Some of the interesting comments on this blog:
Anonymous said...
Ferfal,
What kind of water filter do you use?
January 30, 2009 8:54 AM
FerFAL said...
I use PSA.
http://www.psa.com.ar/paginas/productos.php
Prefiltering Cup (disposable)
Active carbon
Sivler impregnanted
FerFAL
Anonymous said...
This is why having a few of the Berkey Black filter elements for a DIY homemade filter makes sense. Can be found for $99 a pair on internet, and to me, is money in the bank. If you don’t need it, someday, someone you love will.
I have a James Cup in bug out vest, but fumes from it ruined a nearby magnesium spark rod. Live and learn.
Thanks Ferfal for a great article.
January 30, 2009 10:22 AM
Stuki said...
Don’t be so hard on the waterworks :) Final filtering is best done as close to consumption as possible anyway, to minimize chances of water being contaminated between filtering and use.
As long as the waterworks dump in enough chlorine to make the water safe to wash any post filter pots, pans and glasses with, and to prevent you from getting sick from showers etc. they’ve done a a huge service already.
While awfully convenient to have potble water right from the tap, it requires good control over post treatment distribution. If destitute slum dwellers, for example, plug into water mains between the plant and you, or even steal the pipes, which from what I understand may well be a problem in BA, who knows what can enter the water. Better it be sufficiently chlorinated, and that there’s an explicit understanding on behalf of customers that they should perform final filtering at home. That way unforseen incidents such as above is less likely to end tragically.
January 30, 2009 12:20 PM
Anonymous said...
3 years is a pretty long time to go between filter changes unless it’s one heck of a big carbon reservor tank.
Normally chlorine saturation would occur within six months at a flow rate of 2 gallons per minute (commercial use applications mostly). This does depend on the level of chlorine added to the water. Many activated charcoal filters are just that, filters, not purifiers. You’ll need one that filters down to .5 microns for it to get the real nasty stuff out. And yes, .5 microns is smaller then .2 microns. The silver impregnation just helps in reducing growth within the filter housing.
Never only go by what the instructions say or what it claims, if you start noticing chlorine in the water then the activated carbon has reached its saturation point and won’t filter out anymore even if you disassemble it and let the carbon dry in most cases. Activated carbon filters also become compacted and that may limit how much is removed from your water, a good rule of thumb is to once a month ‘shake’ the filter housing containing the carbon to uncompact it. Some home units are designed with a built in bypass system that once the filter is plugged up, or saturated, it by passes the filter and just dumps straight tap water.
Just some random thoughts. Clear water is my #1 priority ever since getting sick from bad water during a camping trip.
January 30, 2009 12:34 PM
Chris said...
Hi FerFAL,
I had to ask this question:
Based on your experience in Argentina, when the currency collapses, what happens to debts denominated in that currency?
Like say I had a $20,000 debt, and the currency became worthless.
Could I take some gold and exchange it for huge sums of the failed currency and pay off that debt just like that? Essentially paying the debt of for a fraction of what it was when I took out the loan?
What if a family member has a large debt and they can’t pay? Is there any risk there for other members of that family?
Thanks in advance.
January 31, 2009 1:23 PM
LisaT2 said...
Royal Doulton and some other company that makes Berkey water filters has gone bankrupt in Britain, so you may want to stock up on Berkey ceramic filters before they quit making them.