Dead Coquis in catchment tank

[Sean]

After having inspected several water systems on the mainland the one thing they tended to have in common was dead things in the water storage tanks. This is post treatment... Things are getting better, but hey, how much do you wanna bet that things are similar here? Birds, rats, mongoose? coqui? I'd bet on all of them at some point in time.

As for filtering the water, after the filters just put in a UV system. I had a project where the water system was spring fed into a large tank that collected dead birds, "they check in, but don't check out" and after the tank it went to a home. So many issues: surface water with no source protection, poor screening in the tank, too long of storage time, no chlorination... After the UV system was installed we didn't have any more positive bacti tests. I installed a UV system here and I'm happy with the water.

Cheers,

Sean

[David M]

Do know any specifics about Hawaii county water (anyone know where to obtain?), but most people would be shocked as to the "purity" of some municipal supplies.

David

Ninole Resident

[MarkP]

I don't think catchment water in Hawaii is more risky than anywhere else. As for catchment water in general, I don't have any statistics. I am tempted to say that I would prefer to control my own water supply rather than rely on a municipal system run by operators who are professional but who don't have the vested interest that I do. What are the real risks for both municipal systems and catchment systems? I don't know. I wouldn't be surprised if bottled water is just tap water, or if lots of dead things wind up in the county system. By the same token there are some pretty grungy catchment systems out there.

On the whole I am prepared to build a good catchment system with proper filtration and UV and use the water for everything.

[mella l]

I've been told more than once if I could see the inside of water supply pipes and even those coming into my own home I wouldn't drink the water! LOL I know too much information can be toooo much.

mella l

[mgeary]

I'm pretty sure we've been down this road before, but for those who haven't seen it, http://www.hawaiidws.org/index.html this is the website for the County of Hawaii Department of Water Supply. Click on "About the Water" to find Water Quality Reports.

The information is spotty (data not present for most locations for 2008, and some of 2007, no data for any location lower than "Haina" in the alphabet), but I'm sure if you went to their Hilo office at 345 Kekuanao‘a Street, Ste. 20 they'd provide you with the information you need, because they're required to keep it on file. They're not required to post it to the web.

To each his own, but municipal water supplies are required to meet EPA standards for water quality, or else they're shut down. I know that it happens, because water systems where I live have been shut down for non-attainment. Plus, municipal water systems are required to provide information on request about their water quality. Neither of these are the case for catchment systems. The only way I know of to find out information about water quality from a catchment system is if the owner conducts a test. When is the last time you tested the quality of the water from your catchment system?

It's stories like the coqui and the mongoose in the catchment tank that make me really question whether I want to live in an area that doesn't have County water.

<edit to soften the blow> Don't take this as an attack on those of you who have catchment systems. I'm sure that if done properly, catchment water can be just as safe and clean as municipal or bottled water. I may even buy a house with a catchment system. If I do, I'll thank my friends here on PunaWeb for showing me the pitfalls that can come from an improperly installed or maintained system. All I'm trying to say is that 1) I've never lived anywhere that doesn't have municipal water, and 2) the coqui and mongoose stories make me a little leery. Not completely rejecting of the idea, just a little leery. I'm surely getting a better idea of what "if done properly" means.

This just popped into my head: is a water quality report standard when you buy or sell a house with a catchment system?

Aloha! ;-)

[MarkP]

Good points about the mandatory testing. It is gong to be hard to compete against that kind of infrastructure. However, people have been living with catchment systems without dying for generations. I would be very interested in how many cases of disease over the last 10 years say can be linked to bad water. This is purely subjective of course but I don't have the sense that it is a lot. It depends on the disease. Some diseases could be spread more easily through a municipal system so that you would actually be safer with catchment. Admittedly those situations are few and far between, and when they exist water is only one of your problems.

Properly maintaining a good catchment system is something that takes some effort and know how. Results may vary and some people can't or won't put in the required effort. I remember pslamont's completely enclosed tank with a metal roof, with special sealed penetrations. Contrast that to an old kiddie pool with a sagging mesh cover perfectly situated for birds to wade around on while they bathe. We must put these two examples in separate risk categories and it is because of the attitude of the owners.

[kimo wires]

I may be raising a tired subject but I had to answer 1 question centipede asked.

Yes Coqui Frogs are climbers.
They scale walls like Spiderman.
They're slimy and can squeeze through tight spaces.

I just stuffed fiberglass screening in the pipe penetration areas and It seems to have taken care of the problem.

I'm keeping a close eye on it.







One Thing I can always be sure of is that things will never go as expected.

[centipede]

Thanks for your tolerance, kimo wires.

I lived in New Mexico in l974. Our water came from a cistern and skimming ing brought up dead mice etc. Treatment was with a bit of Clorox.

I lived in Las Vegas and was told of the horrors being filtered from water going into Lake Mead. Among them were a fetus.

Nuff said.

[kimo wires]

Neighbors told me of a dead bloated rat they found in their tank.

I may start checking it daily.

One Thing I can always be sure of is that things will never go as expected.