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10 Comments

1. Great info, thank you.
   Water is by FAR the most important prep, it cannot be talked up enough. So many preppers don’t realise the importance of readily available clean water.
   For those of you on public water systems, you have some work to do.

2. Some time back I was conned into buying a fairly expensive water distillation setup from a fellow who frequents the ‘Survival’ online community. His overstated claim was that it’s the very best and only method of reliable water purification. He failed to mention as you point out, about the relative boiling points of contaminants, OR another glaring shortcoming – the immense amount of energy need to make the conversion from water to steam back to water. Thanks for drawing attention to the boiling points! And thanks for taking the time to write up this useful information.

3. I’ve been reading countless hours on water filtration etc. however I haven’t seen much in the way of combinations, like in any grid down scenario what would be the optimal setup to and end of the purest water possible? Using a number of methods in a particular order such as Charcoal-iodine-distillation-reverse osmosis-reminearlization/alkalization?

4. Great article! good side-by-side comparisons of the various systems out there. Important to note that no one system is going to remove everything, but will greatly reduce concentrations enough to have minimal effect. As an engineer, I personally like reverse osmosis with carbon pre-filters for drinking/cooking water. Good systems can be bought at big box building supply stores (or online) for around
   $150, and can be installed under a kitchen sink by the average homeowner. These systems are only as good as long as you have pressured water system. In a grid down situation, with no water pressure, other gravity systems would have to be used. Please make note that all systems using some sort of block or membrane filtering media are subject to damage if they freeze, and may become ineffective.
   Also note that while distillation will not generally remove chlorine and VOCs just running a straight distillation, those chemicals can mostly be removed by discarding the first portion of the distillation (say the first 1/4), and saving the last portion. Since the chlorine and VOCs usually come off the distillation first, you capture and discard them in that first portion. (which is why bootleggers and distillers dump the first 1/4 (the “Heads”) of their distilling runs, and only keep the ‘Middlings’ or middle 1/2 of the run. Makes for a cleaner product).

   1. I’ve never made any “shine”, so I have zero knowledge, but my mind telling me that the first but of moonshine is good for sterilizing instruments. I’m going to have to look this up because it can’t be right.

      1. This might help.
         https://www.clawhammersupply.com/blogs/moonshine-still-blog/12206385-making-moonshine-the-dummies-guide

5. It seems like I remember reading a few years back that the Lifesaver filter had a short storage shelf life. Have they changed their design?

6. Good article. One advantage of living in the upper Midwest is most houses have a basement with a sump. Mine is ALWAYS filling with water. So in a grid down situation I merely fill my Big Berkey and filter it. Since this is groundwater it is fairly pure already, easily good enough to wash in.

7. EV,
   What you are looking for is too dependent on the water in your area. You would need a water test and then research filters based on what you need to remove.

   Minerjim,
   You are correct, many filters are sensitive to freezing including all block and ceramic filters and I believe the LifeSaver is as well.
   I didn’t know about the details of distillation and VOCs. Good to know!

   Russ,
   I just moved and on one of the tasks this summer is to break out the 5 year old LifeSaver and see how it is. I do seem to remember its shelf life going down after use. Meaning it can be stored and then used but used and then stored wasn’t so good for it.

8. I’m not an engineer, but have done a fair amount of research. Since a grid failure induced by EMP/CME could last for decades, it occurred to me that alternative energy is going to be as critical as water purification. The two, in my mind, are inter-linked, since gravity-operated systems and most/all “emergency” filters will clog much earlier than expected when used with ditch water instead of tap water. Ratings on these are based on tap water. I went with the Lakewater Filter, manufactured in Michigan. It is designed to process water from streams and lakes or ponds. Uses three sediment filter jars, 20 micron, 5 micron, and .35 micron- to capture sediment, bacteria, cysts, protozoa, copepods, an in-line chlorinator (uses calcium hypochlorite), a large carbon filter to capture a long list of chemicals, and UV sterilizer (55 watts) to nail any life forms that might sneak through the gauntlet. You can search it on line using Lakewater Filter, Equinox. I’ve used one on my stream in rural Utah with good effect. Spare sediment filters are affordable, and the UV bulbs last a year in continuous service. I operate my UV sterilizer only when processing a batch to fill my 500 gallon holding tank, then shut it down. I have four spare bulbs and lots of filters. The carbon unit lasts for 700,000 gallons. State lab tests reveal zero chloroforms and the test for nitrates came back .001 parts per billion. Testing is pricey, so I limited my lab testing to what I thought were the greatest problems in my area. Portable filters have their place for mobile use, but seriously, are you going to provide enough water for showering, dish washing, toilet flushing with a Berky? Pathogens can infect you from BOTH ends….so using ditch water for toilets has its perils. Going to wash your clothes with ditch water? Yuk!
   So get serious about alternative power, and alternative water filtration. A national recovery will take much longer than you think!

   PS

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