Water in old bottles

Finding it, filtering it, treating it all in here!
valderee
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Re: Water in old bottles

Post by valderee »

gary5wift wrote:I use Milton tablets to sterilise the bottles then fill them with tap water, I don't add bleach because tap water is already chlorinated. I leave an air gap the top for expansion and put them in the chest freezer. This helps to make the freezer more efficient by filling up empty space and should help keep the other contents stay frozen for longer in the event of a power failure.
I agree great idea, for the pop bottles to help fill up any empty space. :)

I have some ice cubes still in the freezer from Tesco from July 2014, and some I put in ice cube bags myself straight from the tap, im hoping these too will still be good to use. :?:
BaseOne
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Re: Water in old bottles

Post by BaseOne »

valderee wrote: and some I put in ice cube bags myself straight from the tap, im hoping these too will still be good to use. :?:
Assuming the water was clean to begin with (sounds like it was) and the cubes haven't been exposed to anything nasty, they are just fine.

People often get hung up about water. Clean water into a clean bottle, with a secure cap, will last indefinitely.
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Brambles
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Re: Water in old bottles

Post by Brambles »

BaseOne wrote:
valderee wrote: and some I put in ice cube bags myself straight from the tap, im hoping these too will still be good to use. :?:
Assuming the water was clean to begin with (sounds like it was) and the cubes haven't been exposed to anything nasty, they are just fine.

People often get hung up about water. Clean water into a clean bottle, with a secure cap, will last indefinitely.
I'm sorry to disagree, but no it won't. The best you can hope for is 12 months before you need to either swap it out, or add more chlorine.
http://time.com/3104999/old-water-sick/

"When it comes to storing water for long periods, the answer is “Yes,” your H2O can certainly become unsafe to drink, says Zane Satterfield, an engineer scientist with the National Environmental Services Center at West Virginia University. “Most experts will tell you tap water has a shelf-life of six months,” Satterfield says. “After that point, the chlorine dissipates to the point that bacteria and algae start to grow.” That growth will speed up if you store your water in a warm or sunny spot—or in a glass container that hasn’t been thoroughly washed or sealed, he adds.

If you’re a doomsday hoarder with giant vats of pre-packaged water in your basement, you should know that will last at least a year. But after 12 months you’re best off swapping out what you have for fresh stores, Satterfield advises. “You’ll see that some of the water will evaporate during that time, which is proof that the plastic isn’t impermeable,” he explains.

If you want to play it safe when it comes to water that’s been stored for long periods, Satterfield says adding a few drops of plain, unscented bleach and waiting 30 minutes will make your water safe to drink. (Specifically, that’s four drops per gallon, he adds.) Good to know in case of an apocalypse—zombie or otherwise."
Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning to dance in the rain~anon
preparedsurrey
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Re: Water in old bottles

Post by preparedsurrey »

We did a job at an ex mod house (it had been a training facility post war) a few years ago, they had storage in underground tanks for about 50000 gallons of water, I never got a chance to ask if there was any means of purifying it still in place.
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BaseOne
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Re: Water in old bottles

Post by BaseOne »

Brambles wrote:
BaseOne wrote:
valderee wrote: and some I put in ice cube bags myself straight from the tap, im hoping these too will still be good to use. :?:
Assuming the water was clean to begin with (sounds like it was) and the cubes haven't been exposed to anything nasty, they are just fine.

People often get hung up about water. Clean water into a clean bottle, with a secure cap, will last indefinitely.
I'm sorry to disagree, but no it won't.
I'm sorry to disagree too. :) But it will last, for a very long time.

I could go ahead and post a list of equally "opinion oriented" links from the internet, which say that water last indefinitely:

e.g. from "Truls Krogh, director of the Department of Water Hygiene at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health":
If the water is covered and of good quality to start with, in principle it can last a thousand years,” he says.

This also goes for water from the faucet.

“Of course there can’t be much organic matter in the water, which there isn’t in the water most Norwegian homes have on tap. As long as it’s been contained in a closed bottle that doesn’t let any substances into the contents it can keep for years without becoming dangerous to drink,” says Krogh.
http://sciencenordic.com/can-water-spoil


There is a small risk that a bit of green algy might grow in there, but it's not going to kill you (no different to drinking out of streams up here where I live in Northern Europe). The risk from bacteria is tiny (as long as you bottled decent water into a clean bottle with a good cap)
Hamradioop
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Re: Water in old bottles

Post by Hamradioop »

I have just bought a six pack of spring water from Lidl and the Best Before End is Jan 17. Which I presume to be more to do with the packaging than the water. so at least 20 months 'life'on that basis.
How long does water last? Water is the most abundant compound on Earth and it is essential to every form of life. All sources recommend that people drink 8 glasses each and every day. Because of its relatively low cost and proven health benefits, it is one of the most popular beverages in the world. We drink it from fountains, streams and bottles. Since the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not require a shelf life for bottled water, the actual shelf life of water is indefinite! Because of this, you will probably not find any sell by, use by or best by dates on your bottle of water. Because of this, many people ask does water go bad? It really does not go bad on its own, but packaging and other environmental factors can actually cause water to go bad. So, the shelf life of water depends on the preparation method (not all water is created equal) and how it was stored.
from http://www.eatbydate.com/drinks/how-lon ... tion-date/
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Brambles
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Re: Water in old bottles

Post by Brambles »

Water will indeed last indefinitely, whether it remains safe indefinitely is open to question.

I will continue treat my water before I store it, and rotate it every 6-12 months. I'm not prepared to put mine and my families health at risk for want of 5 minutes time and a few drops of bleach per gallon. I don't drink water out of streams untreated either, but each to their own. :D
Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning to dance in the rain~anon
BaseOne
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Re: Water in old bottles

Post by BaseOne »

Brambles wrote: I don't drink water out of streams untreated either, but each to their own. :D
In the East Midlands of the UK, it's a wise move not to :)
BaseOne
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Re: Water in old bottles

Post by BaseOne »

Hamradioop wrote: All sources recommend that people drink 8 glasses each and every day.

Oh dear, I'm at risk of getting a bad reputation on this thread. :roll: But the statement above is simply not true.

True, there are "some" sources which say you should drink 8 glasses of water a day, certainly not "all". Within the last couple of years, there has been some research and a plethora of internet articles stating that the "8 glasses a day" advice is simply a myth, total nonsense with no scientific basis.

I don't intend to personally attack anyone, but I think we owe it to readers to highlight points which might not be true.

Me? I drink at least 2 litres of plain water a day. :P
Hamradioop
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Re: Water in old bottles

Post by Hamradioop »

I have no problem by being challenged however 8 glasses probably equals 2 litres at 250 ml a glass. Now I believe the minimum water intake is supposed to be 2 litres to prevent dehydration BUT some of it will come from your food and beverages like Tea and Coffee. If you are working you may well need more which is why the military ensured that the troops have copious amounts of water available in the field.
“A nation of sheep will beget a government of wolves.” ― Edward R. Murrow
"Remember Politicians are like babies diapers they both need changing often for the very same reason" - Mark Twain
If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal.