Thread: Solar water purifier

Originally Posted by drivesafe

Hi folks, I’m interested in some form of a solar water purifier.

With the announcement by the Queensland government that they will be supplementing “fresh” water with turd infested recycled water, it’s time I got serious.

I’ve seen a few different types but was hoping someone one on here might actually be using one.

We had one when we lived in Packanham, it was on a rented house so Im not sure of specifics but it was basically like a solar hotwater service with a big cooling tower and then went through an infrared purifier as well and back up to the storage tanks.

It only flowed a few ltrs per min but ran all the time when the sun was up so we were still on limited water so we used untreated water from the spring for showers, toilet etc.

Sorry I dont know much more about it than that, but I wouldnt be all that worried about the recycled water, some of the golf courses Ive worked on have used it and in some cases it has been tested to be cleaner and have less solids in it that our normal drinking water.

Im pretty sure that if they are treating it up to the standard of drinking water it will be ok, if you want to then remove the cloride etc then put it through a carbon and ceramic filter.

Hi mcrover, I’m hoping to be able to produce just enough to meet drinking and cooking needs.

Not too worried about the showers and such, at this time but if I do find an economical way to purify enough water to meet all my needs, all the better.

Cheers and thanks.

Originally Posted by drivesafe

Hi mcrover, I’m hoping to be able to produce just enough to meet drinking and cooking needs.

Not too worried about the showers and such, at this time but if I do find an economical way to purify enough water to meet all my needs, all the better.

Cheers and thanks.

From memory (and thats a bit scratchy after 5 years) we were pumping through only 30 to 40ltrs per day and most of it was being used.

It was pumped into a 1000ltr tank which stayed roughly half full all the time.

For 1 couple it would be sufficient (well the one we had) but if you had 4 or more people on it I dont think it would keep up.

Im sure there are better and more productive systems about these days if not then.

Good luck with it mate

I too am interested in this. I'd love to hear some suggestions as well!

Hi mcrover, 10ltr a day would do me fine to start off with.

As posted, I only want to meet drinking and cooking needs for now.

Hi all,
Saw a thingo on the abc inventers the other night . It was a sola still ,this young fella made it out of glass and the shape was like a pyrmid and the iner was filled with salt water . add sunshine ect. the condensation run in to small gutters around the outside on the inside.. Only had a quick look...size would be how much it gave...robert 42

On the topic of "recycled" water...

Windhoek in namibia has been directly reusing recycled water since 1968. They even have a reasonably famous beer that is made from it.

As I understand it, the plan is to reintroduce the water to a reservoir, where it will be "filtered" naturally (and mixed with fish crap, blue green algae, dead dogs, etc...).

I wouldn't be overly concerned. If you saw how much mud and crap that they already need to remove from the water when it gets pumped out at Mt Crosby...

Conversely, drinking water that is too pure can be bad for your health (e.g. some bottled waters). Studies in the US, Canada and India have found that some bottled waters are almost completely pure (DISTILLED/DEIONISED). Drinking such water can leach vital minerals such as magnesium OUT of your body.

So - bottom line - it would probably be better for your health to drink tap water rather than distilled water. Unless you plan to supplement all the calcium, magnesioum, potassium, etc that you will be losing/missing out on.

There was a guy at Manly Marina in Brisbane who made solar desalinators for cruising yachts for drinking water. They were pretty exey. I knew the people who were doing specialised welding. They TIG welded an expanded mesh to electrodes. The material was described to me as "platinumised titanium". He supplied the material to the welding firm. They used to keep it in the office safe once they found out its cost. You could 'phone John Roseneder at Accurate Welding Works 07-3348-4900. He may remember the jobs. The work was done when Accurate were still in South Brisbane. Kevin Parker, a then partner in the firm, showed me the work. Kevin is retired.