My question is how can I sweeten and purify my cistern water? The water developes a smell from leaves and blossoms in the gutter and roof. Any help will be appriecated.

-- Jerry Hughes (jhughes@ zoomnet.net), July 17, 1999

Answers

A lot depends on what kind of leaves, blossoms, etc. For example, if you have oak leaves, you are leaching tannins. Usual recommendations are to have a diverter in the system so you can flush the roof clean before saving the water. Also keep your gutters cleaned out every fall and additionally when necessary. As far as cleaning the water you have now, perhaps easiest, IF THE WATER IS ESSENTIALLY CLEAN AND CLEAR, is to filter the water through a charcoal filter. These filters are widely available and are commonly used to clean (remove "taste and odor") up water for drinking...I've seen them in Sears and Home Depot. If the water is dirtier, then cleaning it up is harder to do. One technic used on fish farms is to pump the water through a sand filter then over crushed oyster shell to clean the water and balance the pH. A lot depends on exactly what you have in the water and how much water you have to clean. An additional problem may be microbial contamination. The usual recommendation here is chlorination to kill off the bugs. Your county public health people (if you wish to involve them) can help with testing and treatment methods. The charcoal filter will then remove the chlorine.

-- Nick (nikoda@pdqnet.com), July 17, 1999.

One of the best and most convenient water filters you can buy is Bristish Berkefeld's "Big Berkey." It's not cheap but I think it's a good value.

There were lots of ads for "Big Berkey" in the last issue of Countryside. Check out the magazine or go to this site:

http://www.safe-water.com/ap/a273sw/index.html

-- walt (longyear@shentel.net), July 19, 1999.

I hope you don't mind, but I'm trying to learn how to create a hyperlink and this is a test.

http://www.safe-water.com/ap/a273sw/index.html

longyear@shentel.net), July 21, 1999.

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It appears the test is not successful. Sorry.

-- walt (longyear@shentel.net), July 21, 1999.

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ozonate the tank or the water and filter the water withdrawn through a carbon filter. The ozonater kills nearley all bacteria and viri and converts to peroxide which kills more bugs in being more persistant then is mostley removed by the carbon filter - small amounts of these dont seem as harmful to vertibrate as clorine. another alternitive is iodinating , some iodine is required to prevend goiter and the amount in the water is reduced by a carbon filter to the level that is relativey safe for continous consumption. a microscope or a culture dish will help check the quality of the water

-- dl (dljohnson123@mindspring.com), August 24, 1999.

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