Emergency Water Purification Methods

Every backpacker needs to understand basic methods of purifying drinking water. However, there are a variety of situations in which urban residents may have to purify water in an emergency. Earthquakes, floods and fires can shut down municipal water services, sometimes for days or weeks. Those living in the affected areas may find themselves having to drink water from impure sources, which can lead to serious gastrointestinal illnesses. Luckily, there are several simple ways to purify water.

Boiling

• Boiling is the simplest, and most effective means of killing micro-organisms that may be contaminating drinking water. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends boiling water for one minute. This will kill most disease-causing organisms.

Filtration System

• There are a number of different filtration systems on the market that can be used to decontaminate water. These work by passing the water through a material that strains the organisms and captures them in the filtration substance. The filter materials include carbon and ceramic.

  When purchasing a water-filtration system, check the specifications regarding how small, and what percentage, of a particle will be filtered. For example, literature on a certain filter may specify that it captures 98 percent of 0.2-micron-size particles, and 99.9 percent of particles 0.3 microns or larger. The higher the percentage, the smaller the particle size.

Chemical Purification

• Chlorine and Iodine are both chemicals that can be used to purify water for drinking. They are available in tablets that are specifically formulated for the decontamination of potentially infected drinking water.

  In an emergency, unscented household bleach with chlorine can be used to make water drinkable. The amount of bleach needed will vary. This information should be noted on the bleach container's label. In a bleach solution with 1 percent available chlorine, 10 drops would be added to one quart of water. In a bleach solution with 10 percent available chlorine, 1 drop would be added to one quart of water. Some people are allergic to iodine.