Posted by: EastCentralMSMilitia Dec 17 2005, 02:52 AM
I see a lot of ways to purify and filter water advertised. Deciding how to prepare for potable (safe to drink)water can be very confusing at the least and extremely frustrating at the most.
Unless you have a bunch of squirrels to help you.

Here's a suggestion to help you get started without a lot of expense.....
You know all those 22oz and 2 liter soda bottles you and your friends/family empty and throw away???
Start collecting them.
Wash your container(s) with hot soapy water. Next, rinse the soapy container well with plain water. Then sanitize by rinsing with a solution of 1/2 teaspoon of chlorine bleach per pint of water. Finally, rinse with clean water and fill them from your tap.
If you are on "city water" that has been chlorinated, this water will be potable for up to a year.
Store them in a cool place and rotate every 6 months. Rotate ALL of them when you do this so you have a "group" that gets refilled at the same time for ease.
Assess what you need water for such as food preparation, washing, sanitation, drinking etc. How much do you use per day? How much do you need to store?
Label and date your water. I change mine once a year.


Next, you will want to get a good filter.
The "Big Berky" advertised on this site is a good choice.
Smaller units are made by Ketadyn and others.

If you think you might have to use murky or sedimented water, you might build a "clarifier" to pre-treat your water and save your filter life.
This can be done with sand, gravel, and cloth/paper filters.
You want your contraption to accept "dirty" water at inlet and get clear water from the outlet.
55 gallon drums, 5 gal buckets and other containers can be used to construct it.

Water that might be contaminated should be boiled for 10 minutes before storage.
There are basically two varieties of chemical treatments: iodine and pure chlorine bleach. Iodine is available in local stores. For clear water, use 5 drops per quart for cloudy water, 10 drops per quart. Do not use iodine if a member of the family has thyroid problems.
Pure CLOROX beach is readily available. Make sure you purchase the one that does not contain any additives. For clear water, use 2 drops per quart for cloudy water, 4 drops per quart. Stir or shake thoroughly. Let stand for 30 minutes. When using chlorine, you should be able to smell it afterwards; otherwise, add more.
After you add the bleach, you can help rid the water of the chlorine smell by pouring it back and forth between containers, or by letting it sit for 24 hours. This is not necessary to make the water safe to drink.

You can also buy commercial purification tablets. They will usually contain iodine or chlorine and are typically more expensive than either of the other options. While killing pathogens, chemical treatment does not actually remove them. Neither iodine nor chlorine remove solids or dissolved solids.

However you decide to provide water for you and yours, just be sure to do it.

I hope this information is helpful to you.

More to come........