https://peakprosperity.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/IMGP8056_1200px-1649988118.0486-250x333.jpg Having a go at sharing images. I uploaded them at 1200 pixels for the long dimension, which allowed a good view of the parts I used, but less than 300 pixels will have to do for now. Here we have the harrowing port on the bottom and the inlet port on the top. A bulkhead adapter was made from a combination of straight-threaded conduit fittings, a half-inch PVC schedule 40 pressure pipe, and some butyl sealing rings. There is also a wood piece to counter-hold the torque on the pipe from the float valve, and it fits so well that there are no fasteners. Ahead of the union is a manual ball valve and a TACO ball valve with an electric actuator that is tied to a small cistern flow switch. There is also a float valve in the cistern, but I don’t trust them with my pressure, often over 180 PSI. As you see, the filter tank has overflowed often despite the mechanical float valve, though this is far more common when the filter needs cleaning.
https://peakprosperity.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/IMGP8054_1200px-1649988878.9666-250x188.jpg A view of the top with the cover off. There is a plastic bit to divert the splashes away from the schmutzdeke, a very long threaded rod for the floats, which I doubled with a custom-tapped tee made of aluminum. It still doesn’t entirely stop 180 psi (fed by a creek through a mile of pipe.)
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https://peakprosperity.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/IMGP8040_1200px-1649989217.7754-250x375.jpg The outlet port features design elements from Blue Future Filters, whom may hold patents for all I know, but their website no longer functions so I surmise they are out of business. At the outlet: an elbow; a tee with a transparent PVC pipe and small ventilation holes at the top to indicate water level and the condition of the filter; a small, low-flow UV germicidal lamp; and a ball valve.
What Do You Think Of Rain Barrels And Cisterns For Water Capture?
Old farm houses in the Midwest had cisterns that were used for everything but cooking and drinking. [pre-1920s also for drinking] Many city gardeners now have rain barrels.
Have you any thoughts on using these water sources as compared to streams and lakes/ponds?
Also do you have any data on filters and radioactive particles? Just like taking out any other gunk, except the filter is hot? Maybe a dual system - first for the radioactive gunk and then running it through a regular system you can handle safely?
Uranium In Domestic Water
I don’t have a lot of experience in treating for uranium in drinking water, but I know people who do. There was a case I knew personally of a doctor whose daughters were having mysterious kidney problems and it turned out to be uranium from their well. There were no signs of radiation poisoning, just kidney damage. The local water treatment professional now has an anion exchange resin system, exchanging uranium ions for sodium or potassium. But you would also need to remove sulfate, calcite, iron, manganese, and other garden variety contaminants with water softening first. Perhaps if you just wanted a bit of water to drink rather than treating for the whole house, there might be some disposable filter cartridges for that purpose.
Yes, even younger adults raised in the city are a problem. I was a farm kid and allowed “free range” in a very dangerous environment. -My grandmother used to always point out dangerous things - dangerous plants, dangerous animals, dangerous equipment. AND tell me what to do about it. I don’t expose my kids to the same level of danger, so they are less resilient and less capable. Interestingly, they understand the dangers of a city, but they’re not always as quick to notice problems in the wild. Moms in my daughter’s girl scout troop had never even lit a match!
I have an eye problem - not much depth perception - so I can’t hit a moving animal when hunting. To my surprise, I am still much better at spotting animals in the wild than my city slicker family members. I grew up chasing cattle in woods and brush - you get lots of practice on seeing them.
So what can you do? Show your kids dangers AND tell them how to handle them safely. Don’t teach them to be afraid, teach them to manage real-world situations. It’s not always easy to put words to what you notice and avoid automatically, but it’s important to pass on this implicit knowledge. When you walk with them, make sure they notice plants and animals around them. Finding/noticing things can be a good game for smaller kids. Teens like autonomy. Make them responsible for doing things, under supervision. Reward them when they get good at it - they will. If you can include some of you kid’s friends in these fun-games training, it will help the community and make your kids feel less weird/put upon.
Those of you who grew up in the concrete jungle are going to be at a big disadvantage if you have to survive in nature. Practice. Don’t vacation at a resort, vacation at a state park! You can get a cabin at many if you don’t have a camper. Don’t tent camp with babies/toddlers if you’re not experienced. Making sure my kids didn’t run into a rattler or a scorpion when outside was stressful. It’s really nice to have a clean, safe cabin (make sure it is safe) where you and they can relax. Learn with your family how to navigate trails (get a compass and a topo map). Go on the ranger’s guided walks that show you local plants and animals. Have them show you what’s dangerous.
Maybe get to know a farmer. Many family farms would consider hiring your teen for a summer job. That’s a great dose of reality.
Community Water Filter
We have a plan for a community-sized water filter in case of our municipal water supply failing. It is a large version of the Berry system described above and consists of four sintered ceramic filters and two rainwater barrels.
I would throw in some silver coins to keep things sweet and perhaps dose with chlorine dioxide too.
Looking after yourself is relatively easy; it’s all of the unprepared people around that will need help.
Awesome!
I Love My Aquatru
It has a great flow and is the only countertop reverse osmosis I’ve found! It doesn’t hold a lot and require dumping and refilling but I keep large containers of filtered water if I forget to refill.
https://www.aquatruwater.com/