Hose

[Sam Vimes]

Water from domestic taps is safe most of the time but it doesn't always taste nice. Either to drink on its own if for making tea, coffee or other drinks.

 

[ProfJohnL]

The item I linked to is not the one I have.

Although they are measuring TDS, high readings can indicate unsafe levels of minerals.

The acceptable levels vary depending on where you are in the world but over 500 and certainly over 1000 could be a cause for worry.

I do agree that high concentrations of particulate matter in water is a signal to perhaps take extra measures to purify or not use the water, but it all depends on what types of particulates are there. Most are entirely benign and only some are significantly dangerous, but that might depend on concentrations.

You may choose to use such a wideband device but it offers no health security unless the types of contaminants are identified and are below safe thresholds.

In BB's case he has recently taken a seasonal pitch, and has I believe visited it on a several occasions already this year. He tells us he finds the water "Great" by which I assume he means has suffered no ill effects that can be attributed to the water. Add the fact that UK caravan sites are obliged to supply mains or approved water for use by their guests, the risk of contamination is vanishingly small there should be no circumstances where a caravanner should need to use such a device.

Bear in mind as the specification of the device states it does not categorise or identify any of the contaminants it might respond to, so it could give a high reading of an entirely benign substance or it might only show a low ppm of a harmful contaminant The problem is you don't know which.

But the fact is water supplied at UK caravan sites should be about as safe as any water can be, and as such having a water tester for ppm contamination is not likely to find any UK caravan site water supply wanting.

I'm simply trying to save BB money and any unfounded worry such a device might create.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Water from domestic taps is safe most of the time but it doesn't always taste nice. Either to drink on its own if for making tea, coffee or other drinks.

I doubt your meter will tell you if the water tastes good or bad.

 

[Buckman]

I doubt your meter will tell you if the water tastes good or bad.

When we first moved into Malvern town itself from another area, the water tasted awful especially in tea and we had to get Severn Trent in to check the supply. They came and did all the tests and could not find anything wrong, but did agree that the water tasted different. Eventually we started collecting water for drinking from a natural spring in Malvern and did that for about a year before we moved to another part of Malvern.

 

[Johnb]

Well so far as I know in Medieval times the water was anything but pure and alcoholic beverages were the preferred alternative.
Would suggest beer or wine and don't worry about a pipe. The saving from not buying a hose would pay for quite a lot of the "better quality" liquids.

 

[Sam Vimes]

I do agree that high concentrations of particulate matter in water is a signal to perhaps take extra measures to purify or not use the water, but it all depends on what types of particulates are there. Most are entirely benign and only some are significantly dangerous, but that might depend on concentrations.

You may choose to use such a wideband device but it offers no health security unless the types of contaminants are identified and are below safe thresholds.

In BB's case he has recently taken a seasonal pitch, and has I believe visited it on a several occasions already this year. He tells us he finds the water "Great" by which I assume he means has suffered no ill effects that can be attributed to the water. Add the fact that UK caravan sites are obliged to supply mains or approved water for use by their guests, the risk of contamination is vanishingly small there should be no circumstances where a caravanner should need to use such a device.

Bear in mind as the specification of the device states it does not categorise or identify any of the contaminants it might respond to, so it could give a high reading of an entirely benign substance or it might only show a low ppm of a harmful contaminant The problem is you don't know which.

But the fact is water supplied at UK caravan sites should be about as safe as any water can be, and as such having a water tester for ppm contamination is not likely to find any UK caravan site water supply wanting.

I'm simply trying to save BB money and any unfounded worry such a device might create.

Personally I wouldn't normally bother to buy one of these devices but circumstances transpired that firstly, I was offered one for free for review and secondly, we were having problems with the Scottish Water supply at the time.

I'm fully aware that having a reading for the Total Dissolved Solids doesn't indicate which substances are present but if a reading above 500 or so was acheive it would be a reasonable indication that you might want to contact the supplier to find out what was going on.

Just shortly before getting this gadget we had interuptions to our water supply and on the last occasion - due to a leak upstream from us - the water quality was definetly bad resulting in discoloured water and worse still it ruined our water filter. Unfortunately the gadget came just after the problem went away so I couldn't see what it would have registered.

While there are regulations concerning the potable water quality, there are also regulations regarding the discharge of raw sewage and we all know that these get broken at times.

 

[Sam Vimes]

I doubt your meter will tell you if the water tastes good or bad.

Taste is obviously a personal thing but in general a reading at the lower end eg. below 40 and heading towards demineralised water, hasn't much of a taste in my opinion. Bottled water, which many prefer has a better taste to me and mine gets a reading of 200 or so. This is due to the minerals present in the water which have occured due to its passage through rocks etc. in the spring..

So yes it may well indicate that the water tastes ok or is unpleasant.