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Researching rainwater catchment

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Out There:
Hi everyone!
I have been researching the collection of rainwater for domestic use for quite a while. Right now my water source is a drilled well, 45' deep with a lot of iron and manganese in the water. Quite possibly some sulphur, too. We filter drinking water through  a point of use RO system.
I have a few really positive things on my side: I live on the west side of a mountain range on the west coast of the US. Acid rain is not really an issue here…. ever. I also live in the foothills of those mountains, so my average yearly rainfall is around 70". My home already has a good metal roof and the gutters need to be replaced, so that will occur with the purpose of catching the rainwater in mind.
Here's another advantage: I work in a medical clinic with a doctor who is also a self-described "chemistry nerd". I was looking at the wire-caged totes (for storage) and wanted to know if the previous contents could be effectively cleaned out. When I told him the container was polyethylene, he said "Stop right there! Do NOT store water in those…. As that particular plastic breaks down, it creates hexane". For anyone familiar with hexane, you know you don't want to be ingesting that.
That brings me, then, to two questions: 1) What type of guttering is most recommended? and 2) What can I use for water storage? I have to get those two things in line before I start thinking about filtration.
-Brian

Mary B:
I would go aluminum for drinking water. I have been buying it in bits and pieces to replace what is left of mine from the 2011 tornado/straight line winds(NWS still can't decide). Nice to know about the poly tank being a no go. Now I need to start researching tanks. Although the hexane should be taken out by filtering... need to research more.

dnix71:
Cross-linked polyethylene is used and FDA approved for potable water storage. Go back and check the number on the plastic.

https://www.usaemergencysupply.com/emergency_supplies/water_barrel_55_gallons.htm  The blue drums expressly made for water storage are polyethylene.

http://www.nationofchange.org/numbers-plastic-bottles-what-do-plastic-recycling-symbols-mean-1360168347

Mary B:
The caged IBC tanks are questionable... some only hold food ingredients so should be water safe. I have seen them with oil and molasses.

joestue:

--- Quote from: Out There on March 24, 2014, 02:25:40 PM ---As that particular plastic breaks down, it creates hexane".

--- End quote ---
not even close.
polyethelene is the safest plastic to hold food in, because it doesn't break down(avoid direct sunlight though), and because it doesn't need any plasticizers to be a useable "plastic"

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