Filtering river water

Does wee go through the filters?

I'm not too sure these cheap RO systems will work as desalinators. Judging by how expensive proper marine desalinators are, even small ones, I suspect it is a somewhat different device.

Southern water want to put a desalination plant in near us, going to cost around £100 million. I presume their technology is a little more advanced. Than a £1 filter and some garden hose.

Maybe I should show them this thread. See if they can save some money.

Anyway as for the settling tank I think it's a pretty good option. I will fit two float switches one which switches a green light on when the level is just above the pickup. That's to say "fill tank" then another just below top of tank for "stop filling tank". Or similar. Red and green lights rather than directly activated pump. Could put buzzers on as well.

Not keen on having automated system as bad idea to be bringing water into boat like that. It's a bit dodgy that the tank is slightly below the waterline. I know why it's like that but means the lid does need to be well secured hence the 46 bolts..

There is a below water bronze inlet fitting capped off and greased up not used with its own little sump in the steelwork of the boat right near the inlet to the tank. So it was definitely designed to be drawing water all the time, all sealed and pumped from the other end.





I think the way it was designed was to have a continuous flow of water direct from the filtration plant into the tanks, with the rate adjusted to cover the (predictable) daily consumption.

I also suspect the tank was to be a sand filter rather than a settling tank.

Could still do that. It is an option.


This would definitely make the filters last a lot longer I can see that.

More effective than the settling tank specially as it's on a boat which is subject to movement a settling tank probably would not work anyway.


'he's making it up as he goes along !'

Maybe not the float switches then. Sand and gravel. Better option...


Thinking aloud. I hope that's allowed.

I've been reading that crushed glass is a useful media. I wonder if this gives a purpose for all the empty beer bottles.



The obvious question is how to crush them

To be fair the CRT tap water is probably more likely river or ground water anyway.

If Andrew filters it right, there's little difference.

Except our tap water comes from. A relatively clean river like the River Itchen.