Author Topic: Solutions for not disgusting water  (Read 3955 times)

Wrecks

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Solutions for not disgusting water
« on: December 28, 2017, 11:13:44 AM »
Since I moved into my new place 5 years ago, I've been spending money on a water cooler and water. The water at my house, while not actively toxic (I had it tested) tastes like a combination of rust and sulfurous rotten eggs. I think I might be living over the pits of hell?

Are there any more cost-effective solutions than buying these giant jugs of water? Don't tell me to get used to the taste of my water, it is absolutely revolting :-)

nessness

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Re: Solutions for not disgusting water
« Reply #1 on: December 28, 2017, 11:40:46 AM »
If you're currently having jugs of water delivered, you could probably save money by refilling them yourself - some grocery stores have machines to refill jugs with filtered water.

galliver

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Re: Solutions for not disgusting water
« Reply #2 on: December 28, 2017, 11:51:53 AM »
A filter might be cheaper, though there is a range...my on-faucet Pur filter took a new filter every 2-3 months, they were $10 ea in a 6 pack, I think.

I also sometimes add fruit to mildly bad-tasting water  to make it more drinkable (cucumber, citrus).

PS prepare yourself for "it's water just buck up and drink it" comments.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk


lbmustache

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Re: Solutions for not disgusting water
« Reply #3 on: December 28, 2017, 11:56:32 AM »
How much do these jugs of water cost?

I've never had one or known someone with one before - is there a reason people (outside of office spaces) buy these instead of a Brita pitcher in the fridge, etc.?

robartsd

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Re: Solutions for not disgusting water
« Reply #4 on: December 28, 2017, 11:57:30 AM »
If you're currently having jugs of water delivered, you could probably save money by refilling them yourself - some grocery stores have machines to refill jugs with filtered water.
That's what I'd recommend too. Arround here it's about $0.35/gallon to refill at a grocery or about $1.40/gallon to have water delivered. I did live in a place once with water that was like you described - the water was really only good for sanitation; we even used bottled water to make cool-aid there. Don't listen if the comments predicted by galliver come along.

The house I grew up in had water that tasted fine right out of the tap. Most places I've lived a simple activated carbon filter (Brita, Pur, etc.) has been enough to bring the water up to a quaility that I would drink.

Chrissy

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Re: Solutions for not disgusting water
« Reply #5 on: December 28, 2017, 12:36:19 PM »
We use the iSpring RCC7 5-stage reverse osmosis filter from Amazon ($186) in our apartment.  My husband installed it.

FireHiker

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Re: Solutions for not disgusting water
« Reply #6 on: December 28, 2017, 12:42:40 PM »
We have the Watts Premier RO Pure system from Costco, installed ourselves. Highly recommend!

robartsd

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Re: Solutions for not disgusting water
« Reply #7 on: December 28, 2017, 04:32:09 PM »
Installing an under-sink RO system is a good idea. I estimate that the costs per gallon should be $0.04-$0.07.

System: $200/20000 gallons = $0.01/gallon
Filters: $40/2000 gallons = $0.02/gallon
Water: $20-40/10000 gallons * 2-10 gallons used/1 gallon treated = $0.004-0.04


BudgetSlasher

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Re: Solutions for not disgusting water
« Reply #8 on: December 28, 2017, 04:43:11 PM »
Are you on a well? Do you also get an "orange slime mold" when in the toilets? Or does your water turn orange and solids precipitate when boiler?

Thegoblinchief

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Re: Solutions for not disgusting water
« Reply #9 on: December 28, 2017, 05:52:41 PM »
Look at Berkey water filters as an alternative to RO systems. They’re very well liked products.

Lmoot

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Re: Solutions for not disgusting water
« Reply #10 on: December 29, 2017, 06:25:51 AM »
I have a Berkey and love it.  My favorite things: it comes straight from the tap into a metal canister, so no sitting in plastic. The water taste delicious, and it filters a majority of micro organisms, which means it can be used even during a boil water notice, or in an emergency situation. But my favorite thing probably, is that for the amount of water we use daily, the filter won’t need to be changed for about five years, or possibly longer. It’s pretty, too.

batemama

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Re: Solutions for not disgusting water
« Reply #11 on: December 29, 2017, 07:33:38 AM »
and it filters a majority of micro organisms, which means it can be used even during a boil water notice, or in an emergency situation.

I would highly recommend to boil drinking water during a boil order or an emergency. Filters are not effective at removing viruses and have low effectiveness at removing bacteria. Also, never drink water during a “don’t drink water” notice (rarely happens). That means there’s shit in there that can’t be boiled or filtered out.

I’m mostly here to offer my sympathy. This is how my grandma’s water tasted growing up. They drank it, but I would rather die of thirst when I visited. They’ve since has city water installed, but the awful taste lingers in her pipes. I still drink a ton of water before visiting her to avoid that awful taste. *shudders*

Lmoot

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Re: Solutions for not disgusting water
« Reply #12 on: December 29, 2017, 08:36:10 AM »
^ True points; Especially concerning viruses. I was thinking more of an emergency situation where potable water is not accessible. Like recently with Irma where you couldn’t find bottled water anywhere. But you are right, it shouldn’t be a standard go to. For a boil water notice I would definitely reach for bottled water first.

robartsd

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Re: Solutions for not disgusting water
« Reply #13 on: December 29, 2017, 08:43:06 AM »
Look at Berkey water filters as an alternative to RO systems. They’re very well liked products.
Berkey is not available in Iowa and California because they are not NSF certified. They claim their third party testing is more rigorous and that they simply don't want to deal with these state's certification process. On both their pages for California and Iowa they blatently lie: "Although our extensive testing is sufficient for 49 states in the US, it is currently not acceptable for residents of the state ______." Their testing is sufficient for only 48 states in the US (I'm not sure how many of those states actually have testing requirements). I see nothing on Berkey's site that indicates how their filtration works. I simply would not trust them.

Bucksandreds

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Re: Solutions for not disgusting water
« Reply #14 on: December 29, 2017, 09:44:41 AM »
I’ve done lots of research before on this. Buy a highly rated RO system on Amazon and install it yourself under the sink.  Its by far the cleanest water at the lowest long term price and least long term hassle.

Lmoot

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Re: Solutions for not disgusting water
« Reply #15 on: December 29, 2017, 10:30:07 AM »
^that’s interesting. Hmm, must be why I’ve seen on some products (other than Berkey) that they cannot be shipped to certain states, and almost always California is one of them. They must have some pretty strict laws.

I checked out my model, the travel Berkey, and apparently now it is available in California. This is the website I saw which details which Berkey products are now available.

https://theberkey.com/pages/why-some-berkey-products-are-not-available-in-california

Rubic

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Re: Solutions for not disgusting water
« Reply #16 on: December 29, 2017, 01:01:26 PM »

TheMCP

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Re: Solutions for not disgusting water
« Reply #17 on: December 29, 2017, 02:39:25 PM »
The sulfur smell is probably hydrogen sulfide, which is a gas and won't be able to be filtered. 

One solution to that problem is to set up a chlorine injection system, which consists of a big tank that holds a bleach / water mixture, a mixing tank, and a meter that measures how much water is being used and controls the pump.  As water is pulled from the well, the bleach / water mixture is added into the mixing tank, and the chlorine reacts with the hydrogen sulfide to create plain sulfur, which can then be filtered.

Not sure if you are renting or if you own your home... if you're renting you may be out of luck.  Our system has been running for 10 years with only minor issues, and I want to say it cost us around 800$.