Water Purification

I want to do a quick entry on water purification. Shortly after Hurricane Irene passed we lost access to county water. Luckily I was able to drive over to the next town and buy all the water we needed at a Walmart. But, in a survival situation that Walmart may not be available. I would like to list a few methods of purifying water that may help you in the uncertain future. Please be aware, nothing is 100% safe and there are special things you should know with each type of water purification.  Stay Frosty.

Boiling for water sterilization

Boiling can be used as a method of water disinfection but is only advocated as an emergency water treatment method, or as a method of portable water purification in rural or wilderness settings without access to a potable water infrastructure. Bringing water to the boil is effective in killing or inactivating most bacteria, viruses and pathogens. Boiling is the most certain way of killing all microorganisms. According to the Wilderness Medical Society, water temperatures above 160° F (70° C) kill all pathogens within 30 minutes and above 185° F (85° C) within a few minutes. So in the time it takes for the water to reach the boiling point (212° F or 100° C) from 160° F (70° C), all pathogens will be killed, even at high altitude. To be extra safe, let the water boil rapidly for one minute, especially at higher altitudes since water boils at a lower temperature.  If you are gathering water for boiling, you should also filter this water through something before boiling it.  Filtering the water with something as simple as a bandana will remove large chunks of debris and trash.  Boiling water does not make it safe if there are chemicals present, such as chemicals from highway run off or industrial sites.  

  

Chemical Disinfection

If boiling water is not possible, chemical disinfection with iodine (e.g., Globaline, Potable-Aqua, or Coghlan’s, found in pharmacies and sporting goods stores) is another method for making water safer to drink. Cryptosporidium (a parasite that can cause diarrhea) and other coccidian parasites (e.g., Cyclospora, Toxoplasma) might not be killed by this method. Cloudy water should be strained through a clean cloth(like the bandana stated earlier) into a container to remove any sediment or floating matter, and then the water should be treated with iodine. Iodine does not make it safe if there are chemicals present, such as chemicals from highway run off or industrial sites. 

Directions for disinfecting water with iodine

Iodine tablets

1. Follow the tablet manufacturers' instructions.
2. If water is cloudy, double the number of tablets.
3. If water is extremely cold, less than 5° C (41° F), an attempt should be made to warm the water, and the recommended contact time (standing time between adding a chemical disinfectant to the water and drinking the water) should be increased to achieve reliable disinfection.

Note: Be sure the tablet size is correct for a liter of water.

Tincture of Iodine - measure out your dose to water.

1. If using tincture of iodine 2% solution, add 5 drops to a Liter or Quart of clear water. If the water is cloudy, add 10 drops per Liter or Quart. (Note: 20 drops=1 ml.)
2. Allow the water to stand for 30 minutes before drinking when the water temperature is at least 25°C (77°F). Increase the standing time for colder water: (e.g., for each 10° less than 25°C (77°F), allow the water to stand for double the time before drinking it.

Bleach Disinfection

 

Treating water with bleach is very effective at killing germs and it doesn't taste funny to most of us because this is basically what most city water supplies do.  You need to have a bottle of plain liquid chlorine bleach and a dropper.  The bleach should be 5 to 6 percent sodium hypochlorite with no preservatives and no additional ingredients.  Do not use scented bleaches, color safe bleaches, powdered bleaches, or bleaches with added cleaners.  To treat water with chlorine bleach, put the water in a clean container and add 16 drops of bleach for every gallon of water.  Stir in the bleach and let the water stand for 30 minutes.  If the water does not have a little smell of bleach, repeat the dosage of 16 drops per gallon and let it sit for another 15 minutes.  If it smells of bleach now it is OK to drink.  If it doesn't smell of bleach after two treatments, the water is too dirty to use.  Throw it away and treat a new batch of water. Bleach does not make it safe if there are chemicals present, such as chemicals from highway run off or industrial sites.