Rose Cottage Ltd

Looking for a way to cut down on dissolved solids in your drinking water? Tired of paying for bottled water?

If you can’t afford a reverse osmosis system for your home or you rent and can’t put one in where you live, have a look at ZeroWater products as a great alternative.

I drink a LOT of water – even more than my daily consumption of coffee – which also requires water. I realized that at $3.00 to $4.00 for a case of Dasani or $3.00 for a 2.5 gallon spout jug of water, I was spending a LOT of money on water. This also meant that I was using a lot of plastic water bottles – adding to the woes of the environment.

I purchased a ZeroWater 10-cup pitcher for $34.99 and after slightly over a month, it’s paid for itself!

The unit comes with a filter which, after a month of use, is still showing a “0″ on TDS in my now-filtered water. I tested my tap water with the meter provided with the unit and the level of total dissolved solids (TDS) coming from the tap was – 225!!! Not good!

Does it get rid of every possible water contaminant? No. But it does make the water taste better – since water shouldn’t even HAVE the taste my tap water had prior!!

All you can do these days is protect yourself from ingesting as many chemicals as you can reasonably avoid. We can’t stop everything, but if you are a heavy water-drinker as I am, (and I hope you are since your body needs it!) consider a ZeroWater pitcher for your home.

Below are a few items that will come in handy at some point for anyone with a “water feature” on their property. Most are not high enough capacity or quantity for a 4-acre lake like mine, but for smaller ponds, etc., these are great ways to enjoy your water while keeping it clean and fresh!

We’re starting off with a great idea for anyone who wants to ADD a water feature – here’s one for under $100!

The Koolscapes Deck Pond Kit creates a Relaxing Environment with the Sound of Trickling Water.

The smartly designed Koolscapes Deck Pond Kit (with Stone Finish) combines the contemporary aesthetic of authentic stone with the enduring longevity of resin. The Koolscapes Deck Pond Kit with Stone Finish is ready to go. It comes with all that you need to set up, pump, riser, and fountain heads. The pond kit construction is UV protected, made to withstand harsh temperatures, at either extreme.

Dimensions: 21″H x 19″D

Aqua Shade Pond Dye is registered by the EPA for effective control of aquatic plant growth.

This is a unique blend of blue and yellow dyes that are specifically designed to screen or shade portions of the sunlight spectrum required by underwater plant and algae growth. This shading stops photosynthesis in young, bottom growth suppressing growth and development of nuisance conditions. A great blend of blue and yellow dyes . Effective at depths of two feet or greater . Inhibition of Planktonic (suspended) algae blooms has also been proven . Desirable, floating leaved plants such as lilies are unaffected.

NOTE: You’ll want to be very specific when looking at the item below. Make sure to buy the right size pump/filtration system for your water capacity. GPM (gallon per minute) sizes other than this shown below are available.

This Fish Mate Pressurized UV/BIO Filter (1000 Gallon) combines UV clarification and biological filtration to guarantee crystal clear, purified pond water.

These external filters can be buried underground or set above ground on a solid surface. Water flows through the filter in front of the UV light, which will cause algae to clump together ensuring clear water. The water then flows through specially developed filter sponge pads that will trap algae clumps and other large particles, then it will flow through the SUPRA biological filter media.

Before you get started on Summer 2012, a test for current water quality might be in order…

A Master Liquid Test/Kit An Essential For Any Water Gardener Pond Care Master Test Kit is a complete kit for testing either tap water or pond water.

Tests water 4 different ways to protect pond fish from dangerous water conditions. Tests include: pH, ammonia, nitrite, and salt. Kit contains instruction book, improved color cards for easier reading, 4 test tubes, and a holding tray.

This item cannot be shipped to either Connecticut or Rhode Island…

Garden.com has hundreds of items use in ponds and lakes – and about a thousand other products to enhance your time spent in the great outdoors!

While much of the world is focused on oil there is a problem looming in the background – lack of enough clean water.

This issue is more at the forefront of my thinking at the moment since this 2011 drought has reduced the level of my 4-acre lake by over half. I am already worried about what might happen to the fish next summer if a huge amount of rain does not fall between now and then.

Many areas of the planet, outside my 7 acres, are experiencing these same extreme conditions. Some who have water, have water not fit to drink. According to Peakwater.org, nearly 3 million people have already died this year due to waterborne diseases.

As usual, some corporate concerns are already plotting ways to control the world’s water supply. Based on the mess they have created with every other resource the planet offers, this is not good news. Find out more NOW by watching Blue Gold:

You can also watch this documentary on Netflix streaming but it is only available until November 2, 2011.

When you think of how fast corporations built a multi-billion dollar bottled water industry where none existed before, a lot of what is highlighted in this film begins to make sense.

While I am worried about the lake level, I am also on 100% well water for my household. My well is much deeper (800′) than that of my neighbors (350′) who have had water usage issues this past summer. Throw a little proposed local fracking into the mix, and none of us may have lakes, ponds, or drinkable water in the near future.

More about well water…

It’s here and it’s ugly:

This dock now looks a bit ridiculous since it is surrounded by no water. In fact, the dock spent nearly two months UNDER water in 2006. For a 4-acre lake to have lost this much of its substance says a lot about how dry things are – everywhere really – but specifically in my Piedmont North Carolina location.

Local farmers are having to arrange water deliveries to manage their livestock – shallow ponds and streams are dry. I usually enjoy a trip to my local Southern States but lately, it is a rather depressing visit since everyone is experiencing increasing difficulties.

99% of the local area is on well water. Wells, particularly more shallow wells, are also a concern during a drought. Some thoughts on well water were mentioned in this prior post.

If anyone, anywhere, doesn’t think that having enough water is important, and that having enough clean water is vital – you just aren’t paying attention….

Fortunately, the Southern Environmental Law Center IS paying attention.

TGIF – and still praying for rain…