Larry, all Westfalia water drinkers-

Here's one more to add to the list: City water that is known to be safe.

I fill my tank from city water like most of us at home. I have water filter
just before it enters the faucet. Here in my neighborhood near Seattle the
city water doesn't taste that good.It smells like a swimming pool.

The replaceable charcoal element improves the taste. and removes the odor.
That's the main concern I have. We get quarterly reports from are water
district and they give analysis details. No microorganisms here.

The State Parks have closely monitored clean water supplies, and I get water
here also.

When in doubt, the external filter you attach to the hose is a great idea
anyway. I like the onboard filter . It only cost about 20.00 . Repalcement
cartridges are about $5.00 each.
If you have both that's double filtration.

The brand I have is an Ametek compact filter #US 316. It comes with a
activated charcoal filter- for around 10.00 you can get a  purification
cartridge which removes heavy meteals and bacteria.

Get both, the charcoal when you know your water supply is safe, and the
purifiaction when you are travelling .

This is also easy to install and fits under the sink . Only 7" tall.

Robert

1982 Westfalia
Seattle

>From: Larry Chase <lchase@ATTGLOBAL.NET>
>Reply-To: Larry Chase <lchase@ATTGLOBAL.NET>
>To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>Subject: Re: Water Filtration vs Water Purification
>Date: Sat, 4 Jan 2003 13:20:55 -0700
>
>Volks,
>
>Thanks for all the contributions to this thread.
>
>I think this is a really important topic.
>
>Now I'm trying to sort out all the suggestions and figure out a
>Feasible, realistic solution for my needs.
>
>I'm thinking that a reasonable approach would be:
>
>Filling the onboard tank:
>
>Some kind of external filter attached in line to the water hose. Water
>is
>"Filtered" as you fill the onboard tank. (Charcoal, Ceramic, paper ..
>too be determined)
>
>Drinking Water:
>
>A Sweetwater or MSR hand pump system to purify the water from the tank
>for drinking
>Purposes. Or bottled water ..... Prefer Reverse Osmosis Distilled.
>
>Cooking Water:
>
>If the water is to be used for cooking ... Boiling should take care of
>Anything not neutralized by the hose filter.
>
>Washing Water:
>
>OK to use as is from the tank since it's not being consumed and has been
>filtered.
>
>
>Hitting the Trail Soon ... NO >>>> REALLY!
>
>Larry Chase
>
>Email: lchase@attglobal.net
>Web: www.roadhaus.com - Under Construction
>What: The Great North American Road Trip
>When:  Early 2003
>How: RoadHaus - 1990 2.2 L  VW Westfalia Syncro
>Today: Mesa, AZ - 12V Stuff
>From: Mesa,  AZ
>
>- - -
>
>Date: Sat, 4 Jan 2003 10:15:00 -0700
>From: Ben McCafferty <ben@VOLKSCAFE.COM>
>Subject: Re: Water Filtration vs Water Purification
>Let me say AMEN to this bit on cysts. And a personal experience to
>stress
>the importance here. About 1995, I picked up a nice little critter
>called
>blastocystis hominis (IIRC). It was a tough little bug, and took me
>about
>two years to be rid of it. According to my doctor, it has the ability to
>encapsulate itself and wait out anti-biotics. The anti-biotics that I
>was
>given were so strong that I was instructed not to even use cologne, as
>the
>alcohol absorbed by my skin had the potential to make me sick. Unreal.
>After 50 days (!!) of these anti-biotics, the cysts were still
>detectable,
>but seemed to be at a level that they weren't making me sick any longer.
>I
>have never experienced anything like the symptoms from this--made
>stomach
>flu look like club Med. Three days of misery, every six weeks, like
>clockwork, for two years.
>I guess what I'm saying is that it's worth the trouble to make sure your
>water is as clean as you can possibly get it--sometimes a 24-hour case
>of
>Montezuma's Revenge isn't the worst that can happen. Since then, I've
>used
>the Sweetwater Guardian with the iodine virus cartridge (no longer
>available), and have heard that the new MSR pumps do a great job too.
>tx,
>bmc :)
>Ben McCafferty
>ben@volkscafe.com
>Volks Cafe
>1823 Soquel Avenue
>Santa Cruz, CA 95062
>831-426-1244
>http://www.volkscafe.com

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