Posted: 5/4/2013 11:20:15 AM EDT
I'm rotating out my water storage for the first time since purchasing the 5 gallon containers, all four that I've emptied so far have had a small amount of mildew in the bottom. Two part question.... I added some bleach before sealing is there anything else I can do to minimize the mildew from forming? Second, should I be concerned with drinking it? I'm thinking it's not a huge deal but thought I'd ask for opinions, below is a crappy pic (couldn't get the camera to focus on the bottom)
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Could you toss a few copper pennies in there and see what happens? What are the copper pennies suppose to do? My concern with pennies is they are already so dirty from being handled that I'd be contaminating the water with who knows what (true I could clean the pennies before putting them in but how would I know they are completely clean) It ended up all twelve of the 5 gallon containers I have had some mildew in the bottom, none were much worse than the one pictured. Using the spray nozzle from my sink washed them right out and I picked up so new bleach that I plan on adding to each and letting sit for a few minutes before emptying then refilling with water and more bleach. As I said I have a feeling it's not a big deal and I probably drink worse everyday from the sink (I notice black particles in the bottom of my cup all the time I just don't drink the bottom). Thanks for the input |
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Could you toss a few copper pennies in there and see what happens? What are the copper pennies suppose to do? My concern with pennies is they are already so dirty from being handled that I'd be contaminating the water with who knows what (true I could clean the pennies before putting them in but how would I know they are completely clean) It ended up all twelve of the 5 gallon containers I have had some mildew in the bottom, none were much worse than the one pictured. Using the spray nozzle from my sink washed them right out and I picked up so new bleach that I plan on adding to each and letting sit for a few minutes before emptying then refilling with water and more bleach. As I said I have a feeling it's not a big deal and I probably drink worse everyday from the sink (I notice black particles in the bottom of my cup all the time I just don't drink the bottom). Thanks for the input Wash the pennies first? Copper is a mildewcide. "true I could clean the pennies before putting them in but how would I know they are completely clean" How do you use a public restroom???? You mention you see black particles in the bottom of your cup, could what looks like mold be an accumulation of these black particles in your water cans? I'd think you ought to investigate this some more... |
| I guess you're right, it could be the black particles settling. The only reason I lean more towards mildew is due to the fact all twelve containers were nearly identical in where the spots were showing up (all had some along the mold lines and all had one or two dots elsewhere, I feel like if it was something settling in the water that it would be more random? |
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I guess you're right, it could be the black particles settling. The only reason I lean more towards mildew is due to the fact all twelve containers were nearly identical in where the spots were showing up (all had some along the mold lines and all had one or two dots elsewhere, I feel like if it was something settling in the water that it would be more random? I think they settled to the lowest spot over time. You need to collect some and find what they are by doing some simple tests. |
| I'm still needing to try to get some of the material out to try and verify if it's mildew, but I went ahead and cleaned six of them and added a little more bleach this time around. This are five gallon water containers from US plastics (looked but can't find them again on their website) I've only had them for about a year and a half but they seem to be holding up well |
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What about the black particles you said you could see in your cup?
I think you need to get to the bottom of this if you're drinking the water and the stuff is coming out of your faucet... Could be something as simple as a deteriorating faucet washer, but considering the quantities you describe I think it's coming into your house. |
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When filling jugs fill a clear plastic or glass container with some of the water you are using to fill your jugs. I am on a well and have a filter in the room the wellpump and pressure tank live in. But I still get buildup of this and that in other places as well. If I fill up a quart jar and let it settle overnight some stuff falls to the bottom of the container. Yeah I still drink the water and no I don't get that wound up with it. I have had city water that had stuff settle out of it, and it was not because of washers or other stuff in the house. It was because of ancient pipes they were always working on. |
Managed to get some of the "mildew" from the bottom, although it could be the black particles I see from time to time in my drinking cups it doesn't seem to be the same.... over time might change them though so who knows. I'm not overly concerned about it, I'm just cleaning them out with concentrated bleach and refilling.
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I don't think this is mildew. Tap water is not a steril product. There are often a lot of living things in water that don't present a health hazard in small amounts. You may want to contact your water supplier and see if they can (will) tell you what they grow on a heterotropic (?) plate count.
Make sure your containers are clean and dose them (wash them out) with a strong chlorine (bleach is 5% chlorine or so) solution before use. Add some chlorine (bleach) like you did when filling with water. Rotate more often. Filtering the water before putting in the container may help, mold spores are pretty small and a filter may not stop such small things,...so would boiling it first!! Copper Sulfate is used to beat down algae in lakes, etc. I don't think pennies in a jug are going to do much...may make you feel better. |
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I fill my jugs from filtered water (it's a Culligan system, 1 filter), and use a brand-new 1 gallon water jug for the transfer, since I can't get my jugs in the sink. Takes a little longer, but it would eliminate anything out of your system.
I use Amazon Subscribe and Save so that I always change my filter on time - they'll send you a new one on your schedule. |
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Could you toss a few copper pennies in there and see what happens? Why copper instead of silver? When I was little, I remember people putting a silver coin in rain barrels that they drank from.z And for good reason. Even today, some filters are impregnated with a tiny amt of silver. It's a biocide and tiny amt reacts with the [sulphur ions ?] that might be emitted by tiny critters or ions that are in the water. As far as copper, take a look at a copper roof. I had one installed in the 90's to replace a shake roof and it was interesting to see the patterns of water flow and the pure lack of any organics on the north side where they were strongly inclined to grow. |
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I fill my jugs from filtered water (it's a Culligan system, 1 filter), and use a brand-new 1 gallon water jug for the transfer, since I can't get my jugs in the sink. Takes a little longer, but it would eliminate anything out of your system. I use Amazon Subscribe and Save so that I always change my filter on time - they'll send you a new one on your schedule. We use filters way beyond the mfgr's recommended replacement interval and save lotso $$$. 
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