Just how bad is the water?

[Taino808]

As you failed to see, I stared the post with the words *"Another question". *Not only can't you spell, your reading comprehension is also questionable.
*
This thread isn't about mixxing of sewage with drinking water....it is about quality of drinking water. *What you didn't answer is how is a person is sure that the water in his drinking water line is not being pulled from his neighbor's house or even a house or business blocks away, if there is no vacuumn breaker in the other persons' lines?????????

BTW *Although in this scenario it would be accidental contamination, one of the major threats which worries Homeland Security in the US is the introduction of a pathogen into a municipal water system by way of bypassing an antisiphon device.

There you go with the personal attacks again, what you fail to realize is that attacking someone doesn't make you smarter nor will it ever gain you respect. My reading comprehension is just fine, perhaps what needs tweaking here is your thouth process.

Please read your own post bellow, here you will clearly see that it is you who worries about sewage water reaching the water line.*

I guess you nver got your feet wet walking in the area of a leaking sewar line? *When a sewar (septic) line backsup, due to intrusion of roots for example) the entire area becomes saturated. *If a water line traversing the area looses pressure, the contaminated ground water will be drawn into the line by the negative pressure.

I guess the only thing your just about right is that this thread is about weather the water is safe for drinking. So now, why would you even comment on what homeland security worries about? How does your comment enrich this thread in any way? Are we in the DR under some national threat? If not then why worry about what homeland security thinks?

BTW, your writting is difficult to understand, It's not very coherent, you should work on that so people could understand you better.

 

[belmont]

There you go with the personal attacks again, what you fail to realize is that attacking someone doesn't make you smarter nor will it ever gain you respect. My reading comprehension is just fine, perhaps what needs tweaking here is your thouth process.

Please read your own post bellow, here you will clearly see that it is you who worries about sewage water reaching the water line.*





I guess the only thing your just about right is that this thread is about weather the water is safe for drinking. So now, why would you even comment on what homeland security worries about? How does your comment enrich this thread in any way? Are we in the DR under some national threat? If not then why worry about what homeland security thinks?

BTW, your writting is difficult to understand, It's not very coherent, you should work on that so people could understand you better.

You still won't admit that the majority of the Dominican water systems are unsafe for human consumption.
When I suggested there is the possibility of sewage infiltrating the potable water system, you denied it by saying that it is impossible as the sewage lines are buried 2 meters according to the code. And you as an experienced "architec", what ever that is, state that sepage from a leaking sewar line cannot move towards the surface. And of course, as a building professional, you guarantee that everything constructed in the DR is according to code.

Then you go on to say that the fresh water system cannot be contaminated because it is of PVC. Are you telling me that water lines located in the older citites such as SD or Santiago don't have any old metal water lines? I bet they may even have some old wooden or cement lines like many older US cities.

Then you fail to address the point that the drinking water can be contaminated due to the lack of most Dominican homes being equipped with anti-siphon devices. Do you deny that? Are you sure you are not drinking water that was in you neighbor's washing machine?

Instead, you keep referring to yourself as an educated professional, but have yet to present one iota of fact. I stand by my statement that a ditchdigger is more knowledgable of water systems.

 

[vida]

To the OP: I live in Santo Domingo and at the advice of Dominicans I use tap water for everything but drinking. We also add chlorine to our cistern frequently.

 

[Doc T]

OP: Your best bet is to send a sample of the water to a lab near you. My school mate took a sample from the tap and cultured it in a medium called "CHROMagar Orientation" and used the school lab. It tested positive for E. Coli, but not Hep A or any other fecal-oral viruses.

So basically, get in contact with a lab and hit them off with the sample. Good luck. I hope you share your results!

 

[bob saunders]

You still won't admit that the majority of the Dominican water systems are unsafe for human consumption.
When I suggested there is the possibility of sewage infiltrating the potable water system, you denied it by saying that it is impossible as the sewage lines are buried 2 meters according to the code. And you as an experienced "architec", what ever that is, state that sepage from a leaking sewar line cannot move towards the surface. And of course, as a building professional, you guarantee that everything constructed in the DR is according to code.

Then you go on to say that the fresh water system cannot be contaminated because it is of PVC. Are you telling me that water lines located in the older citites such as SD or Santiago don't have any old metal water lines? I bet they may even have some old wooden or cement lines like many older US cities.

