ShopTalk Sunday: Bad Water – Poisoning America?

by

Ham Radio Note First:  

This is Day 2 of Summer Field Day – one of the two times a year when ham radio types take to the field and pretend the balloons have gone up or thh world, in some other way, have gone over the edge into the gridless abyss.  Field Day rules are there.  Lower end of 20 (CW) this afternoon for me (ac7x) – have fun!

Ure – All Wet

Whenever Elaine or I get to feeling sluggish, or just a bit “off,” one of the things I do is switch over to highly controlled drinking water. 50-50 tap and distilled.  Our summer water is 8.2 pH (or higher) so super hard water in the summer.  The mix brings it down a bit. Around 7.4  pH.

A home water distiller can be had for under $70 bucks (like the one we have been using for more than a year now). Elaine loves her morning glass of orange juice (high pulp, thank you). The leftover plastic bottles are the “free” answer to water storage in the fridge; their footprint is smaller than a ½-gallon of milk.

I don’t mean to be an alarmist, but if you are serious about Longevity and high levels of vitality (strong qi) then I can’t think of a better place to begin than with a personal water audit.

You won’t have far to look, in most homes, because even high quality municipal water has a ‘shelf life’.  Onceonce the clock runs enough, it can cause serious health risks.

Let’s Talk “Dead End Pipe Runs”

Years ago – like the mid 1980s – I was busy being head of a broadcasting college.  We had the ground floor of a prominent Class A office building and the place not only offered a solid curriculum, brand new equipment, but it was also making money.,..a great combination any time, right?

So, there I am in the corner office (my digs) one day and the most horrible, God-awful smell you can imagine – puke your guts out gagging smell –  comes wafting out the air conditioning ducts.

I got on the horn instantly to the building manager: “WTF?”

“Oh, that’s the periodic draining of the fire sprinkler system,” she began to explain. “When water gets into a “dead end pipe, it sits there and stagnates, producing sulfides as the chlorine in the water loses its germ-killing punch over time…”

Oh.  I’d never heard of such a thing – and doubt most people have.  I asked my late father about it.  A retired firefighter (Captain, Seattle fire) and his own stations, I figured if anyone would know more, it would be Pappy. They called him “The Encyclopedia”  pretty all over the fifth battalion.

“Yeah, when we go out and test every hydrant in our district,” he began, “We try not to be downwind when we turn on the water because on dead end hydrant lines, sometimes the water doesn’t get used for years.  Sure, we test flow, but it’s as much to make sure the lines are periodically refreshed…they can feed back into the drinking water…”

I’ll be damned…who knew?

Homeowner Exposure

The same problem – essentially water “rotting water” in dead-end plumbing – hits most homeowners without them even thinking about it.

See, a dead end pipe run is anything over, oh, 5 or 10-feet long on a run that isn’t used at least a couple of times monthly.  Water from the main waterline will flow past the “T” (going to the dead end line( just fine.  But the local turbulence to exchange water in the dead end pipe only goes back a short distance into the dead end.  From there out to the end, you’ve got “water rot” going on. Care to guess what happens overnight as the two waters mix around the tee in the plumbing?

Where is this health nightmare lurking?  The two main exposures in a typical home are dead-ends out to garden, garage, and cleaning faucets (or where the trailer’s parked…) away from the main water lines in a home.  I hate to admit it, but I’ve become really slack on water line flushing, too.  This article popped up because an alarm clock (off in dream realms, in one of those adventures) reminded me of it one morning this week.

We have some long dead end runs, too.  One, from the shop guest quarters down to the (used to be) goat barn, hasn’t been turned on in maybe four years.  The run up to the garden (which we didn’t get turned on this year ) also got a visit from an an old fat sot wearing a plummer’s cap.  (You need to have the right hat for every job.  Get a plumber’s cap. Plumbing and wiring live in fear of confident journeyman-looking weekend warriors…)

My bad to forget the dead ends, but at least something down in my intuition was keeping us safe.  Remember that water distiller I menationed a minute ago?  “View order details   Ordered on July 11, 2024.” They’re $30 cheaper than when I bought ours.

Where’s the Science?

Funny you should ask.  I hit the A.I. stack with the same question:

“Stagnation Studies:

A 2025 study on stagnant drinking water showed that even short-term stagnation (48 hours) significantly increased biofilm growth and microbial risks, particularly when trace metals were present. Long-term stagnation, as in dead-end pipes, exacerbates these risks.

Research during the COVID-19 pandemic examined long-term stagnation in university buildings, finding prolonged microbiological risks due to low chlorine levels and biofilm formation. Recovery of water quality took 10 to 48 days after flushing, indicating the persistence of contamination in stagnant systems.

Premise Plumbing and Dead Legs:

Dr. Marc Edwards’ research at Virginia Tech has shown that dead legs in premise plumbing increase water age, promoting Legionella growth and other opportunistic pathogens. This is particularly relevant for seldom-used outlets like garden faucets.

The CDC recognizes opportunistic premise plumbing pathogens (OPPPs) like Legionella as the primary cause of waterborne disease in the U.S., with dead-end pipes contributing to these risks.

What’s the Work Plan?

That’s really driven by local conditions.  In our case, the 600-gallon back-up pressure water system, I now have that on a six-month 100 percent water change schedule (the equinox shop list).  At the same time, the dead ends (40-feet to the goat barn, 80-feet to the garden) will be flushed.  This weekend’s change is a “bonus.”

This will pull us into general compliance with drinking water guidelines.

  • Potable water stored in clean, food-grade containers under ideal conditions (cool, dark, sealed environment) generally remains safe for 6 months without needing refreshing, filtering, or replacement.
  • The CDC and FEMA recommend rotating stored water every 6 months to ensure freshness, as stagnant water can develop off-tastes or odors due to chemical changes or microbial growth, even if it remains technically safe.
  • For example, water stored in BPA-free plastic jugs or stainless steel containers at 50–70°F (10–21°C) with no exposure to sunlight typically stays potable for this period.

If you have “stored water” for emergencies, and it hasn’t been specifically reated for longer-term storage, there’s your answer: at least every six-months. Equinoxes and it’s not too hot in the south or too cold in del Norte.

Advice for Regular Humans

For homeowners or “regular humans” managing dead-end pipes like those leading to garden faucets:

Flush Regularly: Run the garden faucet for 1–2 minutes every month or three, especially before using the water for drinking, cooking, or gardening. This is a simple, low-cost way to reduce risks.

