For organic growers who understand the primacy of the microbial soil communities, chloramine disinfectants and related halogen-organic degradation products kill beneficial microbial communities. I suspect Last summer one of my tomatoes suffered slightly from chloramine toxicity and fluoride poisoning with tip burn and marginal leaf necrosis.
I do not desire the presence of chloramines and fluorides and other unwanted chemicals in my municipal tap water from the city of Columbus Ohio (heart of the heart of it all?).
My municipal tap water ranges from 420 to 600 Total Dissolved Solids on my TDS meter- hopefully most of my TDS is mostly beneficial Calcium and Magnesium but I don't trust in my hope,
Who knows what invisible odorless and unknown contaminants lurk in my tap water, like lead (old pipes), fluorosilicates, asbestos fibers, copper, arsenic, radioactives ilke Radon, synthetic industrial pollutants like benzene, agro-chemicals, endocrine disrupters, pesticides like atrazine, fertilizers like nitrates, pharmaceuticals, halo-organics, and that is not mentioning the whole array of potentially toxic microbial invaders (bacterial, viral, fungal, microbial remain in the nauseating brown residue-goo that remains in my distiller's boiling chamber after distilling tap water.
I really enjoy my recently purchased new countertop distiller (Megahome / Nutriteam is the company)
Before I pulled the lever to order it online, I studied the tricks and maintenance/operation tips in the Amazon reviews and comments:
-plug in the distiller through a timer switch off at 5 hrs / gallon, thereby preventing the auto-stop. This is so you don't boil off all the tap water and you prevent cracking of heat element,
-consider adding an Activated Carbon Block filter/ceramic filter/Brita filter for pre-filtering & in the all-glass condensing drip-funnel drip-condensing post-filters..
-use two provided sachets of activated carbon for post-distillation polishing (not just one)
-for regular de-scaling use only weak acids like vinegar/citric acid/sulfamic acid + dr.bronners in an aqueous cleaning solution with a shamwow to scrub shine the boiling chamber,
-ideally clean after every distillation process, monthly remove dust from cooling fan and condensation coils,
-vent outside chlorine/chloramine gases produced from evaporating tap water
-use glass collection bottle and non-leaching glass/ceramic water storage containers/carboys
-to prevent low pH of distilled water through it absorbing from air the carbon dioxide, producing carbonic acid-->
stabilize your distillate's pH (pure water) --> remineralize distilled/filtered water with alkaline salts of your choice available at brewer supply stores (Calcium carbonate, magnesium sulfate, potassium bicarbonate, calcium phosphate, sodium chloride, calcium sulfate) [or buy expensive pre-made reineralization products],
I Might borrow an electroconductivity meter, as well as pay for
a certified laboratory LC/GC/MS analysis of my tap water and soil contents/contaminants/pollutants.
My human family and myour one-legged verde colored greenhouse tenants will enjoy the pure water's taste, without lugging plastic bottles that leach.