Then you fail to address the point that the drinking water can be contaminated due to the lack of most Dominican homes being equipped with anti-siphon devices. Do you deny that? Are you sure you are not drinking water that was in you neighbor's washing machine?

Instead, you keep referring to yourself as an educated professional, but have yet to present one iota of fact. I stand by my statement that a ditchdigger is more knowledgable of water systems.

I would suggest that most contaminated tap water comes from the source , not broken or cracked lines. I'm not ruling that out but think that the source is usually the culprit.

 

[Taino808]

You still won't admit that the majority of the Dominican water systems are unsafe for human consumption.

Would you be more exact and please quote me where I state this, if I recall correctly I say, my post bellow:

We use bottled water for drinking, use tap water for brushing teeth, cooking and bathing. We, my wife, two kids and myself live in Santiago and never had any illness do to water.

When I suggested there is the possibility of sewage infiltrating the potable water system, you denied it by saying that it is impossible as the sewage lines are buried 2 meters according to the code. *And you as an experienced "architec", what ever that is, state that sepage from a leaking sewar line cannot move towards the surface.

Yup I say this, then follow up by explaining that water mains HERE in Santiago are of high strength PVC pipes, hence the reason why there can't be any seepage of sewage water into water lines.

And of course, as a building professional, you guarantee that everything constructed in the DR is according to code.

Where do I guarantee anything, would you please quote me on this.

Then you go on to say that the fresh water system cannot be contaminated because it is of PVC. *Are you telling me that water lines located in the older citites such as SD or Santiago don't have any old metal water lines? *I bet they may even have some old wooden or cement lines like many older US cities.

I really can't say anything about other cities, nor have I mentioned other cities in the DR, as I stated in one of my post, I could only speak about Santiago. It just so happens that Coraasan only uses high strength PVC pipes, thus the reason why there could never be any seepage.

Then you fail to address the point that the drinking water can be contaminated due to the lack of most Dominican homes being equipped with anti-siphon devices. Do you deny that? *

I don't fail to address anything, once again, I could only speak of what I know, and this is that there is no possibility that the two could connect. This is unless someone go's out of there way to do someone harm.

Are you sure you are not drinking water that was in you neighbor's washing machine?

I am absolutely and one hundred percent certain that my tap water isn't coming from someone's washing machine, pool, or any other thing you could think of.

Instead, you keep referring to yourself as an educated professional, but have yet to present one iota of fact. *I stand by my statement that a ditchdigger is more knowledgable of water systems.

Once again, please quote me where I "keep refferring to myself as an educated professional"? I gave my credentials only once then never again. However, you have twisted the whole post, in the hope of confusing everyone here, yet not once have you contributed something positive to this thread.

Oh and you misspelled the word seepage, look above, but then again I'm not the grammer police; so who am I to judge you?

 

[Ringo]

I would never drink any water from any tap in the D.R. I would not brush my teeth in it. I would not wash my food in it. I would not even wash my kitchen counter tops with it.

With now the never ending rain, out Corraplata water is coming in brown. I take less then 24 hours to turn our water buckets for the horse green. A daily choice of a little chorine and a brush.... every day. This is the same water going into our cyysterns and into all the homes.

I've also seen people filling the 5 gallon containers of "drinking water" from a street tap and then put on the seal. Loading onto a truck to deliver to your local stores.

I've said this before. Most likely I've said it several times and may even have posted photos. Buying and installing a whole house/apt. water purification system is not expensive nor complicated. GOOGLE is your friend. A pool chorine tablet into the cystern every couple of weeks. A simple sand filter is nice but not needed. A UV light sanitizer is the key with a reliable back-up power source. A computer back-up battery will work fine. Install after the pressure tank with a by-pass to service or to move the system to another home/apt. They don't take up much space.

You now have purified water for your whole house and anything after your pump.

Our has worked for over 6 years. Our guests love it. No hauling bottles. No worries. No problems. AT ALL.

This does not help the tourist. I don't know why others that live here have not installed such a simple and easy system.

 

[belmont]

I am absolutely and one hundred percent certain that my tap water isn't coming from someone's washing machine, pool, or any other thing you could think of.

You are sure that all those are protected by vacuumn breakers or other anti-siphon devices? The water pressure in your system never falls? If not, you can't be certain.

 

[Ringo]

You are sure that all those are protected by vacuumn breakers or other anti-siphon devices? The water pressure in your system never falls? If not, you can't be certain.

