Search Results for: purify water

Thirsty Are Those Who Do Not Prep- Part 5, by The Grumpy Gunfighter

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…purify 75 degree water. Iodine will take longer to purify the colder the water. For example, it takes around a full hour to adequately purify water that is 45 degrees. Using Iodine will alter the taste of the water you are purifying; however, you can use Iodine Neutralizer tablets to counterbalance the taste. A small amount of table salt and products high in vitamin C, such as Tang, can also be used to drastically improve the taste of iodine in the drinking water. Make sure to add these products after the water has been purified. Notes on Iodine Tablets Iodine is necessary for thyroid function. However, iodine tablets should only be taken by those with a healthy, normal functioning thyroid and shouldn’t be taken for over six weeks. Too much iodine can cause complications with the thyroid and cause conditions such as hypothyroidism, which prevents the thyroid gland from producing…


1,000 Bottles of Water on the Roof, by James C.

…that less than 60% of the stored water met the World Health Organizations standards for quality drinking water. How can this be? The study reveals that a very high percentage of households where drinking water is first boiled that re-contamination occurs during storage and results in the consumption of polluted water. Unlike chemical treatment there is no residual treatment of the water after the water is boiled and placed in a container for storage, so bacteria re-growth is possible even with the slightest contamination. It is important to note that boiling water is by far the preferred method for treating water because when done properly it kills 100% of the pathogens. Clasen’s research highlights the importance of practicing proper water boiling habits and the need for a secondary system to provide an extra measure of safety to ensure that your drinking water is safe. Secondary Systems of Treatment I am…


Thirsty Are Those Who Do Not Prep- Part 4, by The Grumpy Gunfighter

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…for one minute will kill most bacteria, protozoa, and viruses; however, boiling water will not remove chemicals, such as herbicides, pesticides, and solvents from the water. Additionally, boiling will not remove any heavy metals from the water. Boiling water will also not remove particles such as silt, dirt, and debris. Water with debris suspended in it is often referred to as turbid water. To reduce the turbidity of the water you are preparing, it can be helpful to filter the water first with a rag, handkerchief, millbank bag, or a store bought filter before boiling the water. It is also recommended by the CDC to boil water for three minutes at altitudes above six thousand and five hundred feet. The reason behind this is because water boils at lower temperatures at higher elevations. At sea level water boils at 212 degrees Fahrenheit, but as we increase in altitude the boiling…


Pat Cascio’s Product Review: Day One Response Water Filter

…cysts and DDT. Another really nice thing is that the directions that come with the water bag, are written as well as a pictograph – for use in countries where folks don’t really know how to read English that well. The Day One Response water treatment bag, has also been used all over the world – with great success. It meets WHO and US EPA emergency drinking water guidelines. The water bag is a translucent polymer bag that holds 10-liters of water -or 2 1/2 gallons. The water bag comes with enough P&G (Proctor &Gamble) Purifier of Water packets to fill the bag up to 60 times. The P&G packets contain iron sulphate, calcium hypochlorite and other ingredients to purify the water. There is also a very fine filter – down to 2-microns, that removes many of the nasty bugs in the water. The water bag can be used up…


Pat’s Product Review: Solarbag Water Purifier

…purifiers/filters on the market, and not all are the same. The local Big Box stores and many sporting goods stores sell some really cheap water filters – and they are not the same as a water purifier – and they are okay, so long as the water source you are using isn’t extremely dirty or contaminated – but how do you know? Over the years, I’ve tried a lot of different water filters/purifiers, and some work better than others. Just don’t go thinking that the water pitcher, like Brita or Pur are actually water purifiers – all they do, for the most part is make you water taste a little better – water from the faucet. I wouldn’t dare put water in my Pur from a small stream on my property, and then think that water is safe to drink – it isn’t!   I’ve used the water purification tablets,…


Prepper Primer for Your Non-prepper Loved Ones, by T.S. – Part 2

…if possible. Any food and supplies you cannot pack in your BOB and/or the car, bury them in a cache as described in Section ?. You never know, you could make it one block from home and get all of your possessions taken from you! Water For water, if going by car, take as much as you can in all the bottles you can. Take the extra water in bottles we have in the closet as well. Water stored in bottles from our tap should be fine for a long time. As far as filtering goes, you have five means to get good drinking water. (1) the water filter, (2) the iodine tables, (3) iodine tincture, (4) boiling, (5) chlorine bleach or chlorine powder for the pool. When using the water filter, find water that looks as clean as possible. The more cloudy/dirty the water, the more you have to…


Pat’s Product Review: Clearly Filtered – Additional Products

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…from the well water – without this filter, my drinking water would come in brownish – ugly, and not that safe to drink. Still, in the past, I used one of the popular commercial water pitchers to aid in filtering my drinking water. Only thing is, those commercial filters don’t actually purify the drinking water – at best, some of ’em only remove some bad tastes from the water, and honestly don’t do anything to purify my drinking water. Enter Clearly Filtered, and all their fine products that actually purify your drinking water – there is a difference between “filtering” your water and purifying it.   Clearly Filtered has some more products that I deemed worthy for testing for another article for SurvivalBlog readers. One is their water pitcher, and it’s not like the Brita, PUR or Zero Water pitchers, that don’t truly filter all that much from your tap water….


Bare Bones Survival, by Blake R.