Monitor Water Quality: Look for signs of contamination, such as foul odors, discoloration, or a “rotten egg” smell, which may indicate sulfides or microbial activity. If detected, flush longer and stronger. Consider testing the water. $20 water meters we keep around for the hydroponics work dandy. TDS (total disolved solids) and pH is a good start.

Clean Faucets: Periodically clean the faucet’s aerator or screen to remove debris or potential lead particles.

Contact Utilities: Reach out to your local water utility for advice on flushing times or to check if your home has lead service lines, which increase risks during stagnation.

Consider Filters: If you’re concerned about microbial or metal contaminants, install a faucet filter certified to remove lead, bacteria, or other pollutants.

Professional Help: If you suspect corrosion or persistent water quality issues, hire a licensed plumber to inspect the system or replace problematic dead-end pipes.

“You Are What You Drink”

As we age, there is a tendency for the body not to keep up with the brain.  Things we could get away with when younger – say, drinking out of a creek – that we might have gotten away with when young, can become health impairing contaminant sources now. (We’re too old for giardia thanks.)

Have a look at Associations of Boiled Water and Lifespan Water Sources With Mortality: A Cohort Study of 33,467 Older Adults – PubMed.

The key part to notice is this:

“Conclusions: Drinking water from well and surface water around the age of 60 years were associated with increased all-cause mortality. Drinking water from spring around the age of 60 years and well at present was associated with a decreased CVD mortality. However, boiled water was not associated with mortality.”

You don’t have to actually make any changes in your life or routines for annual home maintenance. I mean, some people can’t even be bothered with checking their smoke detector batteries, right?

But we’re in for the long haul, and part of that, we logically figured, would be putting only the best possible ingredients into our bodies. We do that with food (fresh, little processed) and booze (yum, triple filtered vodka or month-old vintage jug wine!).  So why not the water?

Experts Agree…

One of our readers, who blesses us with expertise in the “good water” quest actually built a nationwide chemical company, sold it all, and went to Africa to do good work in public water.  He wrote a book about his adventures “Waterborne: The Water School Story.”  As you might guess, fellow’s had some real scary encounters with bad water…

“I have lots of personal and professional experience with biofilms, ranging from a toilet in our current home we moved in to after it being vacant for a year. Thick slime on all parts of the tank. Most people would not look in there.

I was called in as a water consultant to a large geriatric bathing pool in Winnipeg that had a circulation and odour problem. Patients were lowered into the pool in wheel chairs and diapers for their daily swims. I asked for the large sand filter to be opened and there we saw a slime creature like something from a horror movie. It took 2 weeks to totally drain and clean that system.

Another time, I was called to a large outdoor concrete commerical pool in Montreal that was thought to have been vandalized with tar. The tar was thick black algae, again like something from a movie. Black algae can be deadly.

The occasional Legionnaires disease outbreak usually happens when the cooling tower system is left stagnant for long periods and then started up with aerosolized distribution of slimy water. Sometimes this can happen with a simple window air conditioner in summer startup.

Bottom line, you are right. Bacteria and fungal growth take place when water stagnates and is accelerated with heat. It can occur anywhere stagnation takes place including the dead end pipes you discuss. Your recommendations are all good.

One caveat for drinking water. Never switch totally to distilled water without any natural salts. Electrolytes are essential in the blood stream for good health.”

Neat fellow, Bob.  He’s profiled on The Water School website here, but look around the place.  Neat to see people actual “walk the talk” in life. Cool site to wander around.  (This is the part where I don’t mention that a contributor to our Comments section might use an abbreviation for “Bob In Canada” as his monker, lol…)

One for the Road

When we were younger, it was commonly taught (yeah, schools get things wrong – on top of woke crap) that people were “73 percent water.”  Well, that’s not exactly right.

  • Men: Approximately 60–65% of body weight is water, as they typically have more muscle mass, which contains a higher water content (about 75%).  Fat mnass is more water; enter the keto water weight magic in Week 1…
  • Women: Around 50–55%, due to a higher proportion of body fat, which has less water (about 10–20%). Less magical first week of keto?
  • Older Adults: Water percentage tends to decrease with age, often closer to 50%, due to reduced muscle mass and increased fat.  (Our PCB says hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.  Elaine forgets, and I don’t like overly diluted drinks…)

We spend about $400/month on high quality life-extension nutrition. Things like NMN, GlyNAC,and OTC spin of TRIIM-X, and a Shaolin bedtime snack. But we also have a budget for “perfect water”.

Might want to read a book on water: The Fourth Phase of Water: Beyond Solid, Liquid, and Vapor while we’re on topic. Yeah, it’s a gel.

Not the “usual stuff in the workshop” this week.  But then again, there is nothing “usual” about much of anything around here!

One More on Top of That?

My buddy next door is the lucky recipient of my well-word 10-inch table saw.  Evolution Power Tools just got these back in stock and I need to make room today.  FedEx lands the new one tomorrow…

His son is 5 now, so I got him some power cord locks to put on the machine tools in his shop.  I know his son’s a perfect little feller.  But that guy I saw shaving this morning? Hell he was getting into all kinds of serious shit by age five, so an ounce of prevention…

Rack and pinion fence, sliding table insert, a super blade that cuts from cardboard and wood right up through low carbon steel (Square tube!!! perfect 45’s on the table saw!) along with a flip-down miter fence support.

Gee, wonder what I can play with over the Fourth, huh? (Hmm… roll cage for the riding mower?…Hmm…)

Write when you’re well-hydrated, But not too much…

George@Ure.net

64 thoughts on “ShopTalk Sunday: Bad Water – Poisoning America?”

  2. Stu had an interesting post about water ‘memory’ which is why he doesn’t drink tap water. I wanted to look for it, but The Age of Desolation site is down again.

    (Error establishing a database connection)

    • Is Stubert over sensitive target areas again ?

      Have noticed increasing levels of facism in action on the internetz lately. Sites blocked, DDOS attacks, same ole scheisse from fat loser .mil clowns at ft. Huachuaca type centers, for spreading darkness on the internetz.

      How long before American forces in ME are subject to/victims of the Blood Curse of Solimani ?

      How long before dead US service members begin piling up at Dover AFB ?
      My escape routes out of USA seem to be getting tighter and tighter, water route still viable..at least on East Coast..
      West Coast – forget it, hungry hordes of Chyknees standing by for invasion. Yes that slippery sleaze gruesome will be standing on the shoreline handing out rifles to the incoming hordes, you better Belize It.

      Never trust a Viper, nor a Croc, ever.

