Garden Hose water - is it so bad?

[kahlerisms]

Rather than hijack Jaypes' thread here, I thought I'd start a new one on the topic of garden hose water.

So, continuing on from comments in that thread:

Drinking from most garden hoses (PVC) puts you at risk of a nice dose of lead. If you want to use a hose, just make sure it's a food grade plastic.

I'd be keen on more information on this. At the moment I lug half-fermenter loads from a tap in the laundry back to my kettle, but this week I'm looking at taking the head off a shower near the brewery that isn't used and running some sort of hose from that out to the brewery - a garden hose was my first thought (I no longer have to lug water plus the benefit of being able to start with it hot).

1) What do I need to look out for? I'm not too concerned about chlorine in my water for the time being, lets just say this week's goal is not making the water any worse than when it comes straight out of the tap.

2) Next week's goal might be putting a filter on the end of my hose and making my water better than it was out of the tap - I want something economical - not necessarily inexpensive up front, but the kind of thing where it's low maintenance and low cost of ongoing parts - the $25 Keg King filters are my first through - whack a tap nipple on each end and I'm done?


Looking for advice and wisdom.

 

[mxd]

if you goto bunnings or a camping joint you'll find food grade hoses, there are generally used for Caravans.

 

[Yob]

Get food grage hose and never worry about it again... I put one of those splitters on the tap with FG hose on one side and the garden hose still connected to the other..

done

bun-rips will sell you (light blue) FG Hose.

Yob

 

[brendo]

i've done the same as Yob has suggested - been using the light blue food grade hose from Bunnings for 18 months now and much happier with it. I also run it through a two stage filter - sediment and then carbon.

 

[QldKev]

Yep the good old food grade hose from Bunnings or caravan supply stores

If you do use your garden hose, let water run for a while prior to using the water, to ensure any water that has sat in the hose has been flushed away. And taste it, if it tastes like hose don;t use it.

 

[Yob]

i've done the same as Yob has suggested - been using the light blue food grade hose from Bunnings for 18 months now and much happier with it. I also run it through a two stage filter - sediment and then carbon.

Man after my own mind, been looking at filters for the last couple of months... just cant seem to make up my mind... whats your flow rate like Brendo?

 

[hsb]

I have a blue hose too, don't filter. Is letting the water sit in HLT overnight helpful to reduce chlorine? Or does it just all end up back in solution

 

[sp0rk]

Also, best not to use hot water from your water heater
that water can contain a lot of lead, and not to mention large amounts of minerals due to deposits

 

[Dunkelbrau]

What about those instant gas got water systems? I fill my ****** old coffee jug with the hot water tap..

 

[Wolfy]

I also use one of the blue/white food-grade hoses, got it from Ebay then picked it up from the hose manufacturer that just happened to be up the road from here - then let it sit in the HLT over-night to reduce any chlorine that is in the water.

 

[brendo]

Man after my own mind, been looking at filters for the last couple of months... just cant seem to make up my mind... whats your flow rate like Brendo?

Not as fast as mains, but pretty good really and worth the effort I think.

I also use one of the blue/white food-grade hoses, got it from Ebay then picked it up from the hose manufacturer that just happened to be up the road from here - then let it sit in the HLT over-night to reduce any chlorine that is in the water.

My water generally stands overnight as well as I generally prep the night before, set a timer with an OTS element and wake up to hot water ready to mash in. Standing water overnight is fine for chlorine - it is not an overly stable product and does tend to drive off standing water.

HOWEVER, my unstanding is that because of this, water companies use chloramines instead as they are more stable and stay in solution longer. Leaving the water overnight will not drive off the chloramines. That's why I go to the trouble of filtering and with an inline system it really isn't an issue. I also filter my drinking water inside.

I am no expert in this space, but's it is what I do and am happy with the results.

 

[Sam England]

Arvo all,
I'm interested to see where all of this lead is meant to be coming from and the source for this comment. All plumbing fittings connected to a mains supply needs to be potable ie pass AS4020 and therefore can't impart a taste to the water. There are also very low limits on the lead content in brass and the structure doesn't allow the lead if any (zinc is the main issue) to leach out if it's compliant. I agree with the food grade comments with regards a hose if you're planning on leaving the water sitting in it, but a quick flush will address this as the only contaminants will probably be plasticisers which leach slowly over time. If they leaked quickly you would find your hose extremely brittle very quickly.
I'm happy to be corrected on the above, but I've been working in the plastics/plumbing industry for 15 years and have never heard the lead issue with modern plumbing.

@ Jurt - the water comes in through a copper coil is heated and leaves the copper coil, therefore no issues. You may get some scaling coming through, but that is normally just a mineral build up on the inside of the pipes that flakes off due to the application of heat.

I have heard of people recommending not to drink the water directly from a hot water storage unit as it's not at a hot enough temp to sterilise all bugs, but the water supply should be clean on entry and therefore nothing should grow in there. Whether there is any fact in this or not I'm not too sure.


Cheers,
BB

 

[bum]

HOWEVER, my unstanding is that because of this, water companies use chloramines instead as they are more stable and stay in solution longer.

Pretty sure all Victorian water authorities use chlorine not chloramines (certainly the metro water supply). Chloramines are used to clean the pipes themselves as required (i.e. not often) so your water may still have trace amounts at times.

 

[brendo]

Pretty sure all Victorian water authorities use chlorine not chloramines (certainly the metro water supply). Chloramines are used to clean the pipes themselves as required (i.e. not often) so your water may still have trace amounts at times.

yep, seems you are right (got my googlefu on), so leaving it overnight may well disapate any chlorine. However, I tend to need to fill my HLT a couple of times across the brew day due to making multiple batches, so filtering is a better option for me.

 

[bum]

I don't mean to suggest you're wasting your time or anything. I think filtering is probably a good idea anyway. Looking into getting a water filter for the brewery myself.

 

[Phoney]

Boiling water drives off chlorine.

 

[Batz]

I have the blue food grade hose now but for years I used a plain garden hose that I just ran for a minute before filling my HLT. I can't say I ever noticed any plastic hose flavours.

Batz

 

[Robbo2234]

Bah! I have drunk from a garden hose all my life and both my heads and six legs are ok!

I just water the grass a bit first to get rid of the stuff in the hose all good.

any one wanting to get rid of chlorine / ammonia can get water ager from the pet shop I used this when I had my fish tanks up.
I don't know how safe it is to drink as I never did, but this fish lived in it.

letting water stand over night wont get rid of chlormine as the chlorine is bound to ammonia and wont evaporate. the ager breaks this bond

 

[Wolfy]

..
My water generally stands overnight as well as I generally prep the night before, set a timer with an OTS element and wake up to hot water ready to mash in. Standing water overnight is fine for chlorine - it is not an overly stable product and does tend to drive off standing water.

HOWEVER, my unstanding is that because of this, water companies use chloramines instead as they are more stable and stay in solution longer. Leaving the water overnight will not drive off the chloramines. That's why I go to the trouble of filtering and with an inline system it really isn't an issue. I also filter my drinking water inside.

I telephoned South East Water (water supply company) and eventually spoke to some Service Delivery manager-type person to confirm where my water came from (Cardinia, which is logical since it's just 'up' the road) and that it was treated with chlorine and not chloramines. So should be fine ... I hope.

 

[mark0]

Also, best not to use hot water from your water heater
that water can contain a lot of lead, and not to mention large amounts of minerals due to deposits

if the minerals deposit in the hot water service, then the minerals aren't in the water anymore?
Saving any dissolution of metals, (doubtful given the throughput and average life of these appliances). Water from HWS should be as safe as tap water.

Happy to see peer reviewed scientific eveidence to the contrary.