rain water
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That's a toughie. I know it has been distilled, but it then absorbs all kind of stuff as it falls through the atmosphere, not to mention from where it is caught.
No, I don't think I'd be too keen on it if it was a large amount.
No, I don't think I'd be too keen on it if it was a large amount.
I have on a number of occasions. Didn't seem to do me any harm. My understanding of the physics of rainwater is that it's safe to drink as the process of evaporation purifies it. I'm realise that by saying that I'm setting myslef up for a knockdown when everyone points out I'm talking rhubarb 
I'll stand next to ya Mike, for the knocking down!
It would have to not be contaminated in the collection process though - not run off a tarp treated with some dodgy insect repellent or some such.
It would have to not be contaminated in the collection process though - not run off a tarp treated with some dodgy insect repellent or some such.
Providing that it had been collected cleanly, yeah, without a worry.
Even if the rain droplets were to pick up stuff from the air, it would only be what you are breathing in already, or, would be chemicals that purifying treatments wouldn't touch anyhow.
I would be less keen if the rain was falling through the leaves of trees and getting collected of the end of a grubby basha
Even if the rain droplets were to pick up stuff from the air, it would only be what you are breathing in already, or, would be chemicals that purifying treatments wouldn't touch anyhow.
I would be less keen if the rain was falling through the leaves of trees and getting collected of the end of a grubby basha
Fair point... My half of town didn't get the smoke over us, but just incase,
If the rain appears to be black, don't drink it, you are down wind of Hemel!
I collect it from my hammock tarp via a small funnel attached to a camelbak bag and I'm still alive! Its also good as when it rains it automatically drops the tarp down to make it more rain proof inside the hammock.
Good to make sure you haven't treated whatever you catch it in with fabseal or the like otherwise you may get waterproofed insides!
Good to make sure you haven't treated whatever you catch it in with fabseal or the like otherwise you may get waterproofed insides!
Rainwater is usually fine to drink, but be careful that it hasn't been in contact with anything poisonous on its way out the sky - particularly dripping off plants etc might pick up toxins.
As to acidity and chemical content - the UK average pH of rainwater is around 5 - which is more acidic than 'pure' water but much higher than other drinks (cola is usually around 2.5 to 3!)
As far as chemicals go, I believe that you can avoid a lot of these if you don't drink rainwater that has only just started falling, as this will be highest in particulates etc that its hitting and taking out the air.
However, I've just found this link http://www.kitchendoctor.com/reprints/water.html which seems to imply that there's too many pesticides and herbicides in rainwater in Europe to make it drinkable...
As to acidity and chemical content - the UK average pH of rainwater is around 5 - which is more acidic than 'pure' water but much higher than other drinks (cola is usually around 2.5 to 3!)
As far as chemicals go, I believe that you can avoid a lot of these if you don't drink rainwater that has only just started falling, as this will be highest in particulates etc that its hitting and taking out the air.
However, I've just found this link http://www.kitchendoctor.com/reprints/water.html which seems to imply that there's too many pesticides and herbicides in rainwater in Europe to make it drinkable...
The way water charges are going, we will all be drinking rain water soon, until we get taxed for doing that as well.
When I lived in SE Alaska - it was all we drank. There was no alternative. It rained a lot - so there was no problem. Every house and building had drains off the roof to a cistern. Seems you couldn't get a well down in the muskeg.
In winter, you could get 12 feet in one snowfall, but it would soon melt. I never wore anything but rubber boots. A very wet place. Much warmer in winter than where I live now.
PG
In winter, you could get 12 feet in one snowfall, but it would soon melt. I never wore anything but rubber boots. A very wet place. Much warmer in winter than where I live now.
PG
a few years ago in my home town of knottingley it snowed and the snow was pink it made the local news and a local glass making company was fined for releasing something or other into the atmosphere.
Living local to the steel works in sunny Scuny (North Lincs) when Ive been out in the local woods and had to rely on rain water for drinking I rigged up a filter using spag and Charcoal from my fire in a plastic bottle to filter out any fallout from the works, still boiled the collected water before I used it though.
Trev
Trev
I know in australia they collect the rain water off the roofs, not in the larger towns but where they dont have a water main. Most houses we went to just had a bloddy great tank round back which all gutters filled and it was just pumped in to the house. Not filterd or any thing, didnt seem to do them any harm
tagnut69 said:
I grew up on it and it didn't do me any harm. It makes the best tea. However on occassion it would taint - inevitably there'd be a dead tree frog or pigeon in it, which had to be fished out. My wife's folks still have tank water - they live rural and there's no pipe water. It's not ususual to have 30,000 litres stored where I come from (NSW).
i live in st. helens home of pilkingtons the glass family and if like me your daftenuff to walk home at stupid o'clock in the morning(not saying were iv been) you can see them tern the chimnys up to full (well i dont know what they do) and all you see is think smog puming out the to 3time more than in the day make you think about what crap is in the air and our water that souldnt be there.
Brendan said:
I've a question using this method presumably the water has dripped from the trees to which the tarps suspended first anyone know of any tree's that might leach out nasties or toxins?
Dave.
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