Water filters

[eric12]

Planning to move to Mazatlan Mexico in a few months. I need some input into which filtering systems anyone may be using for non potable water.
The marina has water hook up, but is non potable. It would be much easier to do filters here in the US than there to deal with.
Anyone with a product and success story? Tks
Eric

[rslifkin]

What it'll take to make the water safe will depend on why it's non potable. In general, I'd plan to run it through a 1 micron sediment filter, a 0.5 micron carbon block, maybe a GAC+KDF to get rid of anything the others don't catch, then UV tube it. Once it's in the tanks, provided they're not aluminum, add a little bleach. You should be able to convert some fairly bad water into something potable that way.

[eric12]

My shore water bypasses my water tanks. I can be either or.
So I would filter at the point of entry off of the shore water. Once I have filter system in place, then I could fill the water tanks. I hold 400gal water so we should last a day or 2. Lol

[rslifkin]

I'd do the same filtration if you're using it right away. Only need to add chlorine for storage to make sure nothing regrows. But it might be preferable to filter and chlorinate into the tank to avoid needing to keep the UV tube powered all the time.

[eric12]

I was thinking to filter at the point of entry from shore water, since I have either or, shore or tankage. I hold 400 gal of water, so any filtration system would have to be proven before I contaminate the water tanks. Finding a suitable system.
So we are open to store bought info.

[rslifkin]

Definitely confirm the quality of what is providing before filling the tanks. You could definitely use water right from the filter system, but you may need to size up on the filters to get enough flow and any UV light in the system will have to be kept powered all the time.

[eric12]

I have enough tankage when underway. The question is for shore water and refilling tanks. Hopefully I'll find someone using a filter product in Mexico.

[Lepke]

If you have a watermaker, run the marina water thru that. You turn the pressure way down and get water better than in the US. I make water from fresh all winter from river water. I have filters and a UV light. Making from fresh I get almost zero TDS, and when tested, better than any municipal water. No heavy metals, fluorides, chlorides, etc.
I use 4.5x20 filters, use water like in a house and the filters last a year or more.

[eric12]

No water maker, so that is out. Good thought!! Unfortunately when I purchased the boat the water maker had been previously removed. Long story short, I had a stroke 14 months ago. Been a liveaboard on our sailboat for 3 yrs.
I physically can no longer sail. Under contract on the sailboat, and bought a power I could manage. Sailboat had watermaker.
Our powerboat will be more of a marina condo, no need of a watermaker.

[S/V Illusion]

As others imply, it’s not wise to choose a filter absent knowing what it is you want to remove. It’s a tool and you want the right tool for the job.

If you can find out the contaminants, bacteria and metals in the water supply, we can give you the correct answer.

[John_Trusty]

You may want to check with marina if potable water can be purchased from a local truck. Many places in LA have non-potable city water, but there is a truck that brings in potable water (they say!). I would not drink anything long-term unless I had it checked for metals and micros. The nice thing about so much non-potable, the (richer) locals do not drink it either, so there may be an infrastructure for them such as buying from a tanker and labs to validate.