Galvanised water tank

[Harry Bloomfield]

Years ago people who were not on mains water would collect rain water in a covered tank and drink it with no problems, though I guess they probably boiled it first. These days we are less exposed to bugs and no longer have so much immunity.

Then why all the charity ads on TV, appealing for money to provide 3rd world countries with a clean bug free water supply?

It is the OP's choice, but if he had already decided then why come on here asking if it would be safe to use? We have moved on a long way from scooping our drinking water from puddles.

 

[HawkEye244]

Then why all the charity ads on TV, appealing for money to provide 3rd world countries with a clean bug free water supply?

It is the OP's choice, but if he had already decided then why come on here asking if it would be safe to use? We have moved on a long way from scooping our drinking water from puddles.

Apologies for not being clear enough.
I am not asking for advice about drinking the collected rainwater I was asking about a way of treating the rusted up surface.
This is what I had in mind : https://www.toolstation.com/plastikote-cold-zinc-primer-spray-paint-400ml/p51601

This is for my allotment not my home...

 

[Mottie]

I use my old galvanised tank from my loft on my allotment to grow my herbs in.

 

[lostinthelight]

Years ago people who were not on mains water would collect rain water in a covered tank and drink it with no problems, though I guess they probably boiled it first. These days we are less exposed to bugs and no longer have so much immunity.

When we moved to a country smallholding from the edge of town in 1952 there was no electricity,telephone or mains water. We collected rain water from the roofs in brick or steel tanks around the buildings which were painted with bituminous paint to keep leak free . The water was used for animals, washing laundry etc but never for drinking, we had to carry that a 1/4 mile in buckets from a spring .
In dry spells when the tanks ran out we carried water for everything and that was for 14 years when we finally got mains water .so why anyone would want to volunterily drink sh!te water from a tank instead of taking a flask or fresh water in a reused milk container to boil is beyond me when parts if the world have no choice .perhaps too much Bear Grylls, Ed S ,etc

 

[lostinthelight]

I use my old galvanised tank from my loft on my allotment to grow my herbs in.

A more suitable choice of repurposing

 

[Burnerman]

Apologies for not being clear enough.
I am not asking for advice about drinking the collected rainwater I was asking about a way of treating the rusted up surface.
This is what I had in mind : https://www.toolstation.com/plastikote-cold-zinc-primer-spray-paint-400ml/p51601

This is for my allotment not my home...

Hawk, please don’t waste your time and money.....if the galvanising has failed then its really game over, in time. There’s been a fair bit of anti rust discussion in the car section concerning products like this.
John

 

[HawkEye244]

Hawk, please don’t waste your time and money.....if the galvanising has failed then its really game over, in time. There’s been a fair bit of anti rust discussion in the car section concerning products like this.
John

Fair enough if it's not a workable solution.
As ReJect pointed out I may be able to sell these and use the money to get a proper storage tank.

I use my old galvanised tank from my loft on my allotment to grow my herbs in.

I was using a few of them as carrot planters but favour the ground over the tanks now my gardening skills have increased.
Where I am it's clay but I'm quite determined to grow some nice carrots this year in the ground and not tanks. Last years parsnip were fantastic.

When we moved to a country smallholding from the edge of town in 1952 there was no electricity,telephone or mains water. We collected rain water from the roofs in brick or steel tanks around the buildings which were painted with bituminous paint to keep leak free . The water was used for animals, washing laundry etc but never for drinking, we had to carry that a 1/4 mile in buckets from a spring .
In dry spells when the tanks ran out we carried water for everything and that was for 14 years when we finally got mains water .so why anyone would want to volunterily drink sh!te water from a tank instead of taking a flask or fresh water in a reused milk container to boil is beyond me when parts if the world have no choice .perhaps too much Bear Grylls, Ed S ,etc

During mid-summer it can be difficult to bring up enough water, especially if I have visitors.
Plenty of people in rural parts of the country drink from wells like you used to.
I think you may be missing the fact that this is for my allotment and not my home.