# AC Drainage



## confederatemule (Aug 16, 2015)

I have my air conditioner draining in a barrel. Is it safe to use this water as drinking water for my chickens?
It comes straight out of the unit through a clean PVC pipe to the barrel.

Thanks
Mule


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

I have no idea.


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## boskelli1571 (Oct 30, 2017)

confederatemule said:


> I have my air conditioner draining in a barrel. Is it safe to use this water as drinking water for my chickens?
> It comes straight out of the unit through a clean PVC pipe to the barrel.
> 
> Thanks
> Mule


I googled it for you. As I suspected, it may be high in bacterial contamination -( Legionnaires disease comes from unsanitary AC units).
Also depending on how old/where manufactured, there may be heavy metal contamination.
Another source said it was de-ionized therefore had no 'nutritional' value.
It can be used to water plants etc. but since chickens will drink from any source - muddy puddles etc. I would say that in a pinch the chickens could drink it, your call.


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## confederatemule (Aug 16, 2015)

boskelli1571, Thanks fer your help. Although, I sure hate to hear that. If it was left up to me I'd use it. It seems to me it has to be better than water supplied by some water supply company that pumps it thousands of miles through pipe to my house. But my Bride came unglued at the seams when I suggested using it. To be honest to her I guess I won't use it.


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

It would be safe for plants but I wouldnt give it to my chickens.


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## Sylie (May 4, 2018)

I have used it in the past for my chickens, didn't hurt them. As it stands now they are drinking city water which has all kinds of chemicals etc in it including lead and copper traces. I have, in a pinch even given them roof run off (although it is an older roof so there is no tar or pebble sediment anymore). They drink from anything, my ducks drink from their swimming pool which has feces in it from themselves and whatever else birds are flying by or perched in the tree above. Unless you want to go to the store and buy distilled water or spring water (which you never know what THAT has been processed with) your choices are limited. There is bacteria in all water except purifed. If you are worried about it, let it sit open in the bright sun for at least 8 hours, that kills (to a degree) most bacteria, it won't do anything for heavy contaminants but you can also run it through a filter. We have very high water prices here and I don't waste a drop of "free" water. Even well water has contaminants like heavy metals and bacteria so you can't win no matter what you give them.


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