Water help

[Maggie3fan]

I live in a manufactured home park with ponding basins. Frequently a pipe breaks or gets plugged and we will be without water for whatever period of time, then we have a boil water order as the pipes were open, and there's this e-coli threat. So we had no water for 4 days, then we hadda boil fro 5 more days......in a normal time my birds, cats and I drink bottled water and my torts (who eat their own poop) drink park water, but I can't soak my current tort and turtle group in bottled water. It gets serious... as we did have e-coli 2 years ago, and we were told no washing clothes or wiping off the counter or bathing or washing or...so is there a danger to my chelonia?

 

[TammyJ]

Isn't there a method of purifying water by dropping a certain amount of bleach into it and letting it sit a while? Instead of boiling.

 

[wellington]

Isn't there a method of purifying water by dropping a certain amount of bleach into it and letting it sit a while? Instead of boiling.

Why would you want to drink water that has bleach in it when boiling is much safer. Yikes, I wouldn't.

 

[wellington]

My understanding is they can be carriers of e coli.
So it won't hurt them, but if they got it, they would/could be carriers of it and that could be passed on to humans.
Let's see what @jaizei or @Markw84 might know about it.

 

[MenagerieGrl]

Why would you want to drink water that has bleach in it when boiling is much safer. Yikes, I wouldn't.

I got news for you, I believe, unless you have well water, or some specialized water filtration/RO system, most, if not al,l domestic potable water has some form of chlorine in it (Chlorine/Chloramine) . . ever been swimming @ a swimming pool? THAT is chlorine, Bromine, or salt.

 

[wellington]

I got news for you, unless you have well water, or some specialized water filtration/RO system, most, if not all domestic potable water has some form of chlorine in it (Chlorine/Chloramine) . . ever been swimming @ a swimming pool? THAT is chlorine, Bromine, or salt.

Yes, I know that!
But it's highly filtered, monitored and dosed appropriately.
As for pools and hot tubs, not drinking it!

 

[MenagerieGrl]

Yes, I know that!
But it's highly filtered, monitored and dosed appropriately.
As for pools and hot tubs, not drinking it!

Well, right now, Maggie has to work with what she's got, relatively clean water but with possible e.coli in it. When I went backpacking, I always had a vial of chlorine to dose my water. Water looked clean, but to be on the safe side, I'd dose. Similar situations.

 

[wellington]

Well, right now, Maggie has to work with what she's got, relatively clean water but with possible e.coli in it. When I went backpacking, I always had a vial of chlorine to dose my water. Water looked clean, but to be on the safe side, I'd dose. Similar situations.

So what's the dosage?
Chlorine and bleach are not the same. Actually bleach would be safer than chlorine, who'd a thunk it.
I personally would not chance it unless I knew the exact dosage, than I probably still wouldn't. But, I am the type that wants store bought food, not right from the animal. Lol

 

[Yvonne G]

@Maggie3fan - get out all those old soup pots and tea kettles and start boiling water! Start from sun up to sun down. Boil a pot and pour it into a clean plastic tub. . . I'm sure you have lots of those. Keep boiling and saving all day long. Just think how humid your home is going to be from all that boiling water!

I don't envy you this job. With all your animals, it's going to be a BIG chore!

 

[MenagerieGrl]

So what's the dosage?
Chlorine and bleach are not the same. Actually bleach would be safer than chlorine, who'd a thunk it.
I personally would not chance it unless I knew the exact dosage, than I probably still wouldn't. But, I am the type that wants store bought food, not right from the animal. Lol

Check here for starter's ;

Emergency Disinfection of Drinking Water | US EPA

How to boil and disinfect water to kill most disease-causing microorganisms during emergency situations where regular water service has been interrupted and local authorities recommend using only bottled water, boiled water, or disinfected water.

www.epa.gov

 

[MenagerieGrl]

So what's the dosage?
Chlorine and bleach are not the same. Actually bleach would be safer than chlorine, who'd a thunk it.
I personally would not chance it unless I knew the exact dosage, than I probably still wouldn't. But, I am the type that wants store bought food, not right from the animal. Lol

My apologies . . Sorry for getting off track here . . .Chlorine / Bleach /Hypochlorite are all the same thing for the most part. Just different availability and concentrations. Chlorine at room temp is a gas, Hypochlorite is chlorine that is dissolved in water to different concentrations. Bleach is Hypochlorite further diluted. Bleach depending on the type/brand may have "Other" stuff in it (Fragrances) But plain Bleach is chlorine dissolved in water to a lower concentration.
I have 3 - 30 gallon drums of "emergency" water (waiting for our earthquake,) once a year, I drain, rinse and refill & dose w/additional bleach to keep it clean, in the event that I need emergency water...

 

[wellington]

My apologies . . Sorry for getting off track here . . .Chlorine / Bleach /Hypochlorite are all the same thing for the most part. Just different availability and concentrations. Chlorine at room temp is a gas, Hypochlorite is chlorine that is dissolved in water to different concentrations. Bleach is Hypochlorite further diluted. Bleach depending on the type/brand may have "Other" stuff in it (Fragrances) But plain Bleach is chlorine dissolved in water to a lower concentration.
I have 3 - 30 gallon drums of "emergency" water (waiting for our earthquake,) once a year, I drain, rinse and refill & dose w/additional bleach to keep it clean, in the event that I need emergency water...

Bleach for the most part is the same, yet its not. Safer than using chlorine. But leaving it sit like you do, the chlorine/bleach isn't active the whole time is it? I thought after a couple days it's gone? If so, then your water would still not be safe, unless you keep doing it?

 

[Yvonne G]

Bleach for the most part is the same, yet its not. Safer than using chlorine. But leaving it sit like you do, the chlorine/bleach isn't active the whole time is it? I thought after a couple days it's gone? If so, then your water would still not be safe, unless you keep doing it?

I'm not a scientist, but I imagine the initial dose of chlorine kills whatever was in the water, leaving it pure

 

[wellington]

I'm not a scientist, but I imagine the initial dose of chlorine kills whatever was in the water, leaving it pure

Yes, I would think so too. But, as it sits, I would think it would just get contaminated again. Bottled water goes thru a process to last long and not get nasty. Once it's opened, eventually it will get nasty.

 

[MenagerieGrl]

I'm not a scientist, but I imagine the initial dose of chlorine kills whatever was in the water, leaving it pure

Yep! Yes, it is only Active for a short time, But in that time, it kills what ever is in the water, & since the drums are sealed, no other contamination is allowed in. That being said, If I did use it in the event of an emergency, I'd add a few drops of bleach to a gallon. (To be on the safe side)

 

[MenagerieGrl]

In any case, @Maggie3fan, I hope your situ ends quickly and everything returns to "normal".

 

[TammyJ]

How was your boiled turkey yesterday, Maggie?

 

[TammyJ]

How was your boiled turkey yesterday, Maggie?

Better than your bleached one, I'm sure, Tammy.

 

[Maggie3fan]

Better than your bleached one, I'm sure, Tammy.

I had ham Tammy... did you celebrate in Jamaica?

 

[TammyJ]

How was your boiled turkey yesterday, Maggie?

Maggie had ham. Hey Maggie, you are supposed to wait for Christmas to eat ham!!!