, they get the oxygen from the water, but oddly die in air, which is a mixture mostly composed of nitrogen. Nitrogen can kill humans if they are underwater with it in large amounts, oddly enough. 

To answer your question, the key is to get your water back to as close to 2H20 as possible through filtration or other cleaning methods. The shock method is based on killing any bad lifeforms with a strong agent.Bear in mind it can also kill good lifeforms in your stomach, as there are more little living organisms in the body than human cells of your body.

In mind of water just remember we need electrolytes too so remember to stock salt. Do not think eating dirt in small amounts is bad for you, it is good for you as long as it isn't contaminated.


Two cool models come to mind. The castle cistern, and rainbarrels. 

Bottled water is good, and it is likely ok to drink (might not be though)

I leave water for many months at a time when I go between school and home, hasn't killed me yet.


Bleach = 

A mixture of sodium hypochlorite (bleach, 40%

reaks.


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## jdbushcraft (Mar 26, 2015)

Will, will, will... Please stop. You are so wrong about so much in this post that it hurts.


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## jdbushcraft (Mar 26, 2015)

.....


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## jdbushcraft (Mar 26, 2015)

Will2 said:


> Water is a chemical substance H20, it contains two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom according to science. Commonly 2H20 is the common form. water can contain extra oxygen, this is what fish breath, they get the oxygen from the water, but oddly die in air, which is a mixture mostly composed of nitrogen. Nitrogen can kill humans if they are underwater with it in large amounts, oddly enough.
> 
> To answer your question, the key is to get your water back to as close to 2H20 as possible through filtration or other cleaning methods. The shock method is based on killing any bad lifeforms with a strong agent.Bear in mind it can also kill good lifeforms in your stomach, as there are more little living organisms in the body than human cells of your body.
> 
> ...


H2O is one molecule of water. 2H2O is two molecules of water. 3H2O is three molecules. There is no extra anything, especially oxygen. H2O2 has an extra oxygen atom, but that is hydrogen peroxide. The AIR that fish breath, note air and not oxygen, is dissolved in the water as tiny air bubbles and not part of the water molecules. 
Filtering and contamination do not change the water molecule. Contaminated water is still H2O. You can not filter something that is not H2O into being H2O.
Large amounts of dissolved nitrogen are not harmful unless you are changing altitude or depth quickly. Your body is saturated at about 78% nitrogen right now


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## Logout (Nov 11, 2015)

Milk jugs are a poor choice for water storage. Think about it. Milk jugs are designed to be manufactured as cheaply as possible. In short, they are flimsy and by design have a short useful life. If used in northern climates they will burst if frozen. There are much better choices.

Most folks as evidenced in this thread already know this but I thought it worth saying.

Want to recycle something for water storage ? Try Juicy Juice bottles. Those things are darn near indestructible as well as freeze proof. The only drawback is they only hold about a half gallon.


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## jdbushcraft (Mar 26, 2015)

Logout said:


> Milk jugs are a poor choice for water storage. Think about it. Milk jugs are designed to be manufactured as cheaply as possible. In short, they are flimsy and by design have a short useful life. If used in northern climates they will burst if frozen. There are much better choices.
> 
> Most folks as evidenced in this thread already know this but I thought it worth saying.
> 
> Want to recycle something for water storage ? Try Juicy Juice bottles. Those things are darn near indestructible as well as freeze proof. The only drawback is they only hold about a half gallon.


Yes. Milk jugs are designed to break down and often leak within a year. It is also very hard to get all the fat out of the jug and it will turn rancid, forcing you to filter it anyway.


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## Will2 (Mar 20, 2013)

jdbushcraft said:


> H2O is one molecule of water. 2H2O is two molecules of water. 3H2O is three molecules. There is no extra anything, especially oxygen. H2O2 has an extra oxygen atom, but that is hydrogen peroxide. The AIR that fish breath, note air and not oxygen, is dissolved in the water as tiny air bubbles and not part of the water molecules.
> Filtering and contamination do not change the water molecule. Contaminated water is still H2O. You can not filter something that is not H2O into being H2O.
> Large amounts of dissolved nitrogen are not harmful unless you are changing altitude or depth quickly. Your body is saturated at about 78% nitrogen right now


Hey man I actually have taken chemistry, but just to correct you

Water is common polarelectric at 2(H20) a water bond is not commonly H20, as many people think.

Here is a primer for you, but no you don't seem to understand science, sorry.

Dissolved Oxygen - Environmental Measurement Systems

Much like oxygen being saturated into water, so to can other chemicals and biological substances.

By bringing stuff back to as close as water as you can, you take the solution and remove unwanted solutes from the mixture.

Contaminated water IS NOT H20 it is a solution with H20 and other chemicals in it, which may or may not have altered chemically in whole or part based upon possible chemical reactions.

You most certainly can filter a mixture of chemicals that is not H20 back to H20.

You don't seem to understand basic chemistry here.

