hi everyone. Is it ok to wash dishes and clothes in nonpotable water? Thanks rocket
woolman said
10:12 AM Sep 13, 2019
If you boil should be ok. If it is deemed to be non potable only because there is no chlorine been added it may be ok with caution.
The problem is without testing it is not possible to determine why it is non potable. Technicality rain water is non potable and I, like many others only had that and survived.
Simple answer is I don't know.
Neil
Peter_n_Margaret said
10:50 AM Sep 13, 2019
It is "non potable" for one of 3 reasons:
1. The provider does not want the legal liability (a common and understandable reason).
2. It has high mineral or chemical content. Nothing you can easily do about that but it is unlikely to be a problem for your intended usage except in very rare circumstances which include a radioactive source or similar.
3. It is or might be biologically contaminated (for example sources that come from creeks rivers and "rainwater"). Adding some chlorine will make it biologically safe and safe for your intended usages. Might not taste too good, but that won't matter. Add about 10 to 20ml of common household bleach per 100L.
Cheers,
Peter
Possum3 said
10:54 AM Sep 13, 2019
Normally water signposted "Non Potable" is bore water and as woolman said it is not chemically "Purified".
Washing yourself, clothes and dishes usually OK. Most Artesian water is softer than city water and is great for hair washing, etc.
I was raised on a bore property and drink bore water.
There is one major exception to the above - Never consume water classified as non potable next to Dump Points, not even boiled. The bacteria in taps and hoses can cause serious injury even death.
Peter_n_Margaret said
12:08 PM Sep 13, 2019
Possum3 wrote:
Never consume water classified as non potable next to Dump Points, not even boiled. The bacteria in taps and hoses can cause serious injury even death.
I have no qualms in treating such water with chlorine followed by filtration via 0.5um active carbon.
I understand that London's water is recycled 5 times on average.
Cheers,
Peter
the rocket said
01:55 PM Sep 13, 2019
Thanks everybody. All of your answers were very informative. We were at wooroolin rest area Qld. Do not know why it is nonpotable. But there you have it. Lucky did not drink it.
Mike Harding said
04:51 PM Sep 13, 2019
For many years I have rough camped in the bush and used dam water (often very cloudy) and river water for hand and dish washing and showering - I have never suffered ill effects. In the shower I keep my eyes and mouth closed when washing my face/hair.
Depending where I am I nowadays treat river/dam water with 5mL of Milton (sodium hypochlorite) per 10L bucket, the increased incidence of e-coli due to farmed animal run-off make this a simple and sensible precaution.
Your gut has a significant ability to destroy "bad" bacteria and the amount which would collect on plates, cutlery and the like is well within your fighting range, indeed there is much to be said for a few e-coli to keep the immune system on its toes :)
the rocket said
09:05 AM Sep 14, 2019
Mike Harding wrote:
For many years I have rough camped in the bush and used dam water (often very cloudy) and river water for hand and dish washing and showering - I have never suffered ill effects. In the shower I keep my eyes and mouth closed when washing my face/hair.
Depending where I am I nowadays treat river/dam water with 5mL of Milton (sodium hypochlorite) per 10L bucket, the increased incidence of e-coli due to farmed animal run-off make this a simple and sensible precaution.
Your gut has a significant ability to destroy "bad" bacteria and the amount which would collect on plates, cutlery and the like is well within your fighting range, indeed there is much to be said for a few e-coli to keep the immune system on its toes :)
Thanks mike. Good to know.
Jaahn said
10:29 AM Sep 14, 2019
Hi
Two comments. First I would agree with Mike and have camped around over the years and used common sense to assess the water available. No problems. I have lived in third world countries also and again used common sense. But if on bottled water for drinking we showered and washed up using the normal water carefully.
second the councils now will only label water non potable everywhere if it is not from their reticulated system and has not been tested to the standard. That's the way it is now. Even home tanks etc have to have 'non potable' signs on them. The lawyers have decreed it so
Jaahn
Plain Truth said
10:37 AM Sep 14, 2019
We always pump up water for cleaning washing and showers.Keep the tank water for drinking.
The surest method of purifying your water is to boil it. If youre camping with a gas cooker or open fire, it doesnt require any extra equipment. People will tell you different things about how long you need to boil water, one minute, three minutes, even as long as 15 minutes. In reality, you just need to bring the water to the boil. This will kill just about everything. It won't, however, remove toxins or chemicals which may be present.
The downsides to this method are obvious. If youre moving quickly its a pain to stop, set up a cooker, wait for the water to boil, and then wait another half an hour for it to cool enough to put in a bottle. Then you have several hours of drinking hot or warm water, which is no fun in the summer.
This is where water purification systems come in. Most work almost instantly.