      • We think that’s a bit pessimistic. Newsome (nominally a Citizen and therefore supportive of the Constition) in our analyses is not likely to hand out rifles. On the other hand, driver’s licenses, housing subsidies and the Han versiion of SNAP coupons for chow? Well, wouldn’t get near that bet on a D9. (Even with the rock ripper)
        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKYuaC8DhM0
        Yes sir, our idea of a subsoiler, huh?
        https://youtu.be/ywhHsjp6CxE
        “Stop! I’m learning too much. Oh please Mr Ure, let me be a sheep, PLEASE!”

        • I dunno. Rumor has it that the Grusome one is on the “leaning away from the U.S.” side of the secession issue…

        • Word on the streets is Greasey Gavi has a stockpile of ammo in a underground warehouse underneath the state capital building. 9s, 556, 762 of both flavors. Truckloads disguised as N95s, gloves and respirators during covi.
          Safe bet is its not to hand out to the fine and diehard citizens of his once amazing state. But who and what is it really for?
          Someone above Grease boys pay grade is planning for something.

    • Water Memory +Rose Quartz: A Resonance Model…
      my mother believed in the strength of cystals.. they were placed the on out the house in the windows..as a child I would marvel at the glittering spectrum as is cascaded the floor..
      she would line a big funnel with a cloth filter and pour drinking water over the crystals..rose quartz.. I still do to this day..just because if the memories of mom. In many traditions, water is seen as the element of emotion, intuition, and memory. If we accept the idea that water can be “impressed” by subtle frequencies (as some research and mystic traditions suggest), then rose quartz placed in or near water could theoretically imbue it with emotional resonance—especially qualities like compassion, forgiveness, and self-love.Rose quartz, is associated with the heart chakra (Anahata), is often used to “harmonize” emotional energy. Crystals like quartz are piezoelectric, meaning they can hold and emit subtle electromagnetic charges. In a metaphysical sense, this could act as a structural template for the water, shaping its “memory” toward coherent, loving frequencies. I give jewelry gifts of rose quartz often..Some fringe scientists suggest that water can form hexagonal clusters or lattice-like structures that may be influenced by intention, sound, or crystalline presence. Is this true or just a belief that I don’t know. Rose quartz might not just affect the aesthetic—it could serve as a geometric anchor, resonating with heart-centered healing. Or just a symbol for emotional healing. history and precious stones frequencies associated with each one .. a stone picked up in Africa under scientific tests can be traced directly to the region where it was picked up. Minerals like magnetite, hematite, and ilmenite carry remanent magnetization—a kind of magnetic “memory” from when they formed.This magnetization can reflect the Earth’s magnetic field at the time and place of formation, which helps geologists determine age and origin.Now my thoughts on water structuring…Structured water—sometimes called hexagonal water or EZ (Exclusion Zone) water—refers to H?O molecules arranged in a more organized, lattice-like pattern, similar to what’s found in natural springs or inside living cells. This structure is believed to enhance hydration, energy transfer, and even cellular communication..stones and crystals, especially those with piezoelectric or paramagnetic properties, are thought to influence water’s molecular arrangement. Quartz: Emits a subtle, stable frequency that may help align water molecules. (MAY)
      Shungite: Known for its carbon structure (fullerenes), it’s used to purify and energize water.
      Tourmaline or magnetite: Can generate weak electric fields that may affect water’s charge distribution.in ancient Egypt water was often left to sit in clay pots lined with stones, absorbing both mineral content and vibrational qualities. was this just ritual or did they know something we still don’t know todato mimic thiswater within a magetic field is suppose to mimic the natural magnetism water encounters in underground aquifers. Some studies suggest this can improve taste, hydration, and nutrient absorption.
      The ancient Chinese viewed water not just as a physical necessity, but as a living, responsive force—a carrier of qi.. a mirror of cosmic balance, and a medium for transformation. While they didn’t describe “structured water” in modern molecular terms, their practices and philosophies suggest a deep intuitive grasp of water’s energetic and spiritual malleability. In Daoist and traditional Chinese cosmology: Water embodies the yin principle—fluid, receptive, and powerful through softness.It was believed to absorb and transmit qi, especially when flowing through sacred landscapes or interacting with specific materials like jade, bronze, or stone.The placement of water features in feng shui was used to harmonize energy in homes and cities, suggesting an understanding of water as a conductor of environmental resonance.In Daoist alchemy, water was often infused with minerals or herbs and left to sit in stone vessels—sometimes over jade or magnetite—to absorb their essence. Certain spring waters were considered sacred and used in rituals, believed to carry the energetic imprint of the mountain or dragon vein (longmai) from which they flowed.The Five Elements theory linked water to the kidneys, fear, and winter—suggesting that water could be used to balance emotional and physical states. where did or when did they discover the things they believed? During the Shang dynasty, water was already central to ritual purification, political ceremony, and spiritual cleansing. The founder’s posthumous name, Tang ( not the drink lol)literally means “hot water,” symbolizing his role in ritual renewal.By the Zhou dynasty, ritual bathing became widespread, practiced by both elites and commoners during festivals like the Lustration Festival, where people bathed in rivers to wash away spiritual impurities.The concept of qi emerged in early Daoist and naturalist philosophy as the life force that animates all things. It was seen as flowing through the body, the land, and the cosmos. European alchemy began to take shape around the 1st to 3rd centuries CE, primarily in Greco-Roman Egypt, especially in Alexandria, where Greek philosophy merged with Egyptian metallurgy and mysticism and water structure became a form of cleansing. public a the to purify their souls. This early form of alchemy was deeply symbolic, blending practical experimentation with spiritual transformation.The elixir of life associated with the philosophers stone.The union of opposites (sun and moon, sulfur and mercury, body and soul) The stone was said to emerge from prima materia—the chaotic, undifferentiated source of all things—through a process of purification, dissolution, and recombination.in the Mahabharata and broader Hindu cosmology, water isn’t just a substance. It’s a primordial intelligence, a sacred medium through which gods act, creation unfolds, and dharma flows. In Hindu mythology, water is one of the Pancha Mahabhuta (five great elements), but it’s also the first womb of creation. The Kshira Sagara—the Ocean of Milk—is the primordial structured water, from which:
      Vishnu rests on the serpent Ananta, dreaming the universe into being.
      Brahma is born from a lotus emerging from Vishnu’s navel, floating on these cosmic waters. This mirrors the idea of structured water as a matrix of potential—a medium that holds form, vibration, and memory before manifestation.
      A lot of study has been done.. I do it just because mom was a believer and for traditional remembrance..You can easily make a water vortex over crystals..our drinking water basis in a magnetic field over rose quarts crystals and through a pretty good filtering system with ozone..

