eeeeeeewwwwww Yuck

Yep, we have a problem with chicken litter

I know how you feel Gwyneth . Here in Arkansas all the chicken litter waste gets absorbed into wells an streams and lakes and I just don't try to think about it much. Even though our water is treated I still won't drink anything but filtered water whenever I can.

 

I work for an engineering/architecture firm that has well over 100 years of experience with water treatment, so I know something about this subject.

While the "toilet to tap" water cycle is unappealing, consider that those who get their water from river systems that are close to the coast are already likely using "used" water. Back in the 1970s, I saw a documentary that estimated that the water in the Mississippi River had been used about 13 times before it reached New Orleans.

But here's the real issue, effluent water is actually cleaner than most "wild" water sources, so the result is a purer quality water. And with the development of hormone disrupting technology (to dispense of human and animal hormones that may be present in the water that are missed by older treatment technology), there is very little to worry about.

 

Why does the water taste like yuck

Baptist Believer , I am glad you posted and maybe you can answer a question for me if you know it. With our local lake turning over our regular tap water will taste somewhat yucky. I know our water is treated but I don't know why it retains that yucky taste.

 

I work mostly with the architecture and planning group, so I don't have an immediate answer for that one... but I'll try to ask one of our water treatment engineers tomorrow.

 

are they still using flouride/chloride to treat it? I think that's what's making it so bad tasting...

 

EWWW. When we used to live in New orleans, we never drank the water. It was milky coming from the tap.

 

That may all be true as to the relatively purity, but just the same, remind me to never drink any water that may have come from "The Big Muddy".

Ed

 

Our water has fluoride and chlorine in it irregardless of the time of the year so I don't think that is it.

 

Your water tastes bad only part of the year?

I don't know if it's still true, but Philadelphia water was the worst I ever tasted - tap water smelt of swimming pools, it was so heavily chlorinated.

In NYC, water in my old building used to leave white rings in the pot; it also made a foam when boiled. I think it was the corroded galvinized pipes that did it.

 

More like the amount of Ca+ ions and CO2 dissolved in the water that was precipitated out as Calcium Carbonate. I believe the Catskills and/or Adirondacks where NYC water comes from (if that part of my memory is not totally on the fritz) are high in Limestone. The corrosion from the iron/galvanized pipes would have tended to have a reddish or reddish-brown appearance, according to my memories of chemistry.

Ed

 

With all the rain that falls in England (Been here two months and there has yet to be a week that didn't at least have one day of rain), one would think they could develop some sort of collection process. Probably a naive perspective on the issue since I know little about it, but one would think there would be something in that area that could be done.

 

I had a chance to talk to a water treatment engineer a few minutes ago...

The Short Version of What He Told Me

The top priority of a water treatment plant is to provide potable water in large quantities. Taste and smell considerations are a secondary issue. The technology exists to take care of taste and smell concerns through the use of additional ozone and additional flocculators, and your treatment plant is probably already doing this, but it would take quite a bit of time and expense to completely resolve the issue.

It is certainly possible to prioritize taste and odor considerations, but it would greatly increase the costs and limit the capacity of the treatment plant. And most people don’t want to pay $5/gallon for water to irrigate their yard or wash their car. Furthermore, the problem of water sources turning over only occurs during certain times of the year, so building the infrastructure to handle a problem that lasts only about three to four weeks a year (at most), is not very cost efficient.

 

It was only in my building, though; the water in my parents' copper-piped building was fine.

Baptist Believer - maybe it's time to buy a filter for your kitchen tap.

 

I have a PUR water filter built into my refrigerator. It is one of the best purchases I have made.

 

Non-aromatic ice cubes! Or does it dispense chilled water as well?

 

Chilled water and crushed or cubed ice.

I love it!

EDIT:
Here's the one I have: http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?cat=Refrigerators&pid=04656926000&vertical=APPL&subcat=Side-by-Side+Refrigerators&BV_SessionID=@@@@0091510598.1161262592@@@@&BV_EngineID=cciladdjediimdlcefecemldffidfki.0

 

Wow! Can you believe we have the exact same refrigerator? :laugh: I love mine too...... except when I have to go buy the replacement cartridge.raying: raying:

 

I've only had mine for about six months, so I haven't had to buy one yet... but that's coming soon.

 

Remember: all water is used water, more or less. And our American privilege of a nearly limitless supply of potable water is one of the greatest blessings of modern technology.

Even though it makes us uneasy to consider our water's imperfections, compare it to the history of humanity and you'll thank God every time you take a drink.