…reside, water is abundant and very easy to find.  I have no experience in more arid regions of the US so I’ll leave that to others to discuss.  First, let’s dispel some myths regarding water.  Clear, fast moving water is not always safe to drink.  Springs are not always safe.  Dogs do drink disease laden water.  And the liquid in some plants can kill you, or at minimum make you ill.  Frankly, I treat all water as potentially disease causing until I’ve purified it in some manner.  Notice I said purify, not filter.  All too often I see people touting their homemade water filter consisting of leaves, moss, sand, charred wood, etc as a viable means to filter pathogens from water.  Simply put, this is incorrect and should only be used for filtering sediment from water and not pathogens.  Charred wood is not the activated charcoal commonly used in water…


Stuff Hitting the Fan: A Position Paper – Part 2, by R.L.

(Continued from Part 1) Level I Scenario In these paragraphs, we will look at the areas of primary and secondary importance as they can be managed in a Level I scenario. Water A person needs around two gallons per day for cooking and rudimentary cleaning.  For short term emergencies it may be possible to store up two weeks or more water, that much should be stored up anyway.  When you store water, treat it with iodine or Clorox or boil (iodine is better, boiling is best) and rotate water stores every six months, see level II instructions for disinfecting ratios.  Water can be recovered in the house from plumbing pipes, the back tank of the toilets, the hot water heater, and can be stored in water beds if the conditioner has never been used (treat and rotate).  Reserve the water bed, toilet tank and tub water for non-potable uses or…


Water, Water Everywhere… by R.J.C. of Pennsylvania

…will yield the highest amount of water. Birds tend to flock over sources of water, particularly at dawn and sunset. Bees or ants going into a tree can sometimes indicate a source of water. Heavy dew can supply water. Tie towels or absorbent material around your ankles and walk though dew-covered areas before sunrise. When the dew saturates the cloth, wring it out. Continue until all the dew is gone or you have a supply of water. Green bamboo is a great source of water. Water from the bamboo should be clear and odorless. To get the water out, bend the stalk, tie it down and cut off the top. Water will drip out of it at night. Plant roots may contain water. Dig them up, cut into small pieces and mash the pulp until water runs out. Some fleshy plants or vines may contain moisture. Be sure the plant…


How to Build an Inertial Well Slow Pump for Grid Down Emergencies, by TruthFirst

…it should go without saying that you should NOT use the same SSWP to pump gasoline or contaminated water, as you would to pump from a well. On a personal note: The knowledge you now possess on how to get water out of a private well when there is no electrical power could be life-saving power. Before the next major crisis strikes, share this article and concept far and wide. Many people will just dismiss you as a “survivalist nut,” but others will understand and prepare. Water is a unique resource. You can’t make it from something else. If you find water you can purify it, filter it, sterilize it, store it. But you need to have water, even lousy water, as a starting point. Many locales will have surface water that can be made drinkable. But some locations rely heavily on water wells and have little, if any, surface…


The Basic Family Vehicle G.O.O.D. Kit, by Kirk S.

…I can use the two water bottles as part of my purification process if I find water along the way.  There are multiple ways to purify water, which I won’t go into here.  However, some methods include UV sterilization using the sun (a clear Nalgene plastic bottle) and sterilization by boiling (the metal water container.)  The second benefit to the dry sack is that if I find a large source of potable water the dry sack is a secure way of transporting it.  Remember, this pack is designed for a family of five.  If I use conventional wisdom, a family of five needs five gallons of water per day.  At eight pounds per gallon, that’s 40 pounds of water per day.  A three day supply would weigh 120 pounds.  And that’s just in water.  No other supplies.  This is a daunting task and not realistic for securing in a car…


Don’t Be Prey, by L.H.

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…means an insurmountable challenge. The world developed over the thousands of years without toilets or hot and cold running water, but you need to think about it before you find your trousers around your ankles with something that has to come out right now! The strength to use a shovel is as important as a shovel itself. If you are my age (mid 50s), then you better be hitting the gym. If you are obese, I don’t really have any advice for you. Good luck, and don’t come to my house. During the wet season I can get rainwater from the gutters if I have a tub, buckets, and a 55-gallon barrel. Raw water can be used for bathing and general cleaning. Purify it before drinking with a Big Berkey water filter, some chlorine, or boiling the water. Gas BBQ and Coleman Stove You’re a suburbanite, so you already have…


Bug Out: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly–You Can Arrive Alive, by Semper Paro

…replenish your water supply will be streams, ponds, lakes, and rivers.  Consider how you will purify water.  A supply of water purification tablets should be carried.  Also, a small plastic vile of chlorine can be carried.  A few drops will sterilize 750 ml of water fairly quickly.  (Research the correct amounts and procedures to purify water by volume and make note of this information to carry in your pack with your purification tools. If using common bleach as your source of chlorine, be sure that it is non-scented with non-additives.) Small water purification systems do very well and can be purchased for around $80+.   However, they do take up additional space and add ounces to an already loaded pack.  A very good alternative is the Berkey Sport bottle.  A standard 750 ml water bottle has a smaller Berkey Black filter attached to the drinking straw in the bottle.  You merely…


Observations on Bugging Out By Foot, by J. Smith

…ill effects. In fact, it tasted quite good. However, listen to the experts and purify it through boiling, chemicals, or both. I recommend a small travel bottle filled with bleach with the dosing information written on the bottle and memorized: 8-16 drops per gallon, more if the quality appears poorer. Add the appropriate drops of bleach, wait the recommended amount of time, and, if you want, you can boil it too. I never had any problems with only bleached water, but bear in mind that I never had any problems with water straight from the river, either. If you want to be incredibly redundant and safe, have some water purification tablets, too. If you can, plan your route next to bodies of water. Always fill your water carriers when leaving a watering spot, because you may not know the next time you will find water or how pure it will…