Rain water anyone drink it?

[Paul C]

I'm aware of that. It still started as rainwater. Therefore you're drinking (processed) rainwater. So, in answer to the thread title, yes.

 

I took the original post to mean unprocessed rainwater though. My dog readily drinks processed rainwater with no issues, just in case its still relevant. My goldfish don't like it (and they normally drink a lot) but my dentist does.

Edited March 9, 2015 by Paul C

[PaulG]

 

I took the original post to mean unprocessed rainwater though. My dog readily drinks processed rainwater with no issues, just in case its still relevant. My goldfish don't like it (and they normally drink a lot) but my dentist does.

I used to have a dog that liked to dine on cow pats.

He liked to lick his @ss, too, and sniff at other dogs rear ends.

Despite the lack of issues, I've never considered these activities a good guide to sensible human behaviour.

[Paul C]

Dogs simply don't "do" certain human emotions such as revulsion or morality, and don't understand the concept of "taboo". The reason dogs typically readily eat dog poo of other dogs (but not their own) is that many dogs are fed cheap dog food which contains additives to improve palitability, but aren't that readily digested. Thus, it makes it out the other end and another dog is attracted to it as food. In line with other animals (including humans!!) they will also eat certain foods which are poisonous to them, for example dogs will eat chocolate and cows will eat acorns.

[Mike Tee]

Bear Grills drinks loads.

 

Neil.

He'll also drink his own urine, so not a shining example.

[Neil Smith]

But only while fresh and still hot before bacteria gets a chance to grow, but he also squeezes juice out of rhino crap and drinks it, what an animal.

 

Neil.

[Woodstock]

But only while fresh and still hot before bacteria gets a chance to grow, but he also squeezes juice out of rhino crap and drinks it, what an animal.

 

Neil.

Whilst there may be a need in some places in this world- Whilst I have a BW key, I'll stick with a tap and hose

[Machpoint005]

The worry isn't rainwater as such. It is what it rains on and then how you collect it. I've set up a system here at the house so that we automatically collect all our rainwater and bathwater which is then used to flush the toilets and water the garden (our water bills have gone down from 40 pounds a month to 16!). I've noticed that the roof gets really, really filthy, then the rain falls on this and even though I have a little filter system the amount of black crud that gets caught in the filter really would put you off drinking the stuff (bird pooh, dust, dirt and stuff). If you could sort that out though I don't see why not.

 

That's all good, and probably as it should be, but presumably (a) you are charged via a meter for mains water usage, and ( that charge includes disposal of said water whether you drink it or not (still goes back into the sewers regardless!). There are a few water meters in the UK but AFAIK you still get charged for the disposal of rainwater and sewage. That means there would not be much, if any, financial saving here, so no incentive.

 

Change the basis for charging and things might be different.

Whilst there may be a need in some places in this world- Whilst I have a BW key, I'll stick with a tap and hose

 

That hose might be harbouring all sorts of nasties, though, to say nothing of your tank.

Edited March 9, 2015 by Machpoint005

[Paul C]

The worry isn't rainwater as such. It is what it rains on and then how you collect it. I've set up a system here at the house so that we automatically collect all our rainwater and bathwater which is then used to flush the toilets and water the garden (our water bills have gone down from 40 pounds a month to 16!). I've noticed that the roof gets really, really filthy, then the rain falls on this and even though I have a little filter system the amount of black crud that gets caught in the filter really would put you off drinking the stuff (bird pooh, dust, dirt and stuff). If you could sort that out though I don't see why not.

 

 

 

That's all good, and probably as it should be, but presumably (a) you are charged via a meter for mains water usage, and ( that charge includes disposal of said water whether you drink it or not (still goes back into the sewers regardless!). There are a few water meters in the UK but AFAIK you still get charged for the disposal of rainwater and sewage. That means there would not be much, if any, financial saving here, so no incentive.

 

Change the basis for charging and things might be different.

 

That hose might be harbouring all sorts of nasties, though, to say nothing of your tank.

 

I scratched my head at the scale of saving achieved too (£40/month to £16/month). I believe they bill waste water on the basis of how much mains water is used; and rainwater on surface area of the property?

[Machpoint005]

 

 

 

I scratched my head at the scale of saving achieved too (£40/month to £16/month). I believe they bill waste water on the basis of how much mains water is used; and rainwater on surface area of the property?

 

I can only imagine that in a land as densely populated as urban Japan they have a 21st-century attitude to water conservation.

[Woodstock]

 

That's all good, and probably as it should be, but presumably (a) you are charged via a meter for mains water usage, and ( that charge includes disposal of said water whether you drink it or not (still goes back into the sewers regardless!). There are a few water meters in the UK but AFAIK you still get charged for the disposal of rainwater and sewage. That means there would not be much, if any, financial saving here, so no incentive.

 

Change the basis for charging and things might be different.

 

That hose might be harbouring all sorts of nasties, though, to say nothing of your tank.

But I flush the hose each time and the tank regularly and chlorinate the water- so I'll take my chance- goodness knows where those Rhinos have been and I'm sure urine would be an aquired taste- does anyone know?

