Text 17863, 112 rader
Skriven 2007-07-11 11:04:51 av Glen Jamieson
     Kommentar till en text av Dave Sacerdote
Ärende: WATER  70711
====================
 -=> Quoting Dave Sacerdote to Glen Jamieson <=-

 GJ> With the rainfall you get, you could probably become independent of
 GJ> outside supply if you had a larger tank, or interconnected tank farm,
 GJ> with a pressure pump to supply the house reticulation.

 DS> I would need cleaner tanks, too! [g] The barrel we're using is an 
 DS> ancient oak thing that was riddled with powderpost beetle holes
 DS> and was filthy from storage.  I scrubbed the hell out of it with
 DS> detergent and a stiff brush before knocking the staves back into 
 DS> place and resetting the hoops.  And the water it holds is tea
 DS> colored with the tannins etc. from the wood.

Probably better to move to less photogenic, but better performing
galvanised steel tanks.  The barrel water could be used for the garden
or toilet flushing.

 DS> I'm not certain that going "off the grid" for water would be
 DS> economically feasible.  I do what I can to reduce wastefulness,
 DS> but staying connected to the city supply with rainwater collection
 DS> as a backup has advantages:

 DS> - I don't have to do any of my own purification.  At the very
 DS> least, I would have had to filter my water this spring.  The
 DS> tree pollen counts here were amazing this year, and every time
 DS> we would have a storm, I would have a thick cover of pollen 
 DS> on top of the water (all that pollen settling on the roof, then
 DS> being washed into the barrel, you know.)

Running the potable mains water to the kitchen, shower and wash basins
would be ideal, while the rainwater was used for everything else.  A
float valve connected to the mains in the rainwater tank would ensure
that some water was always present there.

If the tank water builds up to the overflow point the pollen will skim
off the top.  If it soaks down into sludge, you can drain it out the
bottom of the tank.

 DS> - Staying connected helps support the conservation efforts of the
 DS> local water company through paying their rates.  That may sound
 DS> rather silly, but after all part of what I pay them goes to
 DS> educational programs and advertising supporting conservation
 DS> and groundwater quality programs.  The water here in town is 

A worthwhile company!

 DS> - Staying connected is cheaper!  I was actually paying MORE per
 DS> quarter at this address BEFORE the water supply was actually
 DS> connected, because unused connections to the grid are charged
 DS> a quarterly "meter fee" of $35.  Once again, this fee goes

So do you mean that once you begin paying for water, the $35 meter fee
is decreased?  There would then be a rate of consumption which would
give minimum cost.

 DS> (To keep down the mosquito population, I've treated the rainbarrel
 DS> with a bacterial colony harmless to all living things save mosquito
 DS> larvae.  It works marvelously, without chemical pesticides.)
 
 GJ> That sounds like a most effective way of eliminating the mozzies, 
 GJ> and better than the old kerosine/oil mixture dollopped 

 DS> The kero is very bad for groundwater; I would probably not have used
 DS> that method. (I had considered using vegetable oil to cover the water
 DS> before finding the natural control.)

Only a spoonful of kero is needed for mosquito control, and it
evaporates completely, leaving a very thin film of oil, which is enough
to stop the larvae from breathing.
 
 DS> The brand I use is Summit; they come in the form of small (5 cm
 DS> diameter) "cakes" that float atop the water and slowly release
 DS> bacteria-laden "food" into the water.  The larvae eat the food
 DS> and quickly die.  I was amazed when I first dropped the dunk

 DS> But don't look for a brand, Glen!  We might not have a specific
 DS> brand in common.  Look instead for the active bacteria: Bacillus
 DS> thuringiensis israelensis (Bti).  Surely there is an Australian
 DS> company manufacturing dunks which you can buy locally.

I shall certainly investigate that.  Thanks.

MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.05
 
      Title: Rainbow Trout with Green Onion - Ginger Mayonnaise
 Categories: Fish
      Yield: 2 Servings
 
      4    Rainbow Trout (4 oz. each)

MMMMM--------------------------MARINADE-------------------------------
    1/4 c  Lime Juice
      1 tb Oriental Sesame Oil
           Mayonnaise:
      3 tb Regular or Light Mayonnaise
      5 ts Green Onions, thinly sliced
      1 ts Ginger
           -- peeled & finely minced
      1 ts Fresh Lemon Juice
    1/2 ts Soy Sauce
    1/8 ts Oriental Sesame Oil
 
  Marinate trout. Combine mayonnaise ingredients; refrigerate. Cook
  trout. Serve immediately with mayonnaise. Makes 2 to 4 servings.
 
MMMMM
 

___ Blue Wave/DOS v2.30 [NR]

--- FLAME v2.0/b
 * Origin: Braintap BBS Adelaide Australia (3:800/449)