Water at boondock site

[frater secessus]

A 'penny buys ~ 66 gallons' is a little deceptive.  In my S&B, every quarter the first drop of water costs me $28, after that it is $1 per thousand gallons.

I was addressing the common usage.  When we drink from a water fountain we usually don't deposit a penny to cover the monthly service fee.  The public source has already paid the service fee before the 'dweller arrived.  Sunk cost.
But let's include the service fee.  The industry group (american water and wastewater associate) shows total billing including monthly fees as .$0.004612/gallon for an average household using 7,480 gallons/mo.(2014 survey)

If we include service fees our 10gal of water now costs 4.6 cents/week or 18.4 cents/month.  Admittedly more than the water-only cost I provided earlier. 

If a town or city decides it is important to subsidize an industry's water I don't care, they are paying for it, not me.

I mentioned becasuse the locals are paying for it, which seems to be the crux of the "don't take public water" position.

I have no problem taking 10 gallons of water from a publicly available source.  Most sinks in public bathrooms I have been in are not conducive to a water bandit.

Agreed.  I used a collapsible container.

And if someone has taken the handle off a faucet I need to ask permission (usually granted, if I can find someone to ask); I have been told more than a few times that water from that faucet is untreated, used only for irrigation, as the reason for it being restricted.

Good points, particularly valuable in agricultural areas.

 

[Weight]

More and more areas are installing "recycled wastewater systems" for irrigation and out door use. I find it mostly in commercial zones such as Shopping Malls. Using your purchased or stolen faucet key could get you more than a theft of services summons.

 

[highdesertranger]

I have never seen a water spigot at a boondocking location.

in California all reclaimed water is safe to drink. however it is not approved for drinking. all reclaimed water is piped in purple pipe. reclaimed water is used for landscape irrigation and everything is purple. I have never seen a spigot on a reclaimed water system. I have seen taps but you need one of these to get water out of the system,

http://www.irrigation-mart.com/defa...ail&itemcode=QC-QCS100&catlist=150&parent=241

highdesertranger

 

[QinReno]

 I have seen taps but you need one of these to get water out of the system,

http://www.irrigation-mart.com/defa...ail&itemcode=QC-QCS100&catlist=150&parent=241

HDR is a constant subject of amazement. 

 

[B and C]

Remember, he worked on a ranch. This is the kind of stuff he should know.

 

[Weight]

I have never seen a water spigot at a boondocking location.

in California all reclaimed water is safe to drink. however it is not approved for drinking. all reclaimed water is piped in purple pipe. reclaimed water is used for landscape irrigation and everything is purple. I have never seen a spigot on a reclaimed water system. I have seen taps but you need one of these to get water out of the system,

http://www.irrigation-mart.com/defa...ail&itemcode=QC-QCS100&catlist=150&parent=241

highdesertranger

No idea how you use that part on a municipal system. But, gee HDR, you need to get out of California more often.
I have seen recycled water at a hose bib in North Carolina. It was labeled and needed a safety key to open

 

[B and C]

Guess different states have different laws for this. Sounds like the same principle though, need a special key.

 

[highdesertranger]

that's why I said "in California", I just trying to give you all a different perspective. why would you put a hose bib in a reclaimed water system? highdesertranger

 

[Weight]

For irrigation purposes? I really don't know. But I see a lot of hose bibs with labels " Non-Potable water" . If you have a bootleg key and the label was missing, what would that mean for your coffee? That was my original meaning for my story.

 

[highdesertranger]

well like I said around here reclaimed water must be potable it's just it can't be distributed that way. I would hope it's that way everywhere after all it wouldn't be to smart releasing water that people and animals are going to come in contact with knowing it had pathogens in it. highdesertranger

 

[bullfrog]

One of the BLM campgrounds here in the Henry Mountains has regular hydrants that have warning signs stating "Non-potable water". Not a boon docking area but all around it for 20 miles or so is. I have always been courious but just assumed it was due to the large herd of buffloe and free range cattle in the area as there isn't much else there at 10,000 feet.

 

[crofter]

 pathogens in it.  

Ewwwww! Pathogens in the coffeeeeeee!!!  (why I boil mine)

BTW, usually when a hand pump well in a campground fails it's monthly water test, staff pulls the pump so no one can be exposed. It's inconvenient, but there is usually a good well nearby at another recreation site that campers can use and know they are getting good potable water. I don't know why a failed system would be left in service.     ~crofter

 

[Goshawk]

Talk about planning and adaptability. Seems like a situation where you need your known onboard emergency supply, your known distance to nearest generic store that sells water, and your fuel tank full enough to drive to the new water source and pray that it is still safe to drink. Only the smart survive.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[crofter]

Only the smart survive.

Only a water test will tell you for sure why the hydrants are tagged.  With animals around it could be bacteria like giardia or ecoli. Sometimes mineral content or some other contaminant will be in the aquifer that is being pumped, and may not be cost effective to treat the water. Just need to use a known good source that is tested monthly.  Even boiling all water is an expense that uses up extra propane, and will not help mineral or some other types of contamination.     ~crofter

 

[Goshawk]

The mineral content of Michigan waters confirms your comment. Michigan well water sucks for mineral taste, even if tested good. Had to buy water jugs there.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[RVTravel]

Don't boondock in Flint, Michigan.

 

[Weight]

Non-potable water does not mean 'with pathogens'. There are many things in water. The regulators call them contaminates. Some contaminates can cause problems if ingested over a long time, others are quicker acting. Non-potable means the water was not tested for these contaminates, nor did it go through a drinking water treatment process. It may be safe to drink. It is more likely not safe to drink. Any surface water source of water used in municipal systems already has waste water mixed into to lake, stream, river. But the water is treated by a drinking water treatment system. Take your chance with any tap. Feel extra safe using the water you have a special key to access.

 

[towboater]

With 2 of us we use about 5 gal/day. We shower daily but flush toilet with non potable water in a couple of milk jugs next to toilet.
We also line toilet bowl with TP before going #2 so less water needed to clean bowl. Future plans r 2 plumb toilet water supply to grey water tank with a separate pump to eliminate jugs.