    • Some have commented on Stu’s website going away. He has worked hard over the decades to get his message out. I cannot fault his anger and angst at those who steal his work yet fail to even support or recognize his work. While I cannot Grok all he puts out I cannot nor will not criticize his work or his efforts. He has my utmost respect. I value his work and thoughts. He doesn’t have a rich patron. His site costs big bucks. He has stated he was going to shut down due to cost. If you haven’t bought his book please do so. His work is still available at: https://main.theageofdesolation.com/2020-main-default.html

      He has a life and is tying to make the best of it. Like all of us, the clock of life is ticking. He pursued his Nostradamus work while having a professional and productive life. He has had some bad shit smack him via the corporate maximize immediate profits and f**k the employees mindset where they demand loyalty yet don’t return same, and recently has some serious Mother Nature smack downs, yet he still keeps getting up. Like all of us, he needs to take care of himself first. He has stated many times that he might just shut the site down, that he has done only a partial step speaks to his commitment to his mission. Thankfully he still has this minimalist site. Hope he can afford to keep it.
      Stu, thanks for all your work.

  3. Today’s column has alerted me to a serious boo-boo in my brilliantly-planned and executed water tower. I designed it so that the tank is filled from the top with a float valve, but it feeds out through a one-way valve at the bottom. In and out via the same line. So the tank only drains when I lose well pressure, which ain’t often. Guess I’ll have to add an output line at the bottom so I use out of the tank constantly instead of out of the well.

  4. ReLoad/ReLoaders/ReLoading

    Been listening for the “fat lady” in all the likely places, but nary a Note has been heard – no good G-Pops, not good at all.

    The fat broad aint Singing cause the USA/israHell vs Iran/Shia Muslim World is NOT Over.

    Ground invasion ??? ???

    Coming right up –

    This would kick off a serious case of Asymmetrical Warfare around US/US Bases.

    * SOE’s suggest Proxy Activations inside USA. They will “wake up” in very wicked moods, some ones gonna pay – and it aint gonna be Politicians, Politicans Family, and Rich Guys like the DC porkers, UNFORTUNATELY.

    NERP ! – Middle Class and below will bear the brunt of these upcoming conflicts… AS USUAL .

    Roll cage ?
    How about a Drone Cage for Ure mobile Ham war wagon/truck.
    Ever practice 4×4 drive by shooting ? Hit a stationary target while you are moving & or driving ? Got any “Flak” cans (chafe) mounted on the warwagon?
    Never know when some “sleeping” iranian terror team will start terror/bombing Ure local power/water distribution centers, or raiding local Farms for wine/goats/food.
    Speaking of Water – AC903 Waterpure whole house filter from 3M is 1st line of defense in casa BCP.
    Pharma level filter in Fridge, that Water goes into large Keshe Fdn. pitcher for Alkalizing. Once alkalized that Water goes into the Hydrogenizer for H3O.
    Always Alkalized, as I seem to Run better..YRMV.

    “Broken Ass Toasters” -bot a Weber grill last year August as B-Day gift for Son in Law. Nice set up w/wifi connection for cellular BBQ – cook that shit from Ure phone while quaffing a frosty Hieny 0.0% . That same exact grill is over $250 more his Summer.
    That is real life painial for the USD, we be talking no lube – raw dogged.
    Its the Economy G – it aint working for the MANY..leading to the QUESTION – Just How Fucking Stupid is This Administration ?

    Really not gonna like the answer Im afraid..

    • For those who may not know (not everyone does…) This seems to reference asymmetrical warfare and proxy activations inside the USA, “SOE’s” most likely refers to Special Operations Executives or similar entities, drawing from the historical term used for the British Special Operations Executive during World War II. The WWII SOE was a covert organization tasked with conducting espionage, sabotage, and supporting resistance movements in enemy-occupied territories, often using unconventional tactics to disrupt stronger adversaries. In a modern context, “SOE’s” could be a shorthand for covert operatives, sleeper cells, or proxy actors (state or non-state) embedded within a country to carry out disruptive or destabilizing actions.
      SOEs a mainly Brit term which might be used by the Coronado Independence Association, if you follow

      • Ding ding, Ding ding..

        >Iran switches off GPS (run by US space farce) replaced with Bei Dou.
        Also Shut out Instagram, as well as WhatsApp.

        >> Uncle Vlad just confirmed for the publics enjoyment; Mass Production of the new Russian super missile has already begun..weeks ago.

        “Say hello to my little friend, Oreshniks”-https://youtu.be/9m_12SGXNKw?si=1zjARmW7fgoc4CyC

      • re: Kyiv anchor drop
        feat: WW2 Polish Home Army

        Folks,
        Yesterday Poland’s outgoing president made a final (unannounced?) trip to visit President Zelensky in Kyiv. The latter uploaded a 29 minute palace press conference of the pair to his Telegram account.

        He left unmentioned an item raised by Ukrainian msm. The Polish president arrived at Kyiv’s train station pictured with his Polish military bodyguard by his side. The soldier wore a crest on his uniform depicting an anchor on a Polish flag, the insignia of the WW2 Polish Home Army. This has been interpreted as an insult to the Zelensky Administration.

        The Polish Home Army apparently operated between 1942 and early 1945 as an arm of the Polish government-in-exile in London. The Soviet Union generally was its ally against nazi Germans and Banderite Ukrainian nationalists.

        Here is a link to an image published by the “Kyiv Post” of the Polish president’s welcome along with his bodyguard at the train station:

        https://static.kyivpost.com/storage/2025/06/28/96c3cfb0cff6e05e8093e5bfb2af9cf9.jpeg

    • “* SOE’s suggest Proxy Activations inside USA. They will “wake up” in very wicked moods, some ones gonna pay – and it aint gonna be Politicians, Politicans Family, and Rich Guys like the DC porkers, UNFORTUNATELY. ”

      When (not if) that happens, it will change the Rules of Engagement. The local rednecks will go hunting without a need for a license, and maybe even a bounty for good measure. Remember, WE are the first responders. The old “If you see something, say something” no longer applies. Now it’s “If you see something, DO something”.

      • Yes, but the first defenders will fall victim to our judicial system. Until the (notoriously stupid, selfish, and slow) bureaucrats realize their asses are on the firing range also, every patriot who does what should be done, will go to jail.

        • Once again Ray is a Ray of common sense and situational awareness. The wait period of a vigilante acting and getting lawfared or going to the Whitehouse to receive a congressional medal of honor is the important question.
          There will be an a event that greenlights patriots taking action but many will perish before that happens.
          There are thousands of well prepared civilians paying close attention to that greenlight event.
          I know many myself and they are very capable, better than any LE around these parts.

    • The AC903 Waterpure has a standard 5 micron cartridge filter. That’s a good coarse filter for a home inlet. Culligan makes several competing filters. They also have a 1 micron cartridge that fits the same filter housing.
      I am sand bagging Culligan filter housings and filters for water gathering from more questionable sources. The Zon carries them. I figure I will use 5 micron into a bladder, 1 micron into a barrel, batch shock, then 5 micron carbon filter to the drip filter or other buckets.
      Right now I am only filtering kitchen drinking and cooking water.
      The Katadyn Ceradyn table drip I am using has several commercial competitors which are all likely as good or better . The advantage of the Katadyn is that I have one plus a spare. Bird in hand, 2 is 1, 1 is none. Covered all the sage stuff in one shot. The Katadyn filters down to .2 micron with ceramic filters. For viruses, you need something more exotic. I have a .02 micron filter sand bagged for extreme emergencies. They are really pricey, with limited life, and don’t handle silt well.
      Texas has too many people for the land to support. Water is already the underlying issue which drives all Texas politics, not energy. Without electricity, there is no way that all these people can go native, the way my ancestors did when they arrived during the Republic era and before. Their grand kids thought they were Indians, the way they lived. DNA testing says probably not, but water was an ever-present constraint.
      Most of the shallow wells that can be accessed non-electric are gone. My ancestors dug a deep dry hole next to where my home sits, and lined it with bricks. They ran roof water into it and used it as a vertical cistern. The parents and their siblings were ashamed of it, filled it in and capped it with concrete. In their minds, it was a vestige of depression era poverty.
      !!@*#&@$%!!.

      • Culligan bought Zerowater a couple years ago. That I can tell, they have been bright enough to change nothing WRT the Zerowater 5-layerr filter system. IIRC Katadyn created the Zerowater system, then spun it off (don’t hold me to this). Some years later, Zerowater bought Brita but ran it in a shell and after only a couple years, spun it back off. It was a short time before or after that Culligan acquired Zerowater. BIC may know the timetable. I don’t. I don’t watch water companies…

  5. I have taken to using a drip ceramic water filter in the kitchen. I still use tap water for washing dishes, but try to dry thoroughly before using. The guts have been better for it.
    Another issue I have spoken about before is keeping the temperature up on the water heater. The tap water here does have H2S bacteria. If you keep the water heater temperature up, it kills it. Otherwise, you end up with sulfurous hot water. My late father would make a beeline to the water heater and turn down the thermostat almost every time he walked in the door. That cost me about two or three water heater failures from H2S corrosion, and one flooding incident. He could not be persuaded to just stop.

    • I just took off all faucet aerators, put them in a cup, added bleach, let them soak for a few minutes, put them back in place, let water run for a couple of minutes, both hot and cold…

      Am I paranoid?

      • No. Water safe than sorry. Daily use of the faucet probably makes it unnecessary on more than a monthly or so basis. Dead zone faucets that George describes are more likely to develop a bacteria load. An aerator here would be best treated before consuming the delivered water.

    • I kicked my solar heater max tank temp up to 180 degrees. It has a mixing valve on the output to take it down to 140 for usage. This way I can store more hot water overnight and still have reasonable hot water in the morning before sunrise.

  6. Clean water is important. Distilled it’s a war of organisms. Legionella (and other) bacteria Vs humans.

    I’ve been in restaurants where the water tastes gross. Which is strange because they’re all on the same pipes – municipal water. Others at the table won’t taste the problem but I can. I go without…. but also decided I can’t revisit those restaurants because the foodies are prepared using that water. So those restaurants get added to my boycott lists.

    But you did mention dead end pipes and these restaurants I speak of have been located in Detroit. Detroit has blocks and blocks of vacant land. Likely the olden day water pipes are all dead-ended into those old subdivisions and growing things inside.

    More funerals for me to visit as I outlive them all!!

    • Many of those Detroit pipes are also probably made of LEAD. When Detroit was being built out LEAD was being used for many water pipes, including distribution lines.

      While chemical treatment can keep the lead contained in the pipes … for DEAD runs that chemical effect most likely lessens over time due to the water being dead and lead begins to leach into the system.

      I agree with you … I would avoid those restaurants also.

      (Flint’s lead pipe problem was they switched from Detroit’s water, so as to save money, which was properly treated to contain the lead to their own treatment plant which was NOT run properly and did NOT properly treat the water so as to contain the lead. Voila over time that coating that had formed in the lead pipes to keep the lead contained wore off and Flint’s water ended up containing LOTS of lead.

      That is what you get when you try to save too much money, being unwilling to pay for outside experts or do rigorous outside testing regularly, and only promote from within people who weren’t very intelligent to begin with.

      • OOWS, the difference in the water flavor is caused by some restaurants having RO or mass filter systems, and some, not. Some is probably caused by certain restaurants being more attentive WRT tending to their filters, than others. (The least-sanitary place in any restaurant is its soda fountain. It only takes a few hours for the nozzles to begin growing fungi and bacteria. I’ve seen nozzles, especially in cstores, which haven’t been cleaned or sterilized in months. Ya ain’t seen nuthin’ until you’ve seen a health inspector extract a mold turd the size of a mushroom, from inside a Pepsi nozzle.
        ________
        ________

        Stephen 2: I have replaced lead plumbing. Most cities and towns with municipal water-works, plumbed before the turn of the century were plumbed, at least partially, with lead, and most residences and businesses were plumbed with lead coming in, and clay going out.

        It was fast, cheap, and it was a “lead pipe cinch” to plumb with, because sizing, bending, and jointing were easy enough the homeowner could do it — kinda like PVC and PEX, today.

        Like cast iron or steel, it builds a calcium/iron layer fairly rapidly. Unlike them, when it is jarred, overpressured, or otherwise damaged (or somebody runs a chemical cleaner like CLR through it), the lead becomes an issue.

        I don’t believe Flint is in the top 40% of “lead pipe towns.” Their problem was merely exacerbated by stupidity (and possibly exaggerated by Fat Bastard’s mouth…)

  7. Thanks George of the water information, all good … years ago it was suggested to me to drink more “artesian” type water, so I am ….. water is key to life as the saying goes …. I also use good filters via Zero Water, and Berkey system ……. lots of other options out there too … and yes, can be expensive, just have to research what makes sense

    nothing like “high quality H2O” ……. movie WaterBoy …… LOL

    good luck all ………….

