Water safety--DeKalb County

[organ builder]

We live in a portion of DeKalb County where the big water main break has been affecting us. Water is temporarily restored at lower pressure while they decide what to do. There is currently no boil advisory in place, though I'm boiling water anyway just to be safe.

Saturday is when I usually make RO/DI water. I have a pressure pump attached to the filters, so I'm not worried about that. I'm more concerned about introducing pathogens.

I'm hoping someone with a better knowledge of microbiology than I have can tell me if it is safe to make RO/DI under the circumstances.

 

[rdnelson]

While I slept at a Holiday Inn Express a few years back, I am no expert. But..... A RO/DI should remove anything in the water.

 

[raz0945]

If you find that you need RO/DI water I keep 55g almost all the time. Holley

 

[organ builder]

Thanks for the offer--we've still got about 30 gallons, so we should be OK.

According to that Fount of All Human Wisdom (Wikipedia) a few microbes can slip past in an RO/DI system. If the county continues to hold off on a boil order, I'll go ahead and crank it up in a few hours.

 

[sewer urchin]

I would probably hold off for a bit if it was my system. Many times after a break in the line the water department will increase the chlorine level at the water plant and the go to the farthest hydrant and "flush" the line, so you might see some debris in the water.While you might not see any pathogens (i.e. bacteria) you might get increased chlorine, debris and anti scaling agents. It might clog you pre-filters with sedimentation or strip your chlorine filter.

 

[rdnelson]

Sewer Urchin;1044379 wrote: I would probably hold off for a bit if it was my system. Many times after a break in the line the water department will increase the chlorine level at the water plant and the go to the farthest hydrant and "flush" the line, so you might see some debris in the water.While you might not see any pathogens (i.e. bacteria) you might get increased chlorine, debris and anti scaling agents. It might clog you pre-filters with sedimentation or strip your chlorine filter.

There you go talking about strippers again. You got a one tract mind don't you???

 

[mcphock]

rdnelson99;1044355 wrote: While I slept at a Holiday Inn Express a few years back, I am no expert. But..... A RO/DI should remove anything in the water.

What in the RO/DI would be anti-microbial? I thought they primarily removed inorganic compounds...?

 

[organ builder]

Good point about the chlorine. At this point, we have enough RO/DI from last week to make coffee and keep the ATO going until about Wednesday. The weekly water change can wait a few days--all my parameters are still good. The county says it is fixed, but we are still without water this morning.

 

[kylebolch]

Thanks for that info!!

 

[axio]

Yeah I agree with Sewer. Not everything is guaranteed to be pulled out with RO/DI. Personally I'd give it a couple days at least, maybe pick up water from a member or LFS this week if you need more. Better safe then sorry with things like this.

 

[bulkrate]

Although Roswell Public works say they don't use choramines EVER, every time a line is opened a flush has to be done and USUALLY some form of antiseptic treatment to ensure public safety is applied. At the very least it's going to take a toll on the membrane simply due to excess sediment, let alone elevated chlorine/chloramine levels maybe making it past the carbon block or the like.

I'd just use jugs of distilled, another reefer's/LFS outside-affected-area water supply or just plain postpone your change schedule for a week or so.