A simple and popular option is water purification tablets. These are really just for short trips or emergencies. They work quickly and effectively but they often give the water a bit of a chlorine taste. You can purchase better-tasting pills that use other chemicals such as iodine. In any case, if you use them continuously they will start to take a toll on your health.
UV water purifiers are very quick, they dont change the taste of the water, and they scramble the DNA of any little buggies in your water so they wont reproduce and poison you. But these devices require a battery, and they tend to be a bit delicate. Theres nothing worse than getting caught on a long hike in a foreign country with a broken purifier.
Carbon filters are an excellent option, especially for camping. As well as removing bacteria, they take out dirt and sediment and actually improve the flavour of the water. Its entirely unnecessary, but for those extra-careful types, filters can be used in conjunction with tablets and will remove a lot of the chlorine flavour. Many filters wont be convenient for hiking, as they can weigh up to 1kg.
hi everyone. Is it ok to wash dishes and clothes in nonpotable water? Thanks rocket
1. The provider does not want the legal liability (a common and understandable reason).
2. It has high mineral or chemical content. Nothing you can easily do about that but it is unlikely to be a problem for your intended usage except in very rare circumstances which include a radioactive source or similar.
3. It is or might be biologically contaminated (for example sources that come from creeks rivers and "rainwater"). Adding some chlorine will make it biologically safe and safe for your intended usages. Might not taste too good, but that won't matter. Add about 10 to 20ml of common household bleach per 100L.
Cheers,
Peter
Washing yourself, clothes and dishes usually OK. Most Artesian water is softer than city water and is great for hair washing, etc.
I was raised on a bore property and drink bore water.
There is one major exception to the above - Never consume water classified as non potable next to Dump Points, not even boiled. The bacteria in taps and hoses can cause serious injury even death.
I have no qualms in treating such water with chlorine followed by filtration via 0.5um active carbon.
I understand that London's water is recycled 5 times on average.
Cheers,
Peter
Thanks everybody. All of your answers were very informative. We were at wooroolin rest area Qld. Do not know why it is nonpotable. But there you have it. Lucky did not drink it.
For many years I have rough camped in the bush and used dam water (often very cloudy) and river water for hand and dish washing and showering - I have never suffered ill effects. In the shower I keep my eyes and mouth closed when washing my face/hair.
Depending where I am I nowadays treat river/dam water with 5mL of Milton (sodium hypochlorite) per 10L bucket, the increased incidence of e-coli due to farmed animal run-off make this a simple and sensible precaution.
Your gut has a significant ability to destroy "bad" bacteria and the amount which would collect on plates, cutlery and the like is well within your fighting range, indeed there is much to be said for a few e-coli to keep the immune system on its toes :)
Thanks mike. Good to know.
Hi
Two comments. First I would agree with Mike and have camped around over the years and used common sense to assess the water available. No problems. I have lived in third world countries also and again used common sense. But if on bottled water for drinking we showered and washed up using the normal water carefully.
second the councils now will only label water non potable everywhere if it is not from their reticulated system and has not been tested to the standard. That's the way it is now. Even home tanks etc have to have 'non potable' signs on them. The lawyers have decreed it so
Jaahn
We always pump up water for cleaning washing and showers.Keep the tank water for drinking.
The surest method of purifying your water is to boil it. If youre camping with a gas cooker or open fire, it doesnt require any extra equipment. People will tell you different things about how long you need to boil water, one minute, three minutes, even as long as 15 minutes. In reality, you just need to bring the water to the boil. This will kill just about everything. It won't, however, remove toxins or chemicals which may be present.
The downsides to this method are obvious. If youre moving quickly its a pain to stop, set up a cooker, wait for the water to boil, and then wait another half an hour for it to cool enough to put in a bottle. Then you have several hours of drinking hot or warm water, which is no fun in the summer.
This is where water purification systems come in. Most work almost instantly.
A simple and popular option is water purification tablets. These are really just for short trips or emergencies. They work quickly and effectively but they often give the water a bit of a chlorine taste. You can purchase better-tasting pills that use other chemicals such as iodine. In any case, if you use them continuously they will start to take a toll on your health.
UV water purifiers are very quick, they dont change the taste of the water, and they scramble the DNA of any little buggies in your water so they wont reproduce and poison you. But these devices require a battery, and they tend to be a bit delicate. Theres nothing worse than getting caught on a long hike in a foreign country with a broken purifier.
Carbon filters are an excellent option, especially for camping. As well as removing bacteria, they take out dirt and sediment and actually improve the flavour of the water. Its entirely unnecessary, but for those extra-careful types, filters can be used in conjunction with tablets and will remove a lot of the chlorine flavour. Many filters wont be convenient for hiking, as they can weigh up to 1kg.
You can buy the Lifesaver Jerrycan.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJkDGAKUaE8