Q: I have a cistern at my cottage that I fill with lake water for washing and toilet flushing. When I fill it, I mix in 40 ounces of bleach per 1,000 gallons to help with the odour.
How would I clean this cistern if I wanted to haul in potable water to use for drinking?
A: This could be a problem if your cistern is made of concrete. Bacteria could be living in the pores of the concrete and would be difficult to remove. I have suggested to consumers in the past to install a swimming pool liner in the cistern.
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If your cistern is not made of concrete, I would suggest you super chlorinate it with a minimum of 10 parts per million of chlorine for a period of 24 hours, which will eliminate any bacteria.
When you fill the cistern with potable water, make sure that a minimum of 1-1.5 ppm of chlorinate exists at all times. This will make your water safe for human consumption. If you have a problem drinking chlorinated water, you can install a carbon cartridge filter underneath the kitchen sink, which will remove the residual chlorine.
Q: We have a high content of manganese and iron in our well water. Is there an economical way of treating this? We have heard of phosphate compounds and oxidizing filters. What are these and will they work?
A: If iron or manganese bacteria are not in your water supply, then a simple air injection or green sand oxidizing filter will work well.
If bacteria are present in your water supply, these methods may work for a short time.
There is a simple test to determine if iron or manganese bacteria are in your supply.
Examine the back of your toilet tank. If a reddish brown slime exists, then you may have iron bacteria. If a black slime exists, then manganese bacteria may be present.
If any of these bacteria are present, you will have to install a continuous chlorination system followed by a properly designed multi media filtration system.
If you have a specific water problem and would like advice, write to the Water Clinic, attention Philip Stadnyk, 850-47th St. E. Saskatoon, Sask., S7K 0X4, e-mail philip@thewaterclinic.com or phone 800-664-2561. Stadnyk is president of the Water Clinic and a member of the Canadian Water Quality Association. His views do not necessarily reflect those of The Western Producer.
