Search Results for: purify water

Letter Re: Clarification on Calcium Hypochlorite for Water Purification

Hello James, In reading your post on Tuesday May 16th on Water Purification, I have done some looking into this important topic. The link you provided from the EPA web site states below verbatim: “Granular Calcium Hypochlorite. Add and dissolve one heaping teaspoon of high-test granular calcium hypochlorite (approximately 1/4 ounce) for each two gallons of water. The mixture will produce a stock chlorine solution of approximately 500 mg/L, since the calcium hypochlorite has an available chlorine equal to 70 percent of its weight. To disinfect water, add the chlorine solution in the ratio of one part of chlorine solution to each 100 parts of water to be treated. This is roughly equal to adding 1 pint (16 oz.) of stock chlorine to each 12.5 gallons of water to be disinfected. To remove any objectionable chlorine odor, aerate the water as described above.” I stopped at the local pool supply…


A Primer on UVC Light – Part 1, by Dr. David J.

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…UVC light can used the purify air, water, food and hard surfaces. UVC devices can be in ovens, light fixtures, part of air purification systems, wands and certain purpose-built items. Water – many readers of this blog probably already own a UVC device for disinfecting water. The Steripen and other similar devices found in many bugout/get home bags, uses UVC light to purify water. The bulbs are in a waterproof housing and inserted into the water container for a preset amount of time and turn off when completed. I highly recommend purchasing a UVC water disinfecting device. They are not particularly expensive and work well. This is good place to discuss a few more characteristics of UVC light It only disinfects what it shines on. Microorganisms in the shadows are not affected. Cloudy water seriously hampers the ability of UVC to completely penetrate through the fluid. Water must be clear…


Letter Re: Cost-Effective Emergency Water Treatment

…the possible use of these chemicals for water treatment, I was given this link that contains directions regarding the use of dichloro-s-triazinetrione for drinking water treatment. Dichloro-s-triazinetrione, in it’s 99% pure granular form, will purify a 55 gallon drum of water with only a 1/4 teaspoon of product. Provided that the water to be treated was somewhat pre-filtered, that equals up to 4 million gallons of treated water from one 50 pound bucket! I was leery to accept that dichloro-s-triazinetrione was a suitable chemical for treatment of drinking water at first, but I have since discovered that the new style of water purification tablets sold by CampingSurvival.com also use dichloro-s-triazinetrione as their listed active ingredient. Hopefully you or maybe some of your readers with knowledge about sodium dichloro-s-triazinetrione could add to or further clarify this chemicals ability to be safely used for drinking water treatment. The ability to purify millions…


Fully Ready But Not Fully Prepared, by Expat D. in Japan

…attitude on March 11, 2011 at 2:46 p.m. Despite some intense shaking that drove my family outside for several minutes, we were, and remain, relatively untouched. Our problems are mere annoyances compared to the survivors in the northeast, but those annoyances exposed huge gaps in our disaster preparation and planning. A few years ago, a major earthquake hit the Chuetsu region of Niigata Prefecture near where my wife is from. It caused substantial damage and shook radioactive water out of the spent-fuel storage pools at the nuclear plant in Kashiwazaki. As a result, we bought a survival kit consisting of a silver backpack, some food, some water, some non-stormproof matches, a first aid kit, a water carry bag and a small cutlery set. We added a bit more food, a bit more water, and some towels. Yet, when we ran outside during the quake, none of us thought about grabbing…


Letter Re: Seeking Advice on Swimming Pool Chlorine for Treating Drinking Water

…web site: “Granular Calcium Hypochlorite. Add and dissolve one heaping teaspoon of high-test granular calcium hypochlorite (approximately 1/4 ounce) for each two gallons of water [to create a chlorine disinfecting solution]. The mixture will produce a stock chlorine solution of approximately 500 mg/L, since the calcium hypochlorite has an available chlorine equal to 70 percent of its weight. To disinfect water, add the chlorine solution in the ratio of one part of chlorine solution to each 100 parts of water to be treated. This is roughly equal to adding 1 pint (16 oz.) of stock chlorine [solution] to each 12.5 gallons of water to be disinfected. To remove any objectionable chlorine odor, aerate the water…” SurvivalBlog reader Laurelei recently reported that she found the Poolife brand “TurboShock” available $14.85 for five pounds. For purifying drinking water, two of the five pound boxes would constitute a “lifetime supply” for most folks….