Dude you are grossly mistaken on your science, please educate yourself and stop the senseless attacks.

http://chemistry.about.com/od/waterchemistry/f/Why-Is-Water-A-Polar-Molecule.htm

I have not been wrong and I am not wrong now. You are blinded by some sort of idiocy that likely dwells in your beliefs being misguided I suggest you check your head because it is faulty.

Your tap water or bottled water is NOT H20, it is 2H20 and other substances that comprise a mixture you commonly call water. Learn science and stop attacking me.

For example here is an interesting on what "water" is in New York - http://www.businessinsider.com/15-p...-found-in-new-york-city-drinking-water-2011-8

Meanwhile we have https://news.ifas.ufl.edu/2014/09/dont-drink-the-warm-water-ufifas-study-says/

"While the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has said BPA is not a major concern at low levels found in beverage containers, it continues to study the chemical's impacts. Some health officials, including those at the Mayo Clinic, say the chemical can cause negative effects on children's health."

http://www.foxnews.com/health/2014/02/03/how-clean-is-your-city-drinking-water.html

bottom line, learn chemistry and stop lying to people.

Actually you are wrong, Learn diving, I am a diver and the danger is not only in quick ascents and descents but total saturation levels.

Learn about it before you put off like you know what you are talking about dude. You are a total hack when it comes to your information, totally untrusted source.

Your quack science and biomedical advice could kill people. jdbushcraft you have no freaken clue what you are talking about, and I suggest you keep your mouth shut unless you actually know what you are talking about.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inert_gas_asphyxiation

DO NOT LISTEN TO JDBUSHCRAFT HE MAY KILL YOU!!!
http://scuba.about.com/od/Theory/p/Residual-Nitrogen-Time-Rnt-And-Scuba-Diving.htm


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## jdbushcraft (Mar 26, 2015)

The leading 2 simply means 2 molecules of H2O. Fish breath dissolved air, not bonded oxygen. Water with an extra Oxygen atom is hydrogen peroxide .
As for diving, I am a NAUI Master diver with over 1000 pool hours and over 700 dives. I have assisted in instructing the local college diving course and 4 years worth of shop students. High levels of N2 are NOT dangerous. That is called saturation diving. People live for days or weeks with their bodies/blood 100% saturated for their depth with nitrogen. Dissolved nitrogen isn't dangerous. It is bad when the pressure your body is under changes (becomes less) and the nitrogen comes out of solution and forms bubbles. We don't track resid N2 because it is "dangerous". We track it because it will eventually put you into needing decompression time, and as a regular diver you aren't supposed to be doing dives requiring deco,though technically all dives are deco dives.

New York's water is still H2O, no matter how much other dissolved crap is in it. That is not a chemical Bond. Just like koolaid is water with dissolved sugar. Still h2o


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## Kauboy (May 12, 2014)

jdbushcraft said:


> New York's water is still H2O, no matter how much other dissolved crap is in it. That is not a chemical Bond. Just like koolaid is water with dissolved sugar. Still h2o


In fairness, he said it was a solution, not a chemical bond with water.
A solution can be filtered to reduce the concentration of other chemicals, and try to reach a more pure solution of water.


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## Mosinator762x54r (Nov 4, 2015)

Not to get off topic...but how long does water last stored up in sealed containers? I've heard everything from 6 months to indefinitely. I'll start another thread if need be just thought the question meshed well with the topic at hand.


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## jdbushcraft (Mar 26, 2015)

Kauboy said:


> In fairness, he said it was a solution, not a chemical bond with water.
> A solution can be filtered to reduce the concentration of other chemicals, and try to reach a more pure solution of water.


He also said it may or may not have bonded. If it formed chemical bonds it is no longer water and you can't filter it and get water. Substances in solution with water can be removed either by filter, distillation or activated carbon, which, as you say, results in a more pure solution of water.


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## jdbushcraft (Mar 26, 2015)

Mosinator762x54r said:


> Not to get off topic...but how long does water last stored up in sealed containers? I've heard everything from 6 months to indefinitely. I'll start another thread if need be just thought the question meshed well with the topic at hand.


If you want to know how long it is drinkable, it can vary depending on the container, temperature it is kept at and how pure it was when sealed.


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## tinkerhell (Oct 8, 2014)

Mosinator762x54r said:


> Not to get off topic...but how long does water last stored up in sealed containers? I've heard everything from 6 months to indefinitely. I'll start another thread if need be just thought the question meshed well with the topic at hand.


Thousands of years if frozen.


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## azrancher (Dec 14, 2014)

paraquack said:


> So budgetprepp-n, I'm curious. Are the tanks in the photo connected to you water system so the
> water is constantly refresh?


PQ, back in the 70's we had SunPower install many tracking parabolic hot water systems, they used a 120 gallon hot water heater for storage.

I put an ad in the paper offering to remove their systems for free, I got many takers, you might try Craigs lists.

They are worth a bunch in aluminum and copper, I have 3 of the tanks re-purposed to store diesel.

*Rancher*


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