elevator Posted September 19, 2015 Report Share Posted September 19, 2015 When we moved into our rental in Brisas we were told the tap water was potable because there was an infrared system. The landlord told me that I just need to add 2-3 chlorine tabs a month and change the filters as needed every few months. He said he had changed them a few weeks prior to our moving in. Before consuming any I had the water tested a few days after we moved and it tested positive for every bacteria and was, of course not potable. I checked the system and discovered the blue light tube was broken. I replaced it and replaced one filter and cleaned the other. I put a couple of chlorine tabs in and waited about ten days and had it tested again....same results. I called the landlord and he gave me the number for Marco the guy who installed the system. I related what had happened and said I was told by another homeowner to put in 2-3 times the normal amount of chlorine and give it some more time. Marco said that is what he would do and offered no other suggestions, except he would come out if it still tested positive. Not really much help. Does anyone have any ideas about what I might do or who I might call at this point? Will the water be safe to shower in if bombed with that amount of chlorine? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ezzie Posted September 19, 2015 Report Share Posted September 19, 2015 You need to be cautious with "bombing" with chlorine. What you are after is a sufficient dosage to allow the chlorine to dissipate in the delivery system while on it's way to the tap. To do this properly you will need a chlorine tester that can measure the residual "free" chlorine levels as it exits your tap. Water that lays in pipes and storage facilities and exposed to warm temperatures can quickly turn into bacteria growth mediums. Try and get your up stream dosage to a point where the water you use is around 2-5 ppm - anything above that and you are going to be able to smell it and it isn't good for drinking or on your skin. You can buy inexpensive free chlorine testers on the internet that can give you a decent reading. I use the Hanna Instruments Model 701 which uses reagent packs to calibrate the unit before each test. This gives a more accurate test than the simple pool water testers. Many of the wells feeding the Lakeside area and the distribution system are contaminated with bacteria and it is SIMAPA's responsibility to inject chlorine at the well heads. Unfortunately the system is poorly maintained, lacking of technical expertise and there is a lot of old and outdated infrastructure. Your only safe bet is to consume water from garafons if you can't get a good feel for what your delivered water is like by quality testing. Personally, I think UV treatment is a gamble, not because it does not work, but because people just install them and then think everything is working and fine - peace of mind. You need to continually maintain them, ensure the glass tubing stays clean and test, test, test the water output to make sure the system is killing the bacteria. A quality 5 stage RO (reverse osmosis) system is probably a better choice but they strip the water of total dissolved solids (TDS) which makes the water tasteless and lacking of vital minerals your body needs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elevator Posted September 19, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 19, 2015 Excuse my ignorance but is 2-5ppm parts per milliliter? And is that measuring bacteria or chlorine? Is there a qualified, reputable company that will come out and do testing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Floradude Posted September 19, 2015 Report Share Posted September 19, 2015 Even if SIMAPA puts in chlorine at the well heads, which they tell me they do, there are lots of places where the water supply can be contaminated downstream....including at your tinaco or aljibe. I replace my UV light once a year. I have two inline filters (20 micron and 10 micron) and they are cleaned at least every month or more often like now when the city water is very dirty. The filters are also replaced once a year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cedros Posted September 19, 2015 Report Share Posted September 19, 2015 Excuse my ignorance but is 2-5ppm parts per milliliter? And is that measuring bacteria or chlorine? Is there a qualified, reputable company that will come out and do testing? parts per million measuring chlorine. Usually you get a sample bottle from a lab. Then you take the water sample and take it to the lab. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wookie Posted September 20, 2015 Report Share Posted September 20, 2015 Sent you a PM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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