Saving RO/DI Waste Water

JMcGarva · 02/10/2015, 10:14 PM

Hey all. Is it safe to save the waste water from the RO/DI unit. I was going to put it in a barrel and use it to run a utility sink in my garage. The sink would be used for washing hands, paint brushes, just normal garage use. I dont think its safe for drinking correct?

Part 2 of this question is, IF it is okay for me to reuse this water, what My plan was, was to put a 55 gal barrel to the ceiling in my garage. And have gravity run the utility sink. 1) Would this work? As in, would the RO/DI unit be able to pump the waste water that high. I will probably be around 7' and the unit will be mounted some where around 4 feet. I'm not sure there will be too much back pressure on the unit. Also, not sure if any of you are plumbers, but if i put this barrel high in the garage, and used gravity, would that be enough pressure to run the sink

Thank you in advance.

Phildirt · 02/10/2015, 11:38 PM

I used it to fill my top loading washing machine. Worked great. Now have a front load and can't do this.

tkeracer619 · 02/10/2015, 11:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phildirt

I used it to fill my top loading washing machine. Worked great. Now have a front load and can't do this.

Sure you can, you make a cistern to hold the water and use a well type pump to feed the washer the water. It's al fine and dandy but you need to put chlorine in the water from time to time to keep bacteria at bay. Just like collecting rain water for future use. Same deal.

A 55g drum at 10ft will give you 4.33psi. You get .43psi per ft of head. Is it enough? Water saver faucets will cause a real headache, just make sure what you have is for low pressure applications and it will be no sweat. I would probably use 1" pipe.

disc1 · 02/11/2015, 12:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JMcGarva

I dont think its safe for drinking correct?
.

Why wouldn't it be OK to drink? Except for the fact that the carbon filter removed the chlorine so there's nothing left to keep the bacteria out. It's only been enriched in minerals from your tap by about 20%. Unless you are starting with really really crummy tap water, it might be better than what lots of folks are drinking.

tkeracer619 · 02/11/2015, 01:16 AM

As long as you chlorinate it to proper levels to destroy any bacteria and store it in a food safe container there is no reason it isn't potable. This is common in areas with lots of rain and not a lot of infrastructure.

When I stay on the Big Island of Hawaii I prefer to stay at the end of the road, in the mango forests, where drinking water comes from rain and electricity comes from solar. Just spent a week in a private villa on st john which collected enough rainwater off the roof to keep a pool, 3 showers, drinking, and laundry supplied all year. You do have to monitor the chlorine levels regularly.

Waters40 · 02/11/2015, 07:36 AM

Yeah, it is definitely drinkable. I know a few people that use it for their dogs.

FishInABarrel · 02/11/2015, 09:09 AM

I saw a ro/di system that sent the waste water to your hot water heater.

Buckeye Hydro · 02/15/2015, 05:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by disc1

Why wouldn't it be OK to drink? Except for the fact that the carbon filter removed the chlorine so there's nothing left to keep the bacteria out. It's only been enriched in minerals from your tap by about 20%. Unless you are starting with really really crummy tap water, it might be better than what lots of folks are drinking.

This is right on the money.

Your "waste water" is tapwater that has gone through a sediment filter and a carbon filter, and then had some of the pure H2O pulled out of it. So it will be about 20% "harder" (enriched with whatever is in your tap water) than your tap water.

We worked with a person yesterday who's tap water is 60 ppm TDS. His waste water will likely be better than most tap water around the country.

Russ

JMcGarva · 02/16/2015, 10:06 PM

Thanks for your help guys

SeeCrabRun · 02/17/2015, 01:03 AM

Is there a good way to test what other contaminants might be in your water?

Buckeye Hydro · 02/17/2015, 03:17 AM

Sure. You have to do the testing. We have a standard test we run on potable water that includes testing for almost 50 contaminsants. You can find that on our website. Or are you looking for some particular contaminant? Also, if you are on "city water," don't forget about the annual test results your water utility makes available.

Russ

Raul-7 · 02/17/2015, 03:28 AM

My TDS is 420; no way I'd drink the waste water.