  8. The water here is alkaline, and hard. I use a Berkey filter for all drinking and cooking needs. So far, so good. I’ll have to do the vinegar treatment on the tankless water heater soon, but I keep putting it off each year.

    I do have a 50′ 3/4 copper line leading to the far end of the house for various utility purposes, and I rarely use it. My thought is to install a check valve in line to prevent backflow. I presume that’s adequate, though I’m not sure. The valve at the near end is shut off for now so it’s not an immediate problem, but it’s quite difficult to access. Others might want to consider this solution. I’ll defer to any opinions from water engineering types.

    Regarding the plumber’s hat – I’d grab one if it showed up in a thrift store, but there’s no way I’ll spend $28 for one! The distiller is interesting though – I had no idea that they were that cheap! I wonder how well they work for ethanol?

    • Vinegar? What for…?

      Has anyone considered creating a circular plumbing system, where there is a constant flow through a pipe, pushed either by a small pump or by simple heat-displacement. (You place the cold return pipe above the feed pipe, the hot return pipe below — heat rises…) For every pipe there’d be a return pipe, but given the cost of PEX and PVC pipe flavors, cost shouldn’t be an issue.

  9. re: water.
    We used to use a distiller but found it too slow based on our speed of consumption. Changed to a RO unit a few years ago and found it works best for us. We have a batch system and ‘make water’ a couple of times a week.

    Concerning drip filters that use a Doulton candle filter, you might consider changing it to siphon instead of drip. It produces faster.

  10. My wife has always insisted on purified drinking water, and she includes filling the water bottles herself at the water store as one of her errands each week. I have boogie blue plus water filters for the 3 faucets, each with their own timers, with the hoses leading to the 3 drip irrigation lines around our house. The plants like it, and I fill several 5 gallon containers of backup/emergency water periodically with the boogie blue filtered hose water, not the fancy water my wife gets. I can definitely taste the difference between the waters.

  11. (“Might want to read a book on water: The Fourth Phase of Water: Beyond Solid, Liquid, and Vapor while we’re on topic. Yeah, it’s a gel.”)

    good book… hmm.. ever get curious about what BCN was referring to..
    (“The fat broad aint Singing cause the USA/israHell vs Iran/Shia Muslim World is NOT Over.
    Ground invasion ??? ???
    Coming right up –
    This would kick off a serious case of Asymmetrical Warfare around US/US Bases.
    * SOE’s suggest Proxy Activations inside USA. “)

    The U.S. government estimates that foreign investors own about 40 million acres of U.S. farmland, pastures, and forests….Now.. are you curious how many of these farms are located in close proximity to military and government institututions? the poison pawn trap is right on the mark for what I see going on. Sacrificing apparent vulnerability to lure an opponent into overextension while a deeper threat takes root… it’s a tactic as old as warfare itself, and as applicable to modern asymmetrical conflict as it is to a grandmaster’s game board.in the age of globalized trade, dual-use infrastructure, and opaque ownership webs, the threat may not come with a flag—it may come in a shipping manifest.
    The Club-K system’s potential, combined with ambiguous shipping container use near sensitive zones, raises serious strategic questions.
    Not only weakening the currency destroying our industrial capabilities with outsourced manufacturing.The outsourcing of manufacturing hollowed out local economies and eroded what was once a bedrock of self-reliance. Combined with foreign land acquisition, strategic port access, and ambiguous infrastructure like shipping containers, the concern isn’t just economic anymore—it feels existential.
    The “Trojan horse” metaphor is apt. It speaks to the illusion of benign exchange while deeper mechanisms are quietly positioned inside the gates. When critical supply chains are abroad, domestic production is decimated, and surveillance infrastructure may be camouflaged as commerce, we are no longer talking about policy missteps.We are talking about vulnerability engineered into the system itself Using the business model to gain access.Where is the balance between global projection and homeland protection?
    I believe they tossed it out the window so that Billie big bucks can play pocket pool.

    • No need for foreigners to “poison pawn” the water near major US military bases … the US Government has done of good job already of doing that with their “disposal” of chemicals of all sorts over the years by just putting them in a trench dug right over their own aquafer.
      That was the SOP for ALL US military bases right up until the 2000’s. Chemicals? Just dig a ditch and dump them in. Low to medium level radioactive waste? Just did a dige and dump it in.

      Officers are transferred every 3 years or so EASY and LOW COST solutions to EVERYTHING is what they were, and still are rewarded for … NOT long term sustainability or long term cost issues since THEY personally will be gone. Same thing applies to building repairs etc. as applied to getting rid of bad toxic stuff. Do it quick and cheap is their military mindset.

      One son, who is in the military has since basic training ALWAYS refused to drink the tap water provided on base on, in any military town he has lived in. He KNOWS how the military has disposed of it’s various waste items over the years and KNOWS that they have contimants and near Super Fund Sites running out to wazoo located at ALL the large military bases in the US. Just look at the Camp Lejune drinking water mess. Costsd some money each week for him to buy his water in large water jugs but good for him is all I can say.

  12. Now… I have to wonder..I’m a NOBODY at the bottom of the pyramid..no fancy degrees on the wall..the catfish feeder in the group struggling with the daily trials of surviving the chaos being dealt.. if I can see this… why don’t the ones that are smart see it..or are they just blinded by the numbers..the rose colored numbers..the Bernie Madoff’s style economy and accounting…

  13. The system we see today wasn’t built to nurture collective thriving. It was shaped by centuries of extraction—of land, labor, and spirit—enshrined in economic models that reward accumulation over contribution, and conquest over cooperation. War becomes profitable. Peace, inconvenient. The gears of global power are oiled not by empathy, but by acquisition.you see it. You feel it. That in itself is powerful. Because it means consciousness isn’t gone. It’s just buried beneath the clamor, waiting to be stirred.The leaders who chase power often inhabit echo chambers—where dissent sounds like interference and simplicity is mistaken for naivety. But voices like ours are the quiet tremors that ripple up through the pyramid’s foundation. And sometimes, a catfish like the vast majority of mankind can feel the quake long before the eagle ever notices. they live by an acquisition table a register of numbers floating in cyberspace…and forget the rest of us. can you imagine how much could be done if we put as much effort into helping mankind rather than destruction and death?

    • “Adil: How can you defend a country where 5 percent of the people control 95 percent of the wealth?
      Lisa: I’m defending a country where people can think, and act, and worship any way they want!
      Adil: Can not.
      Lisa: Can too.
      Adil: Can not!
      Lisa: Can too!
      Homer: Please, kids, stop fighting. Maybe Lisa’s right about America being the land of opportunity, and maybe Adil’s got a point about the machinery of capitalism being oiled with the blood of the workers.”
      The Simpsons 1990
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQPv5oUfsbg

  14. re: Something in the water?