[Neil Smith]

No and not volunteering to check it out either.

 

Neil.

[kazbluesky]

 

 

 

I scratched my head at the scale of saving achieved too (£40/month to £16/month). I believe they bill waste water on the basis of how much mains water is used; and rainwater on surface area of the property?

 

I understand. I'm a bit shocked at the saving too, but have a look here. These are two bills from summer last year, same month. One from my neighbour and one from me.

 

 

The bill on the left is my neighbours, the bill on the right is mine. There are 4 in her family (2 kids), just like mine. The bill is for a 2 month period. If you convert it to pounds it's £79.24 for my neighbour and £34.83 for me. Divide that by 2 to get it per month and it comes out to £39.62 for her and £17.41 for me. The lowest bill I've ever had is £12.75 My bills used to be almost exactly the same as hers.

 

The next shocking saving is on my electric bills, the electric company paid me £1,224 last year !!! But that's another thread.

Edited March 11, 2015 by kazbluesky

[luctor et emergo]

But I flush the hose each time and the tank regularly and chlorinate the water- so I'll take my chance- goodness knows where those Rhinos have been and I'm sure urine would be an aquired taste- does anyone know?

 

Nobody drinks urine for its exquisite palate...

 

If you are in a position where no drinking water is available, you'll find that urine is salty, but also live saving.

[kazbluesky]

 

Nobody drinks urine for its exquisite palate...

 

If you are in a position where no drinking water is available, you'll find that urine is salty, but also live saving.

 

Never had to drink that (thank God ) but after the earthquake in 2011 and the radiation contamination of the drinking water I had to drink bottles of Green Tea - tasted about the same I recon.

[pquinn]

But only while fresh and still hot before bacteria gets a chance to grow, but he also squeezes juice out of rhino crap and drinks it, what an animal.

 

Neil.

Sweet mother of Christ,I never realized there were rhino wandering around Essex.

What the hell is England coming too,Its like the plains of Africa.Must be a bitch getting to work in the morning trying to avoid getting eaten by swarms of snakes,hamsters,lynx,rhinos,Canadian geese,woodpeckers and god knows what other class of beast.

[WotEver]

I bought some Rhino Repellant spray from a guy who knocked on the door. It was only £50 a can which is excellent value because I've not seen a single rhino since I started using it.

[Paul C]

 

I understand. I'm a bit shocked at the saving too, but have a look here. These are two bills from summer last year, same month. One from my neighbour and one from me.

 

 

The bill on the left is my neighbours, the bill on the right is mine. There are 4 in her family (2 kids), just like mine. The bill is for a 2 month period. If you convert it to pounds it's £79.24 for my neighbour and £34.83 for me. Divide that by 2 to get it per month and it comes out to £39.62 for her and £17.41 for me. The lowest bill I've ever had is £12.75 My bills used to be almost exactly the same as hers.

 

The next shocking saving is on my electric bills, the electric company paid me £1,224 last year !!! But that's another thread.

 

Do you have comparable figures for before and after you installed the rainwater/bathwater collection stuff?

[kazbluesky]

I'll have a look, but I would guess no. I only started holding on to my bills about a year ago when I got into making Excel sheets of my incomings and outgoings for my electricity consumption and generation. But my water bills per month 3 years ago before I put in my system were usually around the £30 to £40 mark depending upon the season. My next door neighbour is a good comparison because there are 4 members in her family (like mine) and her home and land is the same size as mine.

 

If anyone IS on a meter there though, I think it is well worth doing. The 500 liter container, hose, pump and fittings only cost around 100 pounds and I saved more than that in reduced water charges the first year.

 

To be honest, the reason I did this wasn't to save money though (although that's nice of course) I did it to have an emergency supply of water in the event of another earthquake or mains water radiation contamination like in 2011. I have a filter system inside the house so that if need be I can filter any water that I have to drinking grade without boiling. If the OP is interested in that he should just do a search on Berkey water filters - they really are wonderful.

[bizzard]

Drinking rain that's come all the way from everywhere via the sky can trigger off a most devastating and terrible malady called the ASIARR&C syndrome.

[Dar Kuma]

Not without a good filtration system installed.

[onionbargee]

 

Nobody drinks urine for its exquisite palate...

 

If you are in a position where no drinking water is available, you'll find that urine is salty, but also live saving.

You can't drink your urine in a survival situation, its a myth. The more dehydrated you are the more concentrated the salts and waste products in your urine, so it will do more harm than good.

[Paul C]

You can't drink your urine in a survival situation, its a myth. The more dehydrated you are the more concentrated the salts and waste products in your urine, so it will do more harm than good.

 

Bear Grylls disagrees with you.......

[luctor et emergo]

 

Bear Grylls disagrees with you.......

but onion bargee has al the knowledge, hasn't he?

[Dar Kuma]

 

Bear Grylls disagrees with you.......

 

Bear Grylls is always sick from eating crap too, go figure....The guy is a moron.

Edited March 15, 2015 by Dar Kuma

[Paul C]

 

Bear Grylls is always sick from eating crap too, go figure....The guy is a moron.

 

Didn't say he wasn't!