Water Filter for Everyday and Y2K

Our tap water has a foul smell somethig like mold or mildew...not sure. I would like to find a relativley inexspensive filter that I could also use in house if utilities are lost.

Ken Seger your in the area, any thoughts? Anyone else?

-- Mike (midwestmike_@hotmail.com), June 18, 1999

Answers

Along the same lines, supposing water was still being pumped into homes on a gravity feed but the treatment facilities were not treating the water being fed, how would you know that information in time to "clean" your drinking water. Just curious, as I was told in my area that water was on a gravity feed with no digital equipment, but not necessarily the treatment facilities.

-- NSmith (nitnat3@aol.com), June 18, 1999.

Try www.pwgazette.com I just got an order from them. After I placed my order, they called me back and told me how to accomplish what I want - at half the price! He could have doubled his revenue but chose to offer good service instead. They sell Doulton filters (same as the ones in the expensive systems) Mine is a siphoning system but I wanted cheap, not convenient. I have no interest in the company..just a satisfied customer.

-- (rick@ina.com), June 18, 1999.

Mike, I agree with Rick about the Doulton filters siphoning system. Inexpensive, high quality, quick, prompt service. Same address as above: http://www.pwgazette.com/pwp.htm Name of co. is pure water products. However, there are those who think that the more money you throw at something, of course, the better it will be. If you really want to be a GI, you have to go British Berkefield gravity water filters at&300.00+, part of the cult you know. Great if you can afford it and have room for it in your bugout bag.

-- Barb (awaltrip@telepath.com), June 18, 1999.

I have smelly bad tasting water also ( well). I bought a pur water filter pitcher a t Target for bout $15. THe filters are bout $8 each but last for bout 40 gallons of water. Works great. Lost the "oil slick" on my morning coffee. They also make some that filter out certain microbes. Worth looking into. Important as I drink a lot of water.

-- ve (tryinhard@hotmail.com), June 18, 1999.

In the case of over treatment by chlorine and chloramine, you might be able to use a cheap ammonia and chlorine aquarium test kit (less than 5 dollars for a week of once per day testing) to get an idea of what is going on. Of course, you'll have to test before the problems to get an idea of what is standard chlorine and ammonia levels in tap water.

Sincerely, Stan Faryna

-- Stan Faryna (info@giglobal.com), June 18, 1999.

Before you buy anything you need to have the water tested. There are companies that do this sort of thing. Once you know what's in the water, it's easier to buy the right filter system.

This is especially important if you are on a well, and there are chemical/industrial plants that may be contaminating your water source.

By the way, if the water smells like rotten eggs, that's just sulfer and it's not harmful. I have it in my water. It smells bad but that's about it.

DJ

-- DJ (reality@check.com), June 18, 1999.

If the water is bacteria and other pests free, passing the water over activated charcoal will remove most of the organic gunk. Here in St. Louis we get our tap water from either the Meramac or Mississippi river (gag). Every spring the water smells terrible as the melt runoff dumps all sorts of fun stuff in the river.

You can buy a Brita or other activated charcoal filter systems. You can also just buy some aquarium charcoal pour it into a pitcher of water and wait an hour or so. Aquarium charcoal has more dust in it than lab activated charcoal, so running it through a coffee filter would make it look nicer.

Now if the water is under a boil order (contaminated with unwanted life forms) then you have to micro filter (Katadyne, Berkfield, etc) or treat with chlorine, iodine, or boil before you use the activated charcoal.

-- Ken Seger (kenseger@earthlink.net), June 18, 1999.

We had a similar problem. The town water system's sand filter failed. Water was brown and smelled like a sewer.

We started filtering with a Brita but the little bugger just couldn't keep up with our demand. I would have needed three or four Britas.

We finally bought a Big Berky made by British Berkefeld. It will make, I think, 24-32 gallons of clean water a day.

The water is sparkling clear and tastes great.

It's not cheap, but I think it is a good value. I would buy another one in a heartbeat if I needed to. Fortunately, it will last me a lifetime.

Check it out at: http://www.safe-water.com/ap/a273sw/index.html

-- Walt (longyear@shentel.net), June 18, 1999.

I've got the Big Berky also. It works great. I was using the Pur faucet mounted filters but at $20 a pop to replace I think the BB is a better deal. The water tastes good. We have chlorine treated softened "city" water that does not taste too good. I use this filter all the time now, y2k or not. If the treatment plant fails we'll be ready.

mb in NC

-- mb (mdbutler@coastalnet.com), June 18, 1999.

Mike,

I have a PUR water filter and it works great. I bought a regular filter (vs the plus or ultimate) and bought the filters for the ultimate. The only difference is in the filters (comfirmed by the company). It's cheaper this way.

Hope this helps.

-- (southeastern@my-deja.com), June 19, 1999.

Talk to Gene Franks...Pure Water Products. I orginally bought a Katadyn pocket filter (great little unit and works beautifully). But Gene has years of working with water filters (installed the system at out local health food store -- which is where I first heard about him). I talked with Gene and he came up with a unit that everyone can afford and since I needed more for family members and couldn't afford Katadyns (or get them in a timely manner),I tried Gene's model. The Doulton filters use the same technology as the Katadyn (silver impregnated ceramic). you can get it set up for gravity feed or siphon. I bought bunches and now use it on a daily basis instead of buying water at the health food store. It pays for itself. For taste and cholrine you need to run it through a charcoal filter (I use Brita). But if you study the water problems as they currently exist in this country, you'd be filtering for micro-organisms too.

http://www.pwgazette.com/g ravity.htm

If so inclined, give Gene a call. He really will find a solution that fits your needs. I don't work for or with him...just enthusiastic about a truly nice person with a good heart.

-- Shelia (Shelia@active-stream.com), June 19, 1999.

Thanks to all for the input.

-- Mike (midwestmike_@hotmail.com), June 20, 1999.

Here in Portland, we have some of the purest water in the world, gravity fed to town. But then there's those !!VALVES!! Well most of us do. For some unknown reason, there is more talk of drawing water off the bottom of the Willamette River and processing it. YUK! I'm sure it is an economucks driven discussion. Oddly enough, one of the richest areas around here, already gets it. Hummmm baaarrter (*^)"--<

What worries me are the systems that have additives injected into the H2O system, with regards to controlling percentages etc. The recent SNASU in LA should alarm any operators that deal with H2O additives! This could be deadly! We in the business, use iodine to test the strength of the clorine in the new system. It comes in a test kit, and will show accurately in PPM, the strength of the clorine remaining, after a through flush of the system piping.

Stan is right on about aquarium test kits, but then there is the problem of over fluoridating H2O if it is added into your H2O system. We don't do that here, so I can not comment about it without further research.

Personally, I will use clay pots filled with active charcoal, and a test kit. Rain barrels are an easy fill here in the winter also. I'm thinking the water will not be out for long, if at all in this area.

BUT-- As the old Bachman (BTO) song says "bababababy.... you just ain't seen nothin' yet"

-- Michael (mikeymac@uswest.net), June 20, 1999.