I started putting up water a few months ago. I moved some of it the other day. I know the first 40 or so bottles weren't treated with bleach. I marked the others when I started adding bleach.

Can I still add bleach to the water? It's not really really fuzzy, but there are a few little fuzzy clumps (less than pencil eraser size, usually 2 or 3 of 'em) in the water. I'd rather not have to go dump all that and do it over since our well water pressure is very low right now (pray for rain). I'd change it out though, if it wouldn't be safe.

-- jenn (don't@all.know), May 24, 1999

Answers

I would water my plants with it.

-- Daryll Smallwood (twinck@wfeca.net), May 24, 1999.

I would be afraid to drink it by just adding bleach. You might consider taking a sample to the county agents office and get it tested if that came from your well. The very least I would do is open one bottle and examine the 'fuzzy stuff' Try boiling the water and/or try adding bleach and see what happens. I hope you get rain soon. We have a well and a dry spell going on here too.

-- Dian (bdp@accessunited.com), May 24, 1999.

I'm no expert, but my tuppence worth: It's probably mold/algae. That should filter out with one of the high end pour-through filters. Not Brita, but maybe the Pur Plus (not the regular Pur, but the Pur Plus). Bleach it first, let it sit, then filter it, then bleach again and bottle it.

-- A (A@AisA.com), May 24, 1999.

Forgot one thing. Filter through clean rags as the first step.

-- A (A@AisA.com), May 24, 1999.

Filter, boil for 20 min, bleach, re-bottle.

-- FLAME AWAY (BLehman202@aol.com), May 24, 1999.

And don't forget to CLEAN the containers!

-- J (jart5@bellsouth.net), May 24, 1999.

I use coffee filters for the initial,silt filtering,then through my high end pur.

-- zoobie (zoobiezoob@yahoo.com), May 24, 1999.

Yes, it does look like a sprig or two of algae floating around, like what starts in the kiddies wading pools before you add shock or bleach. Thanks for the rain prayers and info!

If I can put up a lot more water, I'll just mark those "unpotable" and use for other things besides consumption, but we can't buy water (too poor) and don't waste what we have.

I saw those water storage bags that store 200 gallons of water that has a hose connection on the side - those are cool! (found that suggestion on archives). Hubby and I are going to scrimp to get one of those, and BLEACH the water immediately upon filling.

We've had the water tested by the county. It is just high in minerals. We aren't close to farms. Our well is 200+ feet down (I know, my husband and I had to change out the water pump 2 years ago ourselves). Sheesh. At least we know we'll be able to handle most stuff that comes our way ;-)

Thanks everybody. Jenn

-- jenn (don't@all.know), May 24, 1999.

I'd would recommend waiting to actually store water until closer to December - even from your own well (using "store-bought" power) you should be able to reliable get waterup until the first of January. Then the water can sit "stored" longer into year 2000 as needed, recalling that not all areas may be affected by troubles the same way, in the same length of time.

Clean and dry the tanks (barrels) now, then let them stay sealed (to keep bugs out - if a bung cover is left off a barrel outside, the wasps, hornets and yellowjackets quickly move in and build nests!). A wet (damp) barrel is likely re-mold and re-mildew on you.

-- Robert A. Cook, PE (Kennesaw, GA) (cook.r@csaatl.com), May 24, 1999.