return for refund.

Originally uploaded by D.James.

 When it comes to the environment it’s often difficult to sort fact from fiction. James Woodford busts a few of the more prevalent fabrications.

Water from a rainwater tank is not fit to drink

If your gutters are full of bird droppings, your roof is covered in peeling lead paint and your water tank has a dead possum in it, then you would drink from it at your peril. Water is only as clean as its catchment and where it is stored. But tank water can be superb if you follow a few simple precautions and take care with maintenance.The cleanest roof still has muck and dust on it, especially if it hasn’t rained for a while. For this reason if you are planning to drink water from a tank it is important to install a “first flush” device to divert the initial dirty flows away from the tank so they do not end up in your water storage. Another precaution is to install a water filter.

NSW Health’s position is that rainwater is drinkable: “Providing the rainwater is clear, has little taste or smell and is from a well-maintained water catchment system it is probably safe and unlikely to cause illness for most users.”

The department does caution that “the use of rainwater tanks for drinking purposes is not recommended where a reticulated potable water supply is available”.

That may be so, but many people swear that rainwater makes a cup of tea to die for.

Check out the rest in this SMH article at Let’s clear the air