Pool water safe to drink in emergencies?

[chem geek]

Just so you know, the main concern from the disaster preparedness folks was the disinfection by-products in the pool. They basically had a typical pool tested in a similar way that is done for drinking water and nothing could be done to it regarding filtration or boiling to get it to meet the standards for drinking water (ignoring the obviously greater salt level). Obviously, distillation might work (unless there are too many volatile disinfection by-products) and perhaps they are being overly conservative, but that was their biggest concern.

Remember that the more complex organic compounds aren't fully oxidized by chlorine yet some of them combine with chlorine. Though only some are volatile and most do not get absorbed through the skin, drinking the water is another matter. Personally, I don't think it's a problem for a short-term exposure, especially when the alternative is dehydration, but I wanted to at least let you know their concern.

Richard

 

[Gooserider]

Just so you know, the main concern from the disaster preparedness folks was the disinfection by-products in the pool. They basically had a typical pool tested in a similar way that is done for drinking water and nothing could be done to it regarding filtration or boiling to get it to meet the standards for drinking water (ignoring the obviously greater salt level). Obviously, distillation might work (unless there are too many volatile disinfection by-products) and perhaps they are being overly conservative, but that was there biggest concern.

Remember that the more complex organic compounds aren't fully oxidized by chlorine yet some of them combine with chlorine. Though only some are volatile and most do not get absorbed through the skin, drinking the water is another matter. Personally, I don't think it's a problem for a short-term exposure, especially when the alternative is dehydration, but I wanted to at least let you know their concern.

Richard

Interesting... Just out of curiosity, was the pool that was tested a BBB pool or a "pool store" pool? - I'd be surprised if there was all that much in a BBB pool given that we don't really put anything in a BBB pool (other than possibly salt and borates) that the friendly water utility guys don't use in our tap water (except that we don't add flouride to "contaminate our precious bodily fluids" :lol: ) OTOH, there probably is all sorts of strange stuff in a pool-store pool...

I would agree that they are probably being somewhat overly conservative, possibly due to the influence of the oh-so-organic-green types that act like they were traumatized by a chemistry set as a young child...

All I know is that if I had to do an emergency setup, I'd probably prefer to stick my MSR filter's suction hose into our swimming pool rather than any of the local bodies of naturally occuring water...

Gooserider

 

[Guest]

After having been through the Northridge quake while living in Simi Valley (10 miles away from epicenter), I would say NOT to count on your pool. Considering that almost half of the pools cracked and started leaking their water, it would not be a reliable source.

You can use the water for bathing and general non-consumption purposes. You really do NOT know what chemical additives were used. Copper for example is NOT good for human consumption.

Instead get a few 5 or 10 gallon water storage containers (white) for your emergency backup. You can refill these yearly and add a few drops of bleach to keep them clean. As well boiling the water from these storage containers will help during the water during an emergency.

Don't forget to keep an extra LP tank on hand for your gas BBQ grill for emergencies. It worked great to cook all the frozen products that started thawing out while the power was out. It was a good way to clean out the fridge and of course you had to start with the deserts first (ice cream).

 

[Hotrod30]

Don't forget to turn off the cold water supply to the hot water tank and also the power to the hot water tank.


Also, I'll throw this in for the heck-of-it. Around here, it is legal for the Fire Dept. to use your pool water to fight a fire; to "save lives and property".

 

[Pogo]

I couldn't keep reading so if anybody else has covered this, my apologies. I live in East Texas though fairly far removed from the coast. During The most recent hurricane, our power went out for about two weeks. Fortunately, the water supply was unaffected. BUT, that would not have deterred me.
I do consider my pool a 24,000 gallon water supply and the pond behind us a larger one. We live on a goodly sized hill so ground contamination or spill over from flooding would not be an issue. But what I did for bath water will work as well for potable water.

A lesson from growing up in the country and drinking from a spring right out of the ground...

Take your water from the source to a clean receptacle. Strain through a T-shirt to remove larger debris. Then boil. That means a "roiling" boil where the surface is rolling over and, I believe this is correct but double check me, you have to boil it for at least 12 minutes unbroken to purify. Quantity is no problem either. That brings me back to our bath water. I have a heavy duty galvanized steel garbage can that I've never used for garbage. I put the can up on rocks, built a fire under it and brought the water to a boil. Doesn't take long at all with the lid on. A person could generate all the drinking water they could use that way.

 

[Gooserider]

I couldn't keep reading so if anybody else has covered this, my apologies. I live in East Texas though fairly far removed from the coast. During The most recent hurricane, our power went out for about two weeks. Fortunately, the water supply was unaffected. BUT, that would not have deterred me.
I do consider my pool a 24,000 gallon water supply and the pond behind us a larger one. We live on a goodly sized hill so ground contamination or spill over from flooding would not be an issue. But what I did for bath water will work as well for potable water.

A lesson from growing up in the country and drinking from a spring right out of the ground...

Take your water from the source to a clean receptacle. Strain through a T-shirt to remove larger debris. Then boil. That means a "roiling" boil where the surface is rolling over and, I believe this is correct but double check me, you have to boil it for at least 12 minutes unbroken to purify. Quantity is no problem either. That brings me back to our bath water. I have a heavy duty galvanized steel garbage can that I've never used for garbage. I put the can up on rocks, built a fire under it and brought the water to a boil. Doesn't take long at all with the lid on. A person could generate all the drinking water they could use that way.

Reasonable approach, although it is worth pointing out that at least some folks would argue that zinc is potentially toxic in excessive quantity, so use of a galvanized garbage can as a boiler is problematic... I would be more inclined to see about getting a large stainless or aluminum cookpot - such as the ones they use in restaurants or for frying turkeys and using that instead... (Or possibly look for one of the big enamel pots they use for home canning...)

Gooserider

 

[singerteacher]

So, right after an earthquake, when you know the power is off and *IF* you figure the water lines are damaged, go outside and get enough water out of the pool to fill each bathtub and many bottles and buckets. Look for 40 gallons per person and then use what is left in the pool for other uses -- like washing dishes, flushing toilets, fighting fires, watering plants. That other use water can be stored in big trash bags, inside boxes or trash cans.

This idea makes good sense. Assuming the pool water is in good shape (let's say 4ppm FC and 0ppm CC, everything else balanced), would the water taken from the pool and stored in containers maintain it's freshness? Or would it degrade/grow algae/etc?

 

[Gooserider]

So, right after an earthquake, when you know the power is off and *IF* you figure the water lines are damaged, go outside and get enough water out of the pool to fill each bathtub and many bottles and buckets. Look for 40 gallons per person and then use what is left in the pool for other uses -- like washing dishes, flushing toilets, fighting fires, watering plants. That other use water can be stored in big trash bags, inside boxes or trash cans.

This idea makes good sense. Assuming the pool water is in good shape (let's say 4ppm FC and 0ppm CC, everything else balanced), would the water taken from the pool and stored in containers maintain it's freshness? Or would it degrade/grow algae/etc?

Not an expert, but I would say that it would depend on the amount of time you are intending for it to keep... My guess is that there shouldn't be much in the way of living stuff in the water, since the chlorine should have gotten it, and it should continue to do so for a while at least. Some of the life would be dependent on storage conditions - I'd expect closed containers to keep better, also keeping the containers out of the light, and as cool as possible (both extend the life of the chlorine) Exposure to fresh contamination would be a factor - another reason to prefer closed containers... Thus while I'd keep an eye on it all, I would expect the water in the tub to go 'bad' sooner than the water in your closed jugs that stashed in the basement... This would also tell me which water I would want to use up first...

Gooserider