Rainwater is usually contaminated after about a week. How long can rainwater be stored for drinking? Rainwater can be stored from anywhere between a week and indefinitely. The more you consider your storage system, using the right materials, avoiding algae and mosquitoes, the longer the lifespan of rainwater. While collecting rainwater seems to be an easy way to get clean water, it may not always be safe to consume it.
While useful for many things, rainwater isn't as pure as you might think, so you can't assume it's safe to drink. Rain can carry different types of pollutants into the water you collect (for example, bird droppings on the roof could end up in the barrel or water tank). Rainwater can carry bacteria, parasites, viruses and chemicals that could make you sick, and it has been linked to disease outbreaks. Pretreatment Drinking Water Drum: If you are using the 55-gallon barrel or drum for storage and ultimately for drinking water supply, you will need to treat the drum before filling it.
With underground collection pipes, you can collect water from multiple gutters, as well as water that flows down the ground or down a hillside. Due to climate change and water scarcity, clean and safe drinking water is increasingly difficult to find. When rainwater is used as a source of supplemental water, homeowners should ensure that rainwater cannot enter pipes that contain drinking water. That stale taste is not water that runs out; in fact, that flavor can be eliminated by rotating and purifying the water.
That's why I won't say that water is safe for an indefinite time; the water didn't change, but the material of the container did. Consider adding a grate to the water inlet or emptying the rain barrel at least every 10 days to prevent mosquitoes from using the rain barrel as a breeding ground. By the time the water reaches the tap from the water department, it has already gone through some of the same processes. A number of factors can affect the safety of rainwater, including how often it rains in your geographic area, levels of air pollution, and the methods and tools used to collect, treat, analyze and store water (.
We'll tell you what the best pH levels are for your drinking water and how you can tell if your water isn't safe. Rain barrels or tanks should be kept out of direct sunlight, either in the shade, covered, stored underground, or inside a structure to avoid exposure to the sun. Chlorine dioxide is ideal for sheltering in place and for treating barrel water or water collected from a natural source while hiking. If you collect and store rainwater for drinking, you have an individual water system and are responsible for ensuring that the water is safe.
In this way, collecting water not only offsets the cost of water and increases your awareness of your personal water use, but it can also divert potential flooding from your home.
