Why should this be true? Why should rain water be better than tap water from wells that have not been filtered or purified? I don't know. albert_135, Didn't see your post until now... The main difference is between rain water and municipally treated water which many of us have. Rainwater is naturally "soft" (unlike well water), neutral in pH, contains almost no dissolved minerals or salts, is free of chemical treatment such as chlorine, free from disinfection by-products, free from other chemicals found in city water as well as natural and man-made contaminants that cause staining, pipe corrosion or smell. It is a relatively reliable source of water for households. Rainwater collected and used on site can supplement or replace other sources of household water. And for those who have to pay for their water, rainwater is free. "The difference is how far the raindrop travels before we drink it." Without chemical treatment, drinking water can be healthier. It is as much as 100 times softer than well water, with lower mineral content and total suspended solids. Think about water going down the sidewalk into the streets, then into the sewer. "Being the universal solvent, water absorbs contaminants and minerals on its travels to the reservoir. While in residence in the reservoir, the water can come in contact with all kinds of foreign materials: oil, animal and human wastes, chemical and pharmaceutical wastes, organic compounds, industrial outflows, and trash. It is the job of the water treatment plant to remove harmful contaminants and to kill pathogens. Unfortunately, when chlorine is used for disinfection, it also degrades into disinfection by- products, notably trihalomethanes, which may pose health risks." Rainwater is good for plants because it is free of salts and other minerals that harm root growth. "If youre harvesting rainwater with rain barrels to use for watering your landscaping, the rainwater can help to improve the health of your gardens, lawns, and trees. Rain is a naturally soft water and devoid of minerals, chlorine, fluoride, and other chemicals. For this reason, plants respond very well to rainwater. After all, its what plants in the wild thrive on." It's easy for roots to absorb water without minerals and additives. "Rainwater harvesting can reduce the volume of storm water, thereby lessening the impact on erosion and decreasing the load on storm sewers. Decreasing storm water volume also helps keep potential storm water pollutants, such as pesticides, fertilizers, and petroleum products, out of rivers and groundwater which is causing big problems in nearly all of our natural water systems." "Since the rain water is usually collected from the roofs of houses, it picks up very little contamination when it falls. Youll of course want to keep your roof clean of debris and potential contaminants to maximize purity. The material your roof is made of is also important in how much contamination the water will carry (see Safe Rainwater Harvesting Catchments). The chemicals and hard water from many of our municipal water systems can produce an imbalance in the soil of your garden. Chemical fertilizers, fungicides, pesticides, and drought can also disrupt the balance and harmony of the soil. This imbalance causes trees and plants to weaken and makes them more susceptible to disease. Trees and plants have an efficient immune system that allows them to fend off diseases and other invaders as long as they have a healthy soil environment and aren't stressed by other factors such as drought. Trees and plants rely on fungus, bacteria, and nematodes to help them absorb the minerals and nutrients they need. Trees and plants depend on a fungal root system called mycorrhizae. Mycorrhizae attaches itself to tree and plant root hairs and extends the root hair system. Mycorrhizae uses some of the plant's energy, but provides the plant with minerals it can't otherwise absorb. In healthy soil, the mycorrhizae of one tree connects with mycorrhizae of other similar trees. When you look at your garden, visualize it as a vast interconnected community of trees, plants and tiny critters that live in the soil, all interacting and affecting each other. Thus, the type of water you use in your garden will affect the health of this intricate community." Rainbarrel Guide The Texas Manual on Rainwater Harvesting Rainwater Harvesting VIDEO: Rainwater Capture with a Rainbarrel VIDEO: Rainwater Capture on a Greenhouse (Download a free version of Quicktime to view videos.) Here is a step-by-step account of how one person built a rainwater harvesting system to beat those hot Texas summers and kept their garden green.

What highly charged posts..I was hoping to find some accurate information regarding filtration for my organic edible garden but I think I'll rely on my instincts instead. Example: after it rains the next day my garden is thriving...when I water with the tap water from our house...although it doesn't kill my plants I do notice that it doesn't dramatically help them either, the way the non chlorinated rainwater did. Most organic gardeners that I've met are "organic" according to I guess Gov. standards (laughable), but no where near as strict as I consider organic should be. Take organic to the true level of organic...think permaculture...the way nature designed organic to be...every organism has its place and job description...all the way down to the soil. The real reason why we even chlorinate to begin with is because we are recycling our pee/poo water....pee and poo are naturally filtered through organic matter found in nature but since we live in/near cities we need to recycle it quicker. So what do we do? Dump chlorine & then try to take it out. Technically we should get the majority of our water needs from water rich fruit and rain water. Also, the consumption of grain increase our need for drinking water unnecessarily. I have done experiments to test this...eat mostly grains and see how thirsty you are compared to mostly eating fruits. The difference is astounding. I'm an athlete and we monitor the way our bodies and performance is effected by different foods, and even the timing of eating different foods. Most people in this country think they are hungry when in reality they are dehydrated and lacking in nutrients (both of which could be found in fruits and vegetables). Ok, end rant. Now off to buy a filter since I live in the city...

I have the same concerns as the original poster. I know I've heard that it isn't safe to grow edible crops inside old rubber tires (used as raised beds), so why should it be safe to water edible crops with hoses made from old rubber tires? The flat soaker hose that Veeta linked to above looks like a somewhat better bet, but a) the customer reviews say it works well only when laid in a more-or-less straight line (and I like to loop my soaker hoses around through my garden), and b) it's no longer available anyway. Too bad! It's been only a few years since drinking-water-safe hoses of any kind have been readily available, so maybe if we keep asking for DWS soaker hoses, someone will start providing them -- though spedigrees raises an interesting question, "...drinking water hoses I believe are rated as safe because they contain a liner, and poking holes through it would probably defeat the efficacy of the liner." If that's true, then manufacturing them might not be a simple matter, either.

After 10 years of use and being on a hose reel mounted to the house, it is in as good condition as it was when I received it. Best of all, you can drink directly from it. Take a look at the labels of other hoses. You will see fine print warnings such as "Not for potable water". You will actually see cautions to wash your hands after using and "Not for sale in California". You should not even let your pets drink the water from them. Very well designed nickle plated fittings, no pressure blistering, highlt resistant to kinking (Yes if you work at it, you can kink it but the location is not remembered). Light weight and heavy duty. No, I am not a member of the designing family. I do not have stock in the company but I wished I did. (: