Drinking Water

[damntough]

I've been reading about the technology that Bill and Linda Gates have been investing in to help solve/create clean drinking water in undeveloped regions of the world. It intrigues me. The concept is to take sewage and make clean and safe drinking water. The other byproducts are electricity, heat and ash. 


When camping, we need clean water, electricity and heat for cooking and bathing. This seems like an ideal technology to be developed using crowd funding. 


In the meantime, I would like to use existing technology to find a reliable way to make good clean great tasting water from any campground source. Ideally, it would be mounted under the kitchen sink. We would use it for cooking and drinking water for two people. I would think filters and reverse osmosis are required. The problem with reverse osmosis, from what I read, it wastes two gallons for every gallon of drinking water. My question is, can this wasted water be diverted into the fresh water tank or is it somehow not able to produce drinking water? 


Thanks for the help.

Paul

[holstein13]

wa8yxm wrote:
Of course, newer technology exists today, nearly half a century later,, So I do not know.. But I remain speptical of any waste water purification system other than natures.

You are correct. Newer tech exists today and you can now turn feces into drinking water:

http://www.gatesnotes.com/Development/Omniprocessor-From-Poop-to-Potable

[2gypsies1]

TechWriter wrote:

blknomad wrote:
Come on people, $.58 a gallon at walley world.

Been there, done that. Not practical when you're full timing.

Plus, that water came from the same place we get our own water and filter it before use. Bottled water doesn't come from pristine springs. 🙂

[TechWriter]

wa8yxm wrote:

There was a demonstration many years ago of a Sewage to fresh water . . . Folks who were there . . . labeled it a Fraud . . ..

Of course, newer technology exists today, nearly half a century later,, So I do not know.. But I remain speptical of any waste water purification system other than natures.

Your info is woefully out of date.

"Toilet to tap" (recycling sewage water) is currently used in Orange County, CA, San Diego, CA, Texas, Las Vegas, and overseas (Singapore).

Here's the Orange County Filtration System (Filtration > RO > UV).

[TechWriter]

blknomad wrote:
Come on people, $.58 a gallon at walley world.

Been there, done that. Not practical when you're full timing.

[wa8yxm]

R/O water is rather pure, Some think it is too pure,, (I happen to be one of them but that's a topic for another thread)

There was a demonstration many years ago of a Sewage to fresh water maching in Detroit, Mi... Folks who were there and who knew the diference between you know what and the famous hole in the ground, labeled it a Fraud, and explained why.

I was not there, but have the needed training and skills to read their report, and ... They were accurate, it was fraud.

Of course, newer technology exists today, nearly half a century later,, So I do not know.. But I remain speptical of any waste water purification system other than natures.

[blknomad]

Come on people, $.58 a gallon at walley world.

[J-Rooster]

All I drink is RO water! I'm not signing up or supporting to drink recycled sewer water! I drank enough of that when I was in Vietnam!

[2gypsies1]

We purchased multiple types of filters from:

RV Filter Store

The owner will help you choose what you need and is very personable. We traveled extensively, including Alaska and always got our water from campgrounds of all kinds. We filled our water tank and drank and cooked out of that water and never had problems or concerns. It was filtered going into the tank and filtered at the kitchen sink. We did not have reverse osmosis which to us, is wasteful of precious water.

[TechWriter]

Bumpyroad wrote:

I just wonder how long a neglected UV system in an RV would have any meaningful effect.

As with anything neglected -- not long.

UV systems must be maintained just like any water filer. To make it easier, my UV filter has a meter which shows bulb intensity so you know when it's failing.

[TechWriter]

Effy wrote:
Here is an example of a pretty cost effective, single point of use, RO unit.
RO system

Impressive unit.

Effy wrote:

Another point, these units probably require 40PSI or more due to multi stages. That's a lot of PSI on RV plumbing and I am not sure how well it would travel or if it would be affected with constant movement.

I believe RV plumbing is typically rated for at least 60psi. My under-the-sink RO system has been working fine at these pressures.

[Bumpyroad]

Effy wrote:
Here is an example of a pretty cost effective, single point of use, RO unit. It can handle Chlorine and has a stage to add beneficial minerals back in. An issue with a lot of RO units that when they strip everything, they mean it. Including helpful minerals which alters the PH. If PH remains unbalanced, water being water, will try to neutralize and your bones have a good source of minerals to do that. You don't want that. Also as I stated before, there is a lot to these units and space is a consideration in an RV. Another point, these units probably require 40PSI or more due to multi stages. That's a lot of PSI on RV plumbing and I am not sure how well it would travel or if it would be affected with constant movement. RO units typically can't handle small bacteria, so if there is coliform bacteria, (possible in recycled waste water) you would probably need a UV/germicidal in tandem. You would have to get the water tested to know this. Some RO units have a UV built in.

RO system

with the issues I have seen with industrial UV systems and the difficulty in maintaining an adequate exposure requiring frequent cleaning, I just wonder how long a neglected UV system in an RV would have any meaningful effect.
that seems to be a great price on that RO system you linked to
bumpy

[Effy]

Here is an example of a pretty cost effective, single point of use, RO unit. It can handle Chlorine and has a stage to add beneficial minerals back in. An issue with a lot of RO units that when they strip everything, they mean it. Including helpful minerals which alters the PH. If PH remains unbalanced, water being water, will try to neutralize and your bones have a good source of minerals to do that. You don't want that. Also as I stated before, there is a lot to these units and space is a consideration in an RV. Another point, these units probably require 40PSI or more due to multi stages. That's a lot of PSI on RV plumbing and I am not sure how well it would travel or if it would be affected with constant movement. RO units typically can't handle small bacteria, so if there is coliform bacteria, (possible in recycled waste water) you would probably need a UV/germicidal in tandem. You would have to get the water tested to know this. Some RO units have a UV built in.

RO system

[damntough]

Thanks Jeff. Your documentation is exactly what I was hoping to find. Can you give me a rough estimate of the costs for each component?

Paul

[Rwake901]

egh33 wrote:
The City of Wichita Falls,Tx. has been recycling sewer water for a good many months now. Them claim they put the #2 in the H20. Works for them.

Not sure I would want (#2) in my drinking water!!!! 😄