    Folks,
    Ms. Caitlyn Jenner was seen a couple of weeks ago on “Instagram”. She along with a social media personality allegedly sipped wine in a Tel Aviv bunker as showers of Iranian missiles rained down from above.

    Today a video shows posted to her “Instagram” around 0300 pst. Ms. Jenner is portrayed walking along an unnamed trail in the mountains while “walking the dogs”. She goes on to explain that at that very moment 48 years ago she had been racing to victory in the 1,500 at the Montreal Olympics. Viewers are told dreams do come true.

    I must be dreaming. History books indicate that the actual 48th anniversary of that gold medal clinching race was July 30, 2024.

    Here’s DJ George to wrap things up for us. Indeed, who doesn’t want an “Icecube” with their glass of water?
    “Everythang’s Corrupt”.

  15. As to woman and men body mixture. I was lucky (not) to serve on a multi million dollar jury case concerning alcohol against the city. Plaintiff received nothing in payout.

    But they brought the national expert on alcohol. As you mentioned in your article about body fat and water in a person. The same weight in a male of female. Expert said. Male can drink more alcohol before being drunk.

  16. Here in the Puna (water) district of the Big Island we get about 150 inches of rain annually. Most homes, even ‘on grid’, have catchment water systems. Not wanting to deal with the constant maintenance of that, I bought the Volcano Ranch in a subdivision with it’s own well and water distribution system for around 800 homes. Our well upslope is 400 ft deep into the Mauna Loa aquifer. The water is volcanic rock filtered and comes out at 60-70ppm TDS. It’s not bad. But I use a Black Berkey also for cooking and drinking water… “just in case”. I also have a Zero Water filter pitcher I use for my personal drinking water bottle. It just tastes fresher and more quenching to me.
    Just ten miles up the road from me is a bottling plant also with a well into the MaunaLoa aquifer. Same 60 TDS volcanic filtered water, they bottle and export “Hawaii Water” under several brands.

  17. bad water and pedo alert,,,
    -stagnet water and dead end fire suppression systems, pee yew, as the fire water system in the ole power plant was totally seperate from the potable water system , even had different pumps and wells. There are drop legs from the overheads for flushing/draining at the ends of the runs.

    seem the old washed-up post could use some flushing out
    “Shadow of Ezra
    @ShadowofEzra
    How many more pedophiles work at the Washington Post?”
    “Award-winning Washington Post journalist and Pulitzer Prize recipient Thomas Pham LeGro has been arrested for possession of child p*rnography.

    Authorities say multiple electronic devices were seized, including his work laptop, which allegedly contained a folder with 11 disturbing videos of child s*xual abuse material. ”
    https://x.com/ShadowofEzra/status/1938722698043011351

    now about them Pulitzer prizes that Trump keeps in the news feed, this perv has one.

    yup,,, the lame stream media stinks,,, seems to be some fecal matter permeating it

    pure water I make a batch a day just for me, 3 qts, one person, everyday, for many yrs now,,, great machine and parts from Lincoln Nebr
    https://mypurewater.com/shop/mini-classic-ct-distiller/
    they have bigger models and a cheaper model
    https://mypurewater.com/home-products/distillers-for-homes/
    I have burnt out a couple of heater elements with my hard water, have not had one burn out since i installed a water softener.
    3yrs on the softener about 7 yrs on the purchased used distiller, an Ebay purchase,,, hard water is a bitch

    • Use a dehumidifier with a built-in self-pump to condense water from ambient air.
      Output: Typically distilled-like water, but may contain trace metals or plastic from coils—so filtration is key.
      2. Upward Pump to Filtration Chamber
      The pump pushes the collected water into a vertical or elevated filter tank—this gives you pressure for the next stage and mimics gravity-fed systems.
      You could house the filters in a 5-gallon bucket with bulkhead fittings or in a tall PVC chamber.
      Multi-Stage Filtration (suggested stack)
      Sediment filter (first stage)
      Activated carbon + ceramic combo (removes VOCs, chlorine, heavy metals)
      Mineralization layer (shungite, coral sand, or Maifan stone to reintroduce beneficial trace minerals)
      Optional: UV-C light ring or silver coil for microbial sterilization
      Let gravity carry the filtered water down into a top-loading water cooler reservoir. Bonus: You can add a final structuring vortexer in this drop if you want to “revitalize” the water before use.
      an air well..the kids get ten gallons a day from their dehumidifier..they think I’m crazy suggesting a simple airwell.. now this filtered water in a lot of ways is environmentally distilled water .. if you have the filter setup as a gravitational filter into big storage bottles to fit atop a water cooler..or clay pot the clay pot naturally cools the water with evaporation..

    • The old fifty year old rant is these should be incorporated into water reclamation in arid regions and deposited in aquifers..now we are getting into my old rant about strengthening the grid by building solar towers at every substation to act as a mini grid handing out grid tie systems to any homeowner willing to have one installed. reclaiming farmland from urban expansion by greenscaping the cities and water harvesting..oh heck.. CO2 filters on every lamp post might as well put it all out there lol..been ranting this most of my life lol..

  18. “A home water distiller can be had for under $70 bucks”

    Somehow, I knew you had one. Mine is one model up — stainless tub but otherwise the same animal. I’ve had it a little longer than you. I’m guessing LOOB has had one longer than the two of us, put together, so while they probably won’t last 100 years, they still seem like a good investment.

    I run my well water through the Berkey, then run the filtered water through a Zerowater jug, before feeding it to the still. The Berkey takes out bunches of nasties, but not calcium. After 3-4 uses, the water in the still’s reservoir began to resemble milk. My water is very high in iron. The Berkey strips the iron. The Zerowater filter might also, because it takes everything out. I see no point in needlessly iron-loading the Zerowater filter, which is why I prefilter in the Berkey.

    The cleaning medium is citric acid, which is much, MUCH cheaper from a farm store than it is from Vevor or Amazon.

    Speaking of LOOB, I’ve been a donor to The Water School https://www.waterschool.com ) for several years now. I’d be almost willing to bet money that LOOB is also, if he can possibly afford it. It costs very little to save a life…

    I learned stuff today — Thank you for this column, George.

  19. You may want to take your favorite adult beverage to new heights. Look for adult beverages that use Organic and Non-GMO materials in the production of the beverages, if you are interested in longevity. My Godfather, a WWII flyer, was an aficionado of distilled spirits and cocktails. He always maintained that quality brand pre-War liquor was better tasting and better for you.

