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Off the Grid/Homesteading Skills:  Boil Water Advisory! Will Katadyn Suffice?  |
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Ninibini
True Blue Farmgirl
7577 Posts
Nini
Pennsylvania
USA
7577 Posts |
 Posted - Oct 24 2013 : 7:39:49 PM
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Hey girls -
I just received an email from a friend that we are under a boil water advisory. The EAS has sent out an alert to those who have signed up, and those with home phones have received messages from the Municipal Authority. They have not specified as to why, and they have not put it out there on the news or anything... I am wondering... Do you think our Katadyn filter will suffice? Or should I just boil? Or Both?
Good gravy. I am SO glad I checked my email tonight!
Thanks for your advice!
Nini
Farmgirl Sister #1974
God gave us two hands... one to help ourselves, and one to help others!
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Madinet85
True Blue Farmgirl
94 Posts
Elizabeth
Indiana
USA
94 Posts |
Posted - Oct 26 2013 : 4:51:18 PM
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I would still boil. Can't ever be to safe.
Instances like this are why I'm glad we store extra water. We just use our back-up water till the boil advisory is up.
Farmgirl Sister #4915 |
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Ninibini
True Blue Farmgirl
7577 Posts
Nini
Pennsylvania
USA
7577 Posts |
Posted - Oct 26 2013 : 5:28:08 PM
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Thanks, Elizabeth! I was thinking the same thing, to be honest. But I spoke with someone at Emergency Essentials (Katadyn was closed at noon on Friday). The Katadyn will cover everything without me having to boil the water. At first the rep didn't think it covered viruses, but upon further investigation, she said it does. She also said that if we have to use it for a few day it's okay to put it away for future - nothing is going to build up, the filter won't be ruined or anything, and it's not like once you open it you have to use it til you have to replace it. You can use it for emergencies and then just return it to storage. I'm very happy about that. Although I still want a Berkey, you know what I think I'm liking most about this right now? I can take it with me to help family and friends - whomever else needs water and can't get out to get any (store shelves are sparse and/or dry), and I can filter water for everyone. 13,000 gallons is a lot of water! They are saying now that this could last a week or more before the Municipal Authority gets the water potable again. So, if I use it for a week and take care of a few people, we're good. Then I can just return it to storage for next time - God forbid there be a next time. I can also then buy a replacement filter and put it away for when this one is no longer any good. It's good to know that we'll be able to help people, that's for sure. We're also going to get the Berkey I've been wanting as soon as we're able. I think it'd be a bit of a pain in the neck to pump the water by hand long term if we need to do so. With the Berkey, I can just continually pour tap water in and have it at the ready. Both are excellent, but the Berkey's more efficient (effective?) I think, and more convenient for in-home use. I like this Katadyn, too, though, because it's awesome for portability. We have a lot of older family members and neighbors who just can't get out to the store to buy water. This would be SUCH a relief to them.
And you're right! That's the thing that really upset me! I WAS prepared! Or so I thought... We usually have PLENTY of water back ups, not just for us, but for loved ones nearby. I didn't realize that over the summer our son was tapping into the supply. He took it with him to work, he drank it at night in his bedroom, etc. I about had a fit when I went to check our pantry and found less than two cases left! UGH! Thankfully we were able to get out to the store early and buy what we needed and extra for neighbors. NOW our son understands why he should've just listened to Mom and left the water alone. This could've been really bad had I not checked on the water, and had we not had a filter. Lesson learned. Mommy 1, Son 0. :)
Hugs -
Nini
Farmgirl Sister #1974
God gave us two hands... one to help ourselves, and one to help others!
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Edited by - Ninibini on Oct 26 2013 5:30:50 PM |
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Madinet85
True Blue Farmgirl
94 Posts
Elizabeth
Indiana
USA
94 Posts |
Posted - Oct 27 2013 : 2:36:21 PM
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I'm going to have to look into one of those Katadyn filters, they sound like they'd be useful to have.
We store our back up water in empty 2 liter pop bottles. Periodically I'll grab one to use, its often easier to take one to fill up the dog or chickens' water bowls then lugging them to the outdoor spigot. Every 6 months I use and refill each one and put it back in storage. I know they're more elegant solutions, but this is cheap, and since its our own tap water I don't feel guilty using them in non-emergencies. My Dad used to look at me funny when he'd come to visit and see them, but we've lived in our home just a year and been under boil water once, and had no water two or three times, so they've already been really beneficial. I think I calculated it out and we have two weeks of water if we didn't include the animals. I keep adding to our stores as we get more empty bottles, because I'd like to have about two weeks for us and all the animals. Eventually in a long term emergency we'd need more water, so I need to get a filter!
Farmgirl Sister #4915 |
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queenmushroom
True Blue Farmgirl
985 Posts
Lorena
Centerville
Me
USA
985 Posts |
Posted - Nov 02 2013 : 4:56:15 PM
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I saw katahdin. I didn't realize there was a water filter named somewhat after Maines tallest mountain.
Patience is worth a bushel of brains...from a chinese fortune cookie |
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Off the Grid/Homesteading Skills: Boil Water Advisory! Will Katadyn Suffice? |
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Boil Water Advisory! Will Katadyn Suffice?
