>>Seems pine pitch is less apt to harbor
unpleasant micro-organisms.<<

When we built my parents house (1979) we coated the cistern with pine
tar. Worked great, easy to apply and only tainted the color and taste
for a short while.

Unfortunately it's no longer legal. Must've worked too well, like lead
paint. When we re-coated we had to use epoxy resin with toxic vapors
strong enough to kill all the spiders in the basement. Go figure.

Rudy

--
To terminate puerile preservation prattling among pals and the
uncoffee-ed, or to change your settings, go to:
<http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/bullamanka-pinheads.html>