Water Purification
Water is key to survival. Each person should drink a minimum of 1 liter per day. Unclean water can cause sickness and even death. Water purification can be effective in removing some contaminates, but may not always be able to remove all contaminants. Its important to seek out the cleanest water source you can, and in an emergency, treat all water as if its contaminated.
Where to find water:
- Streams, Rivers, Lakes
- Snow and Ice
- Water heaters
- Plumbing pipes & toilet tanks (not toilet bowls)
- Wells & pressure tanks
First:
Remove large contaminants and debris by filtering the water.
You can use coffee filters, paper towels, or layers of clean cloth.
Second:
Kill bacteria, viruses, and parasites by using either HEAT or CHEMICALS.
HEAT METHOD
Rigorously boiling waters for 10 minutes should kill all pathogens in the water. This is the safest way to purify water, and does not affect the way the water tastes.
CHEMICAL METHOD
Use an eye dropper to add drops of the chemical to the water.
Mix the chemical into the water by stirring or shaking.
Allow the water to sit for 30 minutes before drinking.
Chemically purified water should have a slight chlorine smell if done correctly.
Chemicals & Ratios:
Iodine (ordinary 2% tincture)
Use 3 drops per quart for clear water, 6 drops per quart for cloudy water.
Liquid Bleach (make sure its 5.25% sodium hypo chlorite without soap or phosphates)
- 1 Liter, use 2 drops
- 1 Gallon, use 8 drops (or 1/8 tsp)
- 55 Gallon Drum, use 1/4 Cup
*Water you purify should be used within 48 hours, as it could possibly become recontaminated if allowed to sit for longer periods of time.