I'm 100% sure that that I see broken pipes all over. I'm 100% sure that the pressure is NEVER constant. I'm 100% sure that my city water is brown at this time. I'm 100% sure that a bucket of water will turn green in 24 hours. I'm 100% sure that septic systems leach and leak right next to the broken pipes. I'm 100% sure that the source of the water from a river in our Cooraplata system has more nasties in the river water then most could think of. I'm also 100% sure that they do nothing to treat the water in anyway.

Find you water company source. See what they have. See what they have that is working. Follow the water source and see what is going into it.

 

[Taino808]

You are sure that all those are protected by vacuumn breakers or other anti-siphon devices? The water pressure in your system never falls? If not, you can't be certain.

I am one hundred percent certain this can't happen belmont, read chip's post to you. I also stand by my original post, as does HB, that tap water in Santiago is safe enough to at least brush teeth, shower and cook with.

 

[bob saunders]

Here is a link to educate yourself on both water purification systems and contaminates.
Household Water Treatment Technologies

 

[jrhartley]

some people wont give tap water to their dogs, but the dogs drink out of puddles -------going a little too far I think

 

[belgiank]

some people wont give tap water to their dogs, but the dogs drink out of puddles -------going a little too far I think

to be honest... mine prefer the puddles... lol

 

[belmont]

1. For the scenario where the residence has no cistern or tank, when water pressure is negative the water in the lines in the house would drain to the street but none from washing machines, toilets etc because they have backflow preventers.

You are assuming all the houses connected to that main have backflow preventers. I'm sure that is true those developments which are 100% compliant with building codes. But the house or apartment constructed in an area where the same water main services houses built helter-skelter, you know, the foundation this year, the first floor next year, then the roof, oh wait, make the roof into the second floor flooring and add a second floor and another roof, etc., etc., etc. Nobody can guarantee the plumbing in this case is according to code with backflow preventers on appliances and fixtures.

 

[Lolitula]

LISTEN TO BELMONT!

Since you're not here yet (I assume) go to your local camping shop (in Canada for example the Mountain Equip Co-op, etc.) and get both the water purifying drops (there's a 2 step system and you can let the water sit for about 30 mins with or without veggies, etc. in it) and I'd really advise getting one of those systems you can put in the water that work within minutes, and erase all chemicals....we had a military grade one, and although I got pretty much everything else, nothing was water-based!

BUY the gallons of water, and you can trade them in and have the people come right to your door to do so, at about 30 pesos or less per gallon (less than $1. each!) SOAK all fruit and veggies in purified water with drops or even a few drops of bleach, and try not to eat raw veggies, etc, at least not with the skin.

You may still not be able to totally avoid sickness, but at least you tried...I wish you guys a beautiful, happy trip to the DR!

Boiling is an effective means for treating micro-organisms in water, but is ineffective for contamination due to metals and organic chemicals. You should have the water checked for things like mercury, lead, arsenic PCBs and many other dangerous compounds. These compounds will accumulate in your body over a long period of time before they give the first symptom of poisoning or induce a cancer.

 

[Ringo]

LISTEN TO BELMONT!

Since you're not here yet (I assume) go to your local camping shop (in Canada for example the Mountain Equip Co-op, etc.) and get both the water purifying drops (there's a 2 step system and you can let the water sit for about 30 mins with or without veggies, etc. in it) and I'd really advise getting one of those systems you can put in the water that work within minutes, and erase all chemicals....we had a military grade one, and although I got pretty much everything else, nothing was water-based!

BUY the gallons of water, and you can trade them in and have the people come right to your door to do so, at about 30 pesos or less per gallon (less than $1. each!) SOAK all fruit and veggies in purified water with drops or even a few drops of bleach, and try not to eat raw veggies, etc, at least not with the skin.

You may still not be able to totally avoid sickness, but at least you tried...I wish you guys a beautiful, happy trip to the DR!

How about a whole house system that takes care of the whole problem of water nasties?

Not expensive, easy to install and whole house covered with purified water. ????

 

[imfromda305]

Can someone enlighten me about bad / good shower water, cos I don't get that part..

Because to me good shower water means a nice warm steamy bath. So what am I missing?

 

[Bronxboy]

Chip, glad to see you back!!

 

[Frank the Tank]

Chip, glad to see you back!!

Y yo tambien

 

[Bronxboy]

Eeyore, we get the message!!!!