I need help on drinking water

shannecart

New member
Nov 15, 2007
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Hi, we are new in Santo Domingo. The water is absolutely terrible. It smells bad and has a weird color. You must not be foreign to this.........
Is it enough to place a carbon filter and a water softener if i want clean 'bathing' water?
I do not intend to drink the water from the faucet.
PLEASE HELP!!!!!!
 

juanita

Bronze
Apr 22, 2004
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You can also put some bleach tablets in the cistern, sold in Ferreterias for about $50 pesos each.
 

J D Sauser

Silver
Nov 20, 2004
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www.hispanosuizainvest.com
Tap water is not indented for drinking.
But you should sanitize your cistern anyway, to avoid issues with amoebas and such even when only using it for personal washing, like showers.

For drinking and cooking, 5 gallon bottled water is the most popular solution.

... J-D.
 

GringoCArlos

Retired Ussername
Jan 9, 2002
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Before getting a bunch of expensive filtration equipment, the logical thing to do is to get both your cistern and tinaco cleaned out. (who knows, it may have been YEARS since the last cleaning, or someone may have left a cover off and nasties got inside). This alone will eliminate 99% of normal problems.

After cleaniing, do not add excessive chlorine to the cistern thinking that this will help get rid of the problem, as too much chlorine will also cause you problems.

Good luck.
 

J D Sauser

Silver
Nov 20, 2004
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Sometimes, it may also be a good idea to empty the cistern completely and remove and bottom dirt and soil.
Keep in mind, there are parasites which can enter your body thru your skin.

... J-D.
 

GringoCArlos

Retired Ussername
Jan 9, 2002
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EXACTLY. Anyone who says they are cleaning your cistern , and DOES NOT first empty all of the water, and then scrub down the walls, get rid of all sediment/debris on the floor, scrub the floor and rinse it, then rinse the walls and floor with Clorox, rinse that down with lots of clean water, and then pump that out, and then finally refill the cistern, has just ripped you off. That's the way to clean a cistern.

During this process, also make sure that someone is outside and watching the guy inside while cleaning, as the Clorox fumes can become quite strong, and they can help if the guy inside should be affected.(right - Breathing apparatus - here??)

Just remember to not restart the pump until the intake pipe to the pump (that's probably a 1 1/2" or 2" pipe comind down the cistern wall with an open end facing the floor, and ending about 18" above the floor of you now-clean cistern) is at least 6" below the water's surface, or you will be running the pump while it's dry, and destroy the pump in the process).

What good does it do, to do it any other way? All of the crud in the cistern doesn't go anywhere except into your water pipes.

This should be done at least once a year, if not twice. Also should be done if it rains and floods, and any water enters your cistern from outside. Immediately.
 
Last edited:

pyratt

Bronze
Jan 14, 2007
690
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I suggest AQUAMIRA products. They manufacture both liquid and tablet forms of water purification that will kill Giardia and Cryptosporidium. The liquids are best used in the cisterns. The tablets in liter bottles.

Aquamira has a website, just use google.

PM me for the importer who lives in Santo Domingo.