Buckeye Hydro · 02/17/2015, 03:50 AM

When I think about drinking water TDS, one guidepost I keep in mind is the USEPA National Secondary Drinking Water Standard. Secondary standards are non-enforceable guidelines. Because of poor taste/odor ("aesthetic effects"), they suggest a maximum TDS for drinking water of 500 ppm.

If your feed water is 430, your waste water would be right around 500 ppm, and probably wouldn't taste great. I'm guessing that I'm not telling you anything you didn't already know just by drinking a glass of tap water.

Russ

02/10/2015, 10:14 PM	#1
JMcGarva Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2014 Posts: 198	Saving RO/DI Waste Water Hey all. Is it safe to save the waste water from the RO/DI unit. I was going to put it in a barrel and use it to run a utility sink in my garage. The sink would be used for washing hands, paint brushes, just normal garage use. I dont think its safe for drinking correct? Part 2 of this question is, IF it is okay for me to reuse this water, what My plan was, was to put a 55 gal barrel to the ceiling in my garage. And have gravity run the utility sink. 1) Would this work? As in, would the RO/DI unit be able to pump the waste water that high. I will probably be around 7' and the unit will be mounted some where around 4 feet. I'm not sure there will be too much back pressure on the unit. Also, not sure if any of you are plumbers, but if i put this barrel high in the garage, and used gravity, would that be enough pressure to run the sink Thank you in advance.

02/10/2015, 11:38 PM	#2
Phildirt poisson voyeur Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Florida Panhandle Posts: 490	I used it to fill my top loading washing machine. Worked great. Now have a front load and can't do this. __________________ "Better is the enemy of good." Voltaire Current Tank Info: 29 Gal Reef

02/11/2015, 01:16 AM	#5
tkeracer619 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Westminster, CO Posts: 17,289	As long as you chlorinate it to proper levels to destroy any bacteria and store it in a food safe container there is no reason it isn't potable. This is common in areas with lots of rain and not a lot of infrastructure. When I stay on the Big Island of Hawaii I prefer to stay at the end of the road, in the mango forests, where drinking water comes from rain and electricity comes from solar. Just spent a week in a private villa on st john which collected enough rainwater off the roof to keep a pool, 3 showers, drinking, and laundry supplied all year. You do have to monitor the chlorine levels regularly. __________________ Hobby Experience: 9200ish gallons, 26 skimmers, and a handful of Kent Scrapers. Current Tank: Vortech Powered 600G SPS Tank w/ 100gal frag tank & 100g Sump. RK2-RK10 Skimmer. ReefAngel. Radium 20k.

02/17/2015, 01:03 AM	#10
SeeCrabRun Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Posts: 552	Is there a good way to test what other contaminants might be in your water? __________________ Sara ~ Perpetually tinkering with my tanks.

02/11/2015, 07:36 AM	#6
Waters40 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Posts: 299	Yeah, it is definitely drinkable. I know a few people that use it for their dogs.

02/11/2015, 09:09 AM	#7
FishInABarrel Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Grande Prairie, Alberta Posts: 275	I saw a ro/di system that sent the waste water to your hot water heater.

02/16/2015, 10:06 PM	#9
JMcGarva Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2014 Posts: 198	Thanks for your help guys

02/17/2015, 03:17 AM	#11
Buckeye Hydro .Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Cincinnati, Ohio Posts: 4,857	Sure. You have to do the testing. We have a standard test we run on potable water that includes testing for almost 50 contaminsants. You can find that on our website. Or are you looking for some particular contaminant? Also, if you are on "city water," don't forget about the annual test results your water utility makes available. Russ

02/17/2015, 03:28 AM	#12
Raul-7 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Lomita, CA Posts: 891	My TDS is 420; no way I'd drink the waste water.

02/17/2015, 03:50 AM	#13
Buckeye Hydro .Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Cincinnati, Ohio Posts: 4,857	When I think about drinking water TDS, one guidepost I keep in mind is the USEPA National Secondary Drinking Water Standard. Secondary standards are non-enforceable guidelines. Because of poor taste/odor ("aesthetic effects"), they suggest a maximum TDS for drinking water of 500 ppm. If your feed water is 430, your waste water would be right around 500 ppm, and probably wouldn't taste great. I'm guessing that I'm not telling you anything you didn't already know just by drinking a glass of tap water. Russ