Q: I used air conditioner condensation for watering this summer, but now that we don’t need air conditioning we are recycling rain water off our pool cover. We siphon the water into buckets and place plastic over the top to keep out bugs. How long will the water be usable before it becomes stagnant?

A: Water becomes stagnant when organic matter, like dust and pine straw, decomposes in it. However, if you use the water frequently it never has a chance to become stagnant. Even so, plants don’t mind being watered with stagnant water. You can always add 1/8 teaspoon (or 8 drops) of household bleach for each gallon of water to disinfect it.