2 ms·

What is t he problem specifically with drinking rainwater? Sure, I don't want to drink rainwater that fell on my asphalt shingle roof. I also don't really want

What is t he problem specifically with drinking rainwater? Sure, I don't want to drink rainwater that fell on my asphalt shingle roof. I also don't really want to drink the rain water the ultimately ends up in the river I live near to and which the city sewers empty into (including upstream cities) but that's what they do. Sure that water is treated before it arrives through pipes into people's houses. I'd take properly collected and treated rainwater directly from my own property any day over that.

sandworm101 5y ago
It's great when it comes strait from the clouds. What did it land on? How was it stored? How did it get from one to the other? Rainwater isn't pure water. It will contain dust and pollen. The system it lands on (ie a roof) will also have other things land on it (birds/insects etc). So by the time it gets to the storage tank the "pure" rainwater might contain a wide variety other stuff. Drinking it without treatment isn't always a great idea.
- tharkun__ 5y ago
  I never said it was pure and I never said I'd drink it "pure" and even gave a specifically bad example (the asphalt shingle roof runoff) and mentioned proper treatment and catchment. This is not the kind of system you'd probably find doable on a small city lot and yes I guess people would be tempted to just drink their asphalt shingle roof runoff - until they see the water. But the context presumably is acreage type off-grid living. The landscape can also help. Dunno if you saw a recent-ish article here on HN on some South American farmers directing rain water such that it flows slowly through various layers on slopes until it reaches the bottom even having it re-emerge as natural springs in some places. Won't work if you live on the prairies, sure. Could work in other locations.

2 ms·

What is t he problem specifically with drinking rainwater? Sure, I don't want to drink rainwater that fell on my asphalt shingle roof. I also don't really want

by tharkun__ 5y ago

sandworm101 5y ago
It's great when it comes strait from the clouds. What did it land on? How was it stored? How did it get from one to the other? Rainwater isn't pure water. It will contain dust and pollen. The system it lands on (ie a roof) will also have other things land on it (birds/insects etc). So by the time it gets to the storage tank the "pure" rainwater might contain a wide variety other stuff. Drinking it without treatment isn't always a great idea.
- tharkun__ 5y ago
  I never said it was pure and I never said I'd drink it "pure" and even gave a specifically bad example (the asphalt shingle roof runoff) and mentioned proper treatment and catchment. This is not the kind of system you'd probably find doable on a small city lot and yes I guess people would be tempted to just drink their asphalt shingle roof runoff - until they see the water. But the context presumably is acreage type off-grid living. The landscape can also help. Dunno if you saw a recent-ish article here on HN on some South American farmers directing rain water such that it flows slowly through various layers on slopes until it reaches the bottom even having it re-emerge as natural springs in some places. Won't work if you live on the prairies, sure. Could work in other locations.