Comment by oftenwrong | Hacker News Reader

Comment by oftenwrong | Hacker News Reader

Parent Full thread

I see this as hacking the overbearing regulation of the built environment.

More about the "stealth triplex": https://granolashotgun.com/2017/07/17/the-stealth-triplex/

Building an outdoor kitchen setup: https://granolashotgun.com/2018/05/08/the-mangiapocalypse/

>A garden hose attached to a spigot and a galvanized bucket work wonders as an outdoor sink. Camp soap made for outdoor use is garden friendly and nontoxic so waste water can be used to irrigate fruit trees. I hasten to mention that an outdoor sink plumbed with a pipe would have set off a cascade of government regulations and prohibitions. But a garden hose and a bucket? No problem. Why ask for trouble with the authorities?

Building a backyard cottage: https://granolashotgun.com/2017/06/14/the-bitter-suite/

>I attempted to build a granny cottage in the back half acre behind the main house. I hired a local architect who walked me through the legal parameters. Then I decided to do the rational thing instead. Nothing. The numbers didn’t add up. It wasn’t even close. So I reverse engineered what was legal as-of-right without permits, fees, or inspections. 120 square feet, no more than 12 feet tall, no electricity or plumbing. Full stop.

I know a guy who worked a purchasing project for garden hoses. They're made out of so much low grade regrind I would never use them for drinking/cooking...

Also, they breed bacteria like crazy when left in the sun.

As a kid growing up in the 1970s drinking out of the garden hose was considered normal. We survived.

But you didn't live in a dwelling that was plumbed with garden hose. Also I suspect that the use of recycled materials was less prevalent back then. Finally, toxin exposure isn't a binary thing. Hypothetically, if the hose somehow destroyed 1% of your kidney or liver function, it would still be harmful whether you perceived an effect or not.

Ditto, but late 1990s instead of 1970s. I survived (so far) as well :)

Same here, early 90's. I actually liked the taste of the hose water from my childhood home more than any other water I've ever drank.

I still do that if I come across one when I'm thirsty. This is the first I've heard of their dangers!

Drinking water out of lead pipe was considered normal for a while too... and the similarity of this situation is that drinking out of garden hose normally means you're getting water that's only spent seconds flowing through it, instead of water that's been sitting in and absorbing contaminants for a while.

survivor bias? (just kidding)

Any suggestion on what would be a safe substitute?

PEX - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cross-linked_polyethylene. It's well-established technology for indoor plumbing. It's not as flexible as a garden hose, but it is suitable for potable water. It's primary drawback is UV breakdown -- you can't use it where the sun will see it.

UV breakdown is easy to address with a sheath, but it's not nearly flexible enough for garden hose use. I have only used PEX-C, I hear PEX-A is more flexible, but it would have to be more than I think it is.

They make drinking water hoses for RVs. Could probably just buy one of those. Something like this:

https://www.amazon.com/Camco-25ft-TastePURE-Drinking-Water/d...

Review: Label says "Allow water to flush through hose before drinking"-then it's not potable safe!!!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/R38UUMLVROEK9E/re...

That's mostly due to the fact that the ends are not sealed during shipping: I have seen similar suggestions for permanent plui2peoducts like PEX

copper pipes with a screw on fitting at the end that is removable.

I meant for the same use as a garden hose (flexible, removeable), though that was not obvious from the context.

My father's addition to his cabin has a one inch gap between the two buildings and a door. Technically allowed in his little Connecticut town as long as it's under a certain size. Same with the sewing studio he created for my step mother. Technically correct is the cheapest kind of correct.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com