    • If you need any recipes just ask..
      I’m getting ready to make tuba, is more than just a drink. It’s a cultural emblem, a symbol of hospitality, and even resistance in the Philippines.
      There are also regional variations: in Luzon, the clear version is called lambanog, often distilled into a potent spirit akin to coconut vodka..
      I am making Tuba next..I can make them all if I wanted to or have to. but i don’t make distilled liquors.. just wines and beers.. I make wines that taste a lot like liquors .. those are to be used as mixers.. but just a wine made using all the same herbs and spices of the liquor ..
      like Yuzu and coconut..

  22. One could create an urban legend for municipal water. As a start point.

    Don’t drink the city water it’s filthy. How filthy is is?

    My cousin’s friend worked at the auto plant with a woman who’s ex-husband used to work for the city as a planner – he’s passed on now God bless his soul. Part of the infrastructure project of raising the old warehouse district for new low-rice condos included replacing the original water pipes. Some pipes had to be relocated.

    After the new pipes were laid and turned-up local residents in the surrounding area started experiencing low water pressure. Some residents had isolated faucets in their homes that stopped working all together while other faucets still worked fine.

    Long story short the residents sued the city for remedy and the city was forced to hire plumbers to inspect the plumbing systems of the residential homes. It turns out condoms were clogging supply lines into the neighborhoods! Some condoms, and other debris made it into the homes and clogged supply valves of their faucets. The city ordered an immediate news blackout and the residents had to sign NDAs in order for their plumbing to be replaced.

    It turned out in the past waste water was simply being filtered by screen then recirculated back into production. When the pipes were replaced the screens weren’t reinstalled. The new pipes were matched to the old and nobody tested the water.

    Drink bottled water only!

    • In 2008 the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) tested water in nine states across the country and found that 85 man-made chemicals, including some medications, were commonly slipping through municipal treatment systems and ending up in our tap water. Another report by the Associated Press found trace amounts of dozens of pharmaceuticals in the drinking water supplies of some 46 million Americans.

      One of the common culprits is estrogen, much of which is inadvertently released into sewers through the urine of women taking birth control.

      https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/birth-control-in-water-supply/

    • You DO realize that over 64% of all bottled water sold in the U.S. is somebody’s tap water, right?

      The two biggie brands:

      Dasani was originally Minneapolis tap water
      Aquafina was originally Kansas City tap water

      They are now both sourced from a number of cities’ water supplies. They are both filtered (as I assume are other bottled waters) but they’re still just glorified tap water. I KNOW the number of hours and gallons on MY filters…

  23. George,

    Read this afternoon that a fire was intentionally set in northern Idaho, where the arsonist had set a trap for the firefighters and police responders, who were then shot. Two have died.

  24. if only there was a president who wanted americans to drink clean water rather than kicking them off health insurance and taking food from hungry kids. of course because clean water is good for americans, every republican in the house voted nay as did 2/3 of republican senators.

    “The plan proposes prioritizing federal spending on several aspects of water quality – directing $56 billion toward upgrading and modernizing America’s wastewater, stormwater, and drinking water systems through grants and low-cost loan financing. NACWA’s priority will be to maximize grant funding to utilities. Another $45 billion goes specifically toward a goal of removing 100% of lead service lines across the country, and $10 billion toward monitoring and remediating PFAS in drinking water.
    https://www.nacwa.org/news-publications/news-detail/2021/04/07/biden-s-build-back-better-prioritizes-clean-water—what-does-this-mean-for-nacwa-members

    • Progs/Libs/Dems dont deserve Clean Water.

      Miserable, whiney DNB’s(Do Nothing Bitches) been trying to destroy all that is Good on this great green Earth. The self loathing class, prog/lib/dems seem to hate everything that is Strong, Positive and Good, actively working to make NEGATIVE.

      Nuke Family’s will prevail or this Country perishes under its own bloated, dyed fluorescent Green&Purple, Tatted and Pierced beyond UGLY, and into the Dysmorphic, Weight.

      We build back better by getting rid of Ure types.. So be happy and drink Ure PFAS laced water – its good for Us!

      • more PFAS! go GOP! and of course most republicans also opposed the PACT act, screw the poisoned service members and vets!

        “In 2024, the Biden administration set the first-ever limits on six types of PFAS. It said at the time that its action would reduce exposure to PFAS for about 100 million people, preventing 9,600 deaths and nearly 30,000 illnesses in the coming decades.

        Under the Biden-era rules, public drinking water systems were required to test for these chemicals. If it found them, they’d have to install technology to filter them out by 2029.

        The Trump administration announced on Wednesday that it will “rescind and reconsider” filtration requirements for four of those six PFAS. For the two PFAS that will still need to be filtered out, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is delaying the requirements to do so by two years.” https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/5299565-epa-weaken-federal-limits-pfas/

  26. Been using an “undercounter” ro (reverse osmosis)filter for about 30 years since the local water system co. did some work on lines and I woke up to making coffee with tap water that already looked like coffee. No warning and no apologies when asked for explanation. I now shut off the house service if I know water or gas service is doing work near my house and wait for the neighbor chumps to drain the crud out of the system.
    I attended a months long water quality/public relations course intended for state/city employee water professionals and toured a lot of city water treatment facilities on a citizen scholarship years ago. Key takeaways are bureaucrats don’t work on group projects off the time clock and they don’t drink tap water; ever, or even bottled water if anyone is watching. Even in an 85 degree meeting room.
    Filter Notes: ro removes most minerals, metal ions, ammonia, nitrates, chlorine and even biological organisms to give an almost distilled water quality if you use the 3 stage variety. NOTE: water is a good solvent. Don’t run ro or distilled water through a faucet or tubing not made for it. Don’t drink it straight because it dissolves metals like tooth filings and even calcium.
    Cheapest 3 stage use carbon/filter-ro-storage tank-final carbon filter. Commonly available cartridges even maybe from the local hardware store but are messy to change filters and crawling under the sink sucks while spraying water everywhere. Get 30 to 100 gallons per day depending on what you pay. They can also be mounted on the wall for easy maintenance but you have to look at ugly industrial crap every day.
    My current system, the 3rd, is one of the more expensive. 3 filters are front mounted 1/4 turn so I don’t stress my bad knees or back. Changing takes seconds. The 4th stage is a mineral adding filter but has the old hassle of pulling tubes and laying on the floor. I added shutoff valves on the supply, tank, and a branch to get straight ro water.
    Local tap water kills my aquarium life even after letting it sit out for a few days so I use ro water for that.

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