I could really use a break from work lol
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Good info. So what is the proper ratio of chlorine to water? ...that precise point at which the water is safe to drink, but is not overdosed and possibly harmful? Surely there is a recommended ratio, right? Thanks for putting up with all these questions, but inquiring minds want to know.
Oh, also, where is the best place to acquire swimming pool chlorine, or will any form of chlorine do? Powdered or granular form?
It's about 1 teaspoon of chlorine powder per 60 gallons... although I have no idea if some brands are less pure than others.
This is why it's best to chlorinate large volumes of water at a time, or even your entire water butt or water tank a few hours before you need it.
All water treatment chemicals are dangerous if you don't measure them responsibly, which is why you need to do some research based on the chlorine power you purchase.
If you've got a standard 52 gallon water butt or a large water tank, then you'll need to do some calculations about how much chlorine you need based on the volume of water.
Chlorinating a 5 or 8 gallon jerry can becomes risky because you'll be using such a tiny amount of chlorine (1/10th of a teaspoon) that accurate measurements become difficult.
Any pool chlorine will do, the cheaper the better because you don't want any additives like blue coloring or other bullshit. I'd recommend powder rather than granules because it'll help you make more accurate measurement.
NOTE that all of my estimates in this comment are based on the brands that I've bought. They may vary from state to state and country to country and some brands may be less pure than others... I have no idea how many different brands of pool chlorine power exist in the world. I do the math based on whatever product I've purchased.
Excellent info, and I appreciate the disclaimer too. "Your mileage may vary." Heheh. So OK, gonna get some chlorine this weekend then, enough to purify a lot of water in the coming days. I figure between chlorine, filtration, and boiling (not in that order) my household water supply should be safe. Collecting rainwater is also on the menu.
I mentioned this in another thread, but if you want a cheap solution for storing water then you can buy a second-hand 52 gallon pickle containers in most states for about about $20.
They are huge, tough, plastic containers about 22 inch diameter and 40 inches high with massive screw-on lids. Clean them out with washing detergent (you'll need a rag on a stick or children to do it properly), fill 'em up with tap water and seal the lid. It doesn't matter if they sit in the sun for 20 years because you'll chlorinate that water when you need it. Also, don't bother drilling a tap into them because that only risks leakage if the seals degrade - instead just open the screw-on lid and lower a length of hose until it touches the bottle, block the end with your thumb, withdraw the hose a little so you're not siphoning silt... and water will flow.
52 gallons of water will last an adult for 100 days without rationing.
I'd recommend either considering buying some large latex basins to collect rainwater or renovate one of your down-pipes so the final length can be disconnected and redirected to a basin.
I'd advise against connecting your down-pipe directly to a water butt because the first downpour after a dry period will wash an incredible amount of dirt and birdshit and crud off your roof and into your drinking water. Some people create elaborate mechanisms to catch and redirect the first downpour, but I think the simplest solutions are always the best... and the best solution is either to buy six huge latex basins or redirect your roof down-pipe only after the first downpour.
Based on a little experimentation and the size of your family, you'll quickly figure out which solution is best for you.
Don't forget that your pool chlorine will allow you to treat river water. So a few jerry cans might be a wise investment too. Jerry cans are 5 x as heavier when full of water than you expect, so never plan to move more than one at a time.
Yeah, I have several jerry cans full of gasoline right now... stabilized with STA-BIL for long-term storage. And you're right, they are damned heavy. I see movies with operators running with two jerry cans...um, yeah, right.
I have one 52-gal container that is right now filled with tap water from way back, but I'm pretty sure I'm going to have to empty it, clean out the container, and start again with rainwater. Good advice on the "first downpour" from a gutter, I live in some woods and I'm always blowing off crap from the roof from the overhanging trees. But I'm thinking that collecting rain from the gutters might not be the best solution, but rather make some kind of cone that fits directly on the container and catches rain directly. Still working out the technical issues of that...material, how large, etc. But it's a work in progress.