Jim Wilkins wrote:

New England usually has more water than we need, our water problems
are flooding and washed-out roads or removing minerals from well
water. How do those of you in drier areas filter and treat cistern
water to make it safe to drink?

Jim Wilkins

I grew up in central PA (out in the sticks) and we had nothing
but cistern water (carried it in with a bucket) from the time I
was 6 till I moved out at 20 and the parents were still there
for another 20 yrs. (till I built a house for them with running
water) and all we had was a charcoal filter on the spouting
where it entered the cistern. Dad cleaned the filter a few times
a year. Sveral times over the years we had to have a tank of
water brought out from town. I can only remember 2 or three.
The cistern was cleaned out (pumped out and washed down with
bleach) every couple years. That was an intresting job.
What do you mean SAFE? :-)
...lew...