Water filtration for home

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I have started to stockpile some bottled water but this is in conjunction with that, I ended up opting for the millbank bag and some purification tablets.
For larger stores I need now to setup some guttering on my new man shed and connect some water butts.

Didn't realise the tablets had a shelf life though.

[southernprepper]

I've got some 25 litre food grade containers for water.
what's the best /easiest way to fill them?
thanks.

[ForgeCorvus]

I've got some 25 litre food grade containers for water.
what's the best /easiest way to fill them?
thanks.

Depends on where you're planning to store them relative to a tap.

Remember that a five gallon drum of water weighes over fifty pounds, insure that your floor/shelves/racking can take it

Also plan how you're going to get the water out when you need it, there might not be a hulking great brute around to lift and pour.


If you've got your drum handling squared away, I'd fill using a dedicated hose and tap fitting (disinfected before use.... Do the tap as well)

[southernprepper]

when you say dedicated hose and tap, what do I search for in amazon?
thanks for help.

[ForgeCorvus]

When I say "dedicated" I mean gear that you use only for potable water (your water storage or WHY)

Depending on the type of tap, either Standard or Mixer
And a length of hose such as This

This is basically what my brother uses as part of his home-brewing setup

[ukpreppergrrl]

I've got some 25 litre food grade containers for water.
what's the best /easiest way to fill them?
thanks.

I have several of these stacked in the shed in the dark - they're opaque and so would let light in and promote algae growth otherwise. I am a reasonably strong 5'2" woman and when full of water I can just manage to carry these from the kitchen to the shed, about 30 meters away. Any bigger and I'd be stuffed. However as my physical fitness may not be top notch when the water is actually required, I also have a trolly. I fill them from the kitchen sink taps. I have the container stood on the floor by the sink and fill them using a length of clear pipe from a wine/brewing place, with a plastic funnel wedged in one end. I hold the funnel under the tap with the other end in the container and try not to think of going to the toilet... I fill to about half full, then I add 1.5 teaspoons of bleach (use the right sort), then I fill to the top. The lids for mine come in two varieties: a bog standard black lid, and a red lid with a spigot built in. For storage the bog standard lid is used, when I come to use the water or renew the contents, I screw on the spigot lid to empty the containers. I renew the water every year (in the summer during a dry spell - I use the old water to water the garden!)

You will get splash back, which includes some with bleach in it, so if necessary wear clothing you don't mind getting bleach stains on, and protect anything in the general vicinity. You will at some point not notice that the end of the pipe isn't in the container and you are pouring water all over the floor, so have (bleach safe) towels to hand. You will not realise just how much water the pipe holds and will turn the tap off too late resulting in your container overflowing copiously (see last sentence). All part of the fun!

[Briggs 2.0]

As an alternative to the 25 litres, 2 litre fizzy drink bottles are a good idea. I'm probably stating the obvious, but you can fit a Mini Sawyer filter to 2 litre and 500ml drinks bottles.

I've noticed our water supply at home has got worse, it tastes more metallic with a pronounced chlorine taste. I may be paranoid and adding two and two to get five but I put this down to Devon having an uncommon dry spell recently and I assume the water board are topping up supplies with recycled water, made clean with a dash of chemicals. So, I took one of my off-grid filters and fitted it permanently under the kitchen sink with a separate drinking water tap. Now the visible particles and the taste and smell have all gone.

The acid test has been the dogs. Before they would only drink from the outside water butt supply. Now they drink the water from the filtered mains supply. Before filtering they wouldn't touch it.

If anyone is thinking of doing this I used a Doulton ceramic Sterasyl Ultracarb 10" filter inside a standard 10" filter housing connected to a separate tap behind the sink. The Ultracarb version filters out the chlorine. It's the same set up I use to filter rainwater so if anyone's interested I'll take some pics and make up a parts list.

[Cougar]

I would be interested to see how you have done this please.

[Hamradioop]

If anyone is thinking of doing this I used a Doulton ceramic Sterasyl Ultracarb 10" filter inside a standard 10" filter housing connected to a separate tap behind the sink. The Ultracarb version filters out the chlorine. It's the same set up I use to filter rainwater so if anyone's interested I'll take some pics and make up a parts list.

That would be really useful Briggs OM, I have an Aqua Shield Water Filter fitted, have to change it every six Months.

[Briggs 2.0]

I would be interested to see how you have done this please.

The tap came from eBay. This one was pre-fitted with 6mm push fit hose. I drilled a 13mm hole with a wood bit behind the kitchen sink and the new tap fitted in the space quite nicely. The tap kit was £22



The 10" filter I got from Screwfix. It comes with a .5micron basic filter which can be easily replaced with the Doulton Ultracarb. I got mine via eBay and it came from Wrekin Water Softeners. £29.

The housing comes with 3/4" outlets and Screwfix do a reducer to go from 3/4" to push fit 15mm. I then used a flexible hose with 15mm push fit on one end and a washing machine outlet size 3/4" at the other end that connected to a standard washing machine outlet You can get a Y splitter if you are already using the outlet but I'd suggest getting a one-way valve to stop water from the washing machine potentially back feeding into your water supply.

The tap is fed by 6mm flexible hose via a 3/4" to 6mm outlet. Screwfix don't do these but this company do http://www.plumbers-mate-sales.co.uk/pu ... 1003-p.asp

Under the sink looks like this. With hindsight I should have built in a tee piece so I could easily connect up a supply from a water butt but I was in a hurry. Maybe I'll add that later.



I'll try and figure out why the photos are upside down......EDIT: fixed I think!