5 ms·

Has anyone tested the long term viability? Contamination, dust, mildew, flies etc.? Seems like a good idea but I venture the water would need further processing

Has anyone tested the long term viability? Contamination, dust, mildew, flies etc.? Seems like a good idea but I venture the water would need further processing. Still, looks like a better starting point than where many communities are now.

ColdHawaiian 13y ago
Yeah, I was thinking about whether or not bacteria and other harmful microorganisms could grow in the water that collected too. I suppose, if nothing else, it could be boiled before consumption.
- stevewilhelm 13y ago
  In many impoverished areas, there is a high correlation between lack of clean drinking water and lack of fuel sources.
ghshephard 13y ago
As long as the water is reasonably clear, just leaving it in a plastic bottle in the sun for a day or so will get the water safe enough to drink. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_water_disinfection http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_water_disinfection http://www.irinnews.org/report/79172/benin-sunshine-plastic-bottle-clean-water http://www.irinnews.org/report/79172/benin-sunshine-plastic-... And this water is not ground water - so all of the many, many normal types of ground pollution are being avoided.
- bigbugbag 13y ago
  You're supposed not to drink water from a plastic bottle which has been exposed for some time to the sun.
  - harlanlewis 13y ago
    The amount of time matters. The 5 hours required for solar disinfecting is far less than the time a plastic bottle will degrade in the sun and contaminate the contained liquids. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET - commonly used for soda bottles) can withstand direct sunlight for 5 years. There's leeching occurring throughout the degradation, and I can't find any trustworthy research on leeched PET harm when ingested repeatedly over a lifetime, but a few hours in the sun is pretty far from the danger zone.
  - ghshephard 13y ago
    All things equal, I'd rather deal with a small risk associated with pollutants leeching from the bottle, than the much higher risk associated with diarrhea-causing organisms in the water.
- tonylemesmer 13y ago
  I'm Sorry, I should have been more specific. I was referring to potential moss / buildup on the structure itself.

ColdHawaiian 13y ago

Yeah, I was thinking about whether or not bacteria and other harmful microorganisms could grow in the water that collected too. I suppose, if nothing else, it could be boiled before consumption.

stevewilhelm 13y ago
In many impoverished areas, there is a high correlation between lack of clean drinking water and lack of fuel sources.

ghshephard 13y ago

As long as the water is reasonably clear, just leaving it in a plastic bottle in the sun for a day or so will get the water safe enough to drink. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_water_disinfection http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_water_disinfection http://www.irinnews.org/report/79172/benin-sunshine-plastic-bottle-clean-water http://www.irinnews.org/report/79172/benin-sunshine-plastic-... And this water is not ground water - so all of the many, many normal types of ground pollution are being avoided.

bigbugbag 13y ago
You're supposed not to drink water from a plastic bottle which has been exposed for some time to the sun.
- harlanlewis 13y ago
  The amount of time matters. The 5 hours required for solar disinfecting is far less than the time a plastic bottle will degrade in the sun and contaminate the contained liquids. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET - commonly used for soda bottles) can withstand direct sunlight for 5 years. There's leeching occurring throughout the degradation, and I can't find any trustworthy research on leeched PET harm when ingested repeatedly over a lifetime, but a few hours in the sun is pretty far from the danger zone.
- ghshephard 13y ago
  All things equal, I'd rather deal with a small risk associated with pollutants leeching from the bottle, than the much higher risk associated with diarrhea-causing organisms in the water.
tonylemesmer 13y ago
I'm Sorry, I should have been more specific. I was referring to potential moss / buildup on the structure itself.