Have you collected rainwater for drinking?

[BelgianPup]

Everyone who has boondocked in an area without tap water knows the nuisance of maintaining an adequate water supply, so I'm wondering if any of you have collected rainwater for drinking, cooking and washing?

 Fact: Rainfall is the purest natural source of water on this planet, cleaner than any tap water, well water or municipal water source.  It contains few salts, minerals, treatment chemicals, or pharmaceuticals.

If the rain falls into a clean surface and it immediately runs into a clean container, it's safe to drink.  Please note that word "clean".

If you had a 1x4 foot plastic-lined, stainless  steel, or  an enamelled or powder-coated piece of metal roofing in the form of a tilted ramp, you could collect 2.5 gallons of drinking water from every inch of raiin.

* Clean the collector and bucket every time before putting it out.

* A piece of screening clamped to the  bucket to keep out insects and blown debris would be nice.

* Place the collector out in the open, away from trees and roofs.

 

[highdesertranger]

I collect rain water for my mining processing. Anybody who has seen my camps at the RTR's has seen this when it rains.

A couple of points,

If you want it potable run it through a filter. Not all rain water is clean.
Collecting rain water is increasing becoming illegal in more and more places.
Finding water is not that hard. Even in the desert springs are everywhere. Just run the water through a good filter. A prefilter is also a good idea.

Highdesertranger

 

[vanbrat]

I collect rain water sometimes to rinse my hair out in, it makes it ReAlLy soft, but not for drinking.
I don't know why not to collect it for lots of reasons even if a person didn't want to drink it. That would save more of the 'drinking' water for drinking. I know the rain water that fell after the fires here in the west was not drinkable, it smelled yukky. But if I had to use it for scrubbing things down maybe it would have been good for that.
I have taught hundreds of kidos to hold up there faces to catch rain on their tongues... does that count.
We have studied rain water caught in different spots to see what we can find in the water..... Hint don't drink it from the roof of your car or from the down spout on the roof that is under big trees. The dirtiest water was from the roof of an old tent thing we had next to the bird garden. Lots of really gross stuff there.

 

[MrNoodly]

It doesn't rain much the places I tend to go.

 

[bullfrog]

We have seen 1 rain storm (We didn’t have to use the wipers but you could tell the dry spot where the car was parked!) here in Bullfrog and a few snow flurries this year, but we keep hoping! This is already more than we had last year, they don’t even get around to fixing leaky roofs on buildings for years here as other maintenance items take priority. Lol!! We do go out and celebrate in the rain when we do get some!

 

[BelgianPup]

HDR: What do you think you're filtering out of it?

And, are you usually on the east or west side of the country?

 

[bullfrog]

Usually where we are it is more a wind, dust, ash or pollen problem if it does get to the ground at all. Vehicle looks like mud rained on it or black or yellow streaks run down it but we are really glad to get it. Up until last year we had a coal fired power plant that spewed out lots of pollution which was one of the reasons it closed and several diesel generators used by small ranches and mines. All that ends up in the water supply in the form of heavy metals I believe after rain water carries it to the ground.

 

[BelgianPup]

The Census Bureau estimates that 13 million homes in the U.S. have private wells

I looked online to see if private wells have filters. They do. Depending on the area, the filters should be changed every 2 to six months.

Earlier today, I called my sister and 3 friends who live on acreage and have their own wells.

I asked all of them one question: How often do you change your well filters?

I got the exact same answer from all four…......



Silence. Then...... "I didn't know you had to change any filter."

 

[tradesman]

An inch of rain on one square foot of area yields a little over half a gallon.

The key is having a clean collection area, and if you're worried about things in the water just filter it first.
There's research to show that there are plastic particles in rainwater in addition to the things mentioned previously.

 

[bullfrog]

I have had some friends that live on farms that have had some serious health problems develop due to having wells around animals. You should have them tested often as well as changing the filters. Many older wells did not use filters especially in deep sandy soils that were blown out to create a large reservoir. They definitely should be checked in this day and age and a filter added for drinking water.

 

[highdesertranger]

"HDR: What do you think you're filtering out of it?"

I am filtering out what ever is in the air. The air is very rarely clean and when it rains it washes the air out so what ever was in it is now in the water. Like Bullfrog said it could be any number of things dirt(dust), pollen, bugs, ash and lets not forget industrial chemicals. Ever hear of acid rain, of course smog. When you look at the horizon and you see a haze that is airborne particles it's only really clear after it rains and the rain washes the air.

Then there is the problem of keeping the collection system clean. An almost impossible task. Also any plastic should be BPA free. I do have a few 5 gallon buckets that are FDA approved for potable water, they are not used for anything else.

I am out west. I rarely use rain water as potable water but I always run it through a filter if I do. If I am just using it for mining I never run it through the filter that would be a waste.

Someone mentioned filters on wells, those are sand filters. Depending on where you are at is how often you have to clean them. Where I mine in Oregon she has to clean her filters once a month if she doesn't the silt(sand) plugs everything up. Of course there is gold in that silt but it is very very small. It really just depends on the well.

Highdesertranger

Dang spell checker ain't working. I have had to edit this post twice

 

[BelgianPup]

Well, folks, since HDR keeps calling me an ignorant liar, if this subject interests you, please do your own research. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Texas has an online manual for rainwater collection.

 

[highdesertranger]

I never called you an ignorant liar, where did that come from?

You asked the question and I answered it from my experience. Because I collect water, rain water and spring water, thousands of gallons.

Highdesertranger

 

[bullfrog]

I think if you live in Texas I would be filtering everything right now and for the next few weeks with all the water line breaks! I bet there are a lot of Berkey filters being sold!

 

[Tony's Dream]

I would use a filter or look at mixing in some chlorine at a minimum.