Drinking Rainwater with Tiny Bugs Swimming in It

[liveaboardL]

We all know that it's unhealthy to drink water with bugs swimming around in it. This is common knowledge.

However, has anyone here ever tried it & got sick?

I have a friend who tried it & said he felt energized, so I looked it up & there was a page about biological transmutation of the elements & Louis Fertanz, & it suggested people only drink rainwater stored in tanks for a while, because of the benefits from drinking the biological matter in it.

That just sounds far out, doesn't it? LOL

Anyone tried else tried it?

[AnchorageGuy]

Originally Posted by liveaboardL

We all know that it's unhealthy to drink water with bugs swimming around in it. This is common knowledge.

However, has anyone here ever tried it & got sick?

I have a friend who tried it & said he felt energized, so I looked it up & there was a page about biological transmutation of the elements & Louis Fertanz, & it suggested people only drink rainwater stored in tanks for a while, because of the benefits from drinking the biological matter in it.

That just sounds far out, doesn't it? LOL

Anyone tried else tried it?

Common knowledge from where? We have collected rainwater for years and put it in our tank. We do have a filter that collects debris and probably small critters. There is nothing better than a pot of coffee made from rainwater. Chuck

[SV THIRD DAY]

Originally Posted by liveaboardL

suggested people only drink rainwater stored in tanks for a while, because of the benefits from drinking the biological matter in it.

You're kidding right? If not, we will grant you a pass to the general cruiser ettiquite rule of not bringing a bag of store bought tortilla chips to a pot luck!

[JPA Cate]

I have read but not tested the idea that given a choice of water of unknown provenance, that it one has bugs in it and the other is crystal clear, it is safer to drink the water with the bugs, because it is able to support life; the clear may contain poisonous miineral salts.

It would be kind of neat to drink the wrigglers rather than having the adult mosquitos sting you, though.

Ann

[DDabs]

Always eat the worm in Mezcal!

[Cheechako]

Some bugs are protein I suppose, others will infest your liver! Someone I knew in Mexico aboard got one in his liver... ameoba? Hydra? I dont remember what it was but it was very bad and took forever for the MD's to figure out what it was. Rainwater? sure. Dirty old rainwater? not for me....

[Teknav]

Never ever drink any "open" water without boiling it first; rain water, spring water, glacier water, water falls and such. Bottled spring/glacier water undergo extensive filtration and microbiological testing before being bottled. Once in the bottle, a "puff" of nitrogen gas is added before capping, to retard any growth. Boil your water! It's a very cheap advice! Take it!

Mauritz

[Hudson Force]

"Bugs" is an unknown variable. It's either a protein drink or a source of pathogens. 'not one of the risks on my adventure list!

[JK n Smitty]

Originally Posted by Teknav

Never ever drink any "open" water without boiling it first; rain water, spring water, glacier water, water falls and such. Bottled spring/glacier water undergo extensive filtration and microbiological testing before being bottled. Once in the bottle, a "puff" of nitrogen gas is added before capping, to retard any growth. Boil your water! It's a very cheap advice! Take it!

Mauritz

I guess my only disagreement with this statement would be the rain water part. I am currently designing a rain water catchment system. I don't intend to boil that water. I will have some particulate filters (under pump because that will be more efficient then gravity) and the cloth its collected on will be dedicated just for catching water.

Do you really think that would be such a bad plan?

[Hudson Force]

For those capturing rain water it's a wise procedure to let the first wash and rinse pass by allowing the particulates in the air and on the deck to rinse off before the collection.

[rockDAWG]

Originally Posted by Teknav

Never ever drink any "open" water without boiling it first; rain water, spring water, glacier water, water falls and such. Bottled spring/glacier water undergo extensive filtration and microbiological testing before being bottled. Once in the bottle, a "puff" of nitrogen gas is added before capping, to retard any growth. Boil your water! It's a very cheap advice! Take it!
Mauritz

If humans are so easy to die, we would not last this long. It is good to know that evolution took care of us; when we ingest the food, the food actually stays outside of our body. The water and nutrients are being absorbed into our body.

Also bacteria does not grow like that in a water bottle. You can easily do an experiment.
1. Open a seal bottle
2. Introduce some of your saliva into the bottle
3. Cap the bottle and put in an incubator at 37 degree or whatever you like.
4. Observe the bottle. There will be no bacteria growth.

If someone drink this bottle two years later. He wont be sick.

The invention of the water bottle is the worst environmental disaster that we human brought to ourselves. More toxic chemicals get into our drinking water by the water filters they use in general.

[virginia boy]

One word: BLEACH!

[senormechanico]

After reading all the posts here, I'm glad I have solar and a Spectra !

[rockDAWG]

Originally Posted by senormechanico

After reading all the posts here, I'm glad I have solar and a Spectra !

Don't jinx it. Life can a beach in a second ....... hahaha

[roverhi]

We spent a year in French Polynesia and never carried water to the boat. Refilled the tanks with rainwater caught on our Awning. Would wait a bit before directing catch water from the awning before putting it in the tanks, no filtering, etc on the input or the boat's water system. Regularly put bleach in the tanks just be sure that no harmful critters were swimming. Never had any adverse reactions or sickness.

FWIW, a large percentage of the houses on the Big Island (Hawaii) live on catchment water. Rain water is caught on the house roofs by gutters and piped into above ground tanks. A large amount of those are not well built or well designed systems. Many are not well protected from intrusion by birds, rats or any bugs that may fall into the gutters or want to go for a swim. The tanks don't get cleaned or treated with bleach on a regular, if ever, basis. With all the potential for water borne illnesses, there is remarkably little problems.