Layering: A Practical Approach Survival and Preparedness, by J.C.

…– Bic lighter, flint & steel, matches, road flare Health Navigation Cordage – Paracord, string, twine, tape, dental floss Communications Fieldcraft Cover – poncho, tarp, emergency blanket     Compass   Food:  Even though humans can go 3 weeks without food and stay alive, mental and physical capacity will diminish within a couple of days.  You should have food with you that requires no preparation on your person such as Power Bars, Gorp, MREs, Spam, jerky, canned stew, etc.  Your transport or backpack can have more sustainable food.  Don’t forget something to cook in.  Anything that cannot be cooked in a pot can be cooked on a stick over a fire. Water:  This is more important than food especially in arid environments.  Also don’t eat if you do not have water.  It takes water to digest food.  Have a way to purify water.  A portable water filter, iodine, or chlorine…


Dehydration and Rehydration, by Dr. Marc

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One of the great killers in the third world is dehydration from diarrhea and dysentery, due to contaminated water. This is particularly dangerous with respect to the elderly and children. As your readers are likely aware, having the ability to filter or purify drinking water is critical. Having a high volume and high-capacity water filter can go a long way toward preventing diarrhea and dysentery, with its associated dehydration. I very much recommend, based upon personal experience, water filters including the Katadyn endurance series and the Sawyer inline series. Both of these vendors have extremely long lived, large volume and quality filters for drinking water. They have the capacity to filter many thousands of gallons of drinking water and they are appropriate for North America. Please note that travel to Africa and other areas where the water is contaminated with viruses should entail the use of a water purifier, not…


The Fourth Essential, by Bob B.

As any survivalist quickly learns, the “three basic essentials” to survival are air, water and shelter. However, I learned to realize that there is a fourth basic essential, that being a stove–which provides a way to reliably purify the water, cook the food and make the shelter more comfortable. Of course, there are many types of water filters, solar ovens and warmer clothing for those needs but, somewhere along the line, the ongoing need for a practical, portable, concealable, quick and highly-efficient means of heating will be needed. SHTF heating that can purify your water, cook your food and warm your shelter. Like many other survivalists who began their prep “journey”  in preparation for Y2K, my knowledge and supplies have since grown exponentially, expanding my supplies and knowledge with countless lists, articles and learning from invaluable web sites (such as survivalblog.com), to prepare for the soon-to-come world upheavals to come….


Two Letters Re: Toledo Water Crisis

Hugh, The WHO article you mentioned says there’s another way to purify water tainted with microcystins, and it’s one of my favorite water purification methods because it can also be used as a wound cleanse, an antiseptic solution, an anti-fungal treatment for the hands and feet, a cholera disinfectant, a treatment for canker sores, a fire starter, and even a snow marker for an emergency signal. On top of all that, it’s less expensive per pound than calcium hypochlorite. What is this wonder chemical? Potassium Permanganate (KMNO4) 98% 1lb Potassium Permanganate, also called “permanganate of potash” or “Condy’s crystals.” Read more about its survival uses here. Some disadvantages: Calcium hypochlorite will purify about 100 times as many gallons. So you’re best buying lots of hypochlorite for most of your bulk needs and a little bit of permanganate for special cases, like mitocystins or bug-out bags. Permanganate is good for a…


Two Letters Re: The Harsh Truth About Bugging Out of Cities

…they use for perimeter defense, et cetera. Also, I’ve started my own civilizational decline/collapse/preparedness meetup group, through meetups.com, if you folks know anyone in the Vancouver, Washington/Portland Oregon area. Cheers, – J.Hi, o o o JWR: After reading the article by Patrice Lewis on the Golden Horde, I have a comment. The one item that very few people are likely to have in great abundance after a SHF event is water. Even fewer people have or know of a way to purify water. Our bodies are so used to drinking pure water that water-bourne diseases are likely to make a VERY quick comeback in a SHTF scenario. Many of those millions of people who are in the cities will not make it out alive, if there is no way for them to obtain clean water or to purify water. Within a couple of days of even low level physical activity…


How to Teach Situational Awareness to Children – Part 1, by T.Y.

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…practice knife skills by whittling away on a piece of hickory. As it turns out, my childhood was the original “prep school”—the one that prepared me for life. By contrast, most of today’s parents (and even their parents) didn’t grow up learning those skills. Instead, they were born into a life of dependence on modern conveniences. As a result, today’s children are only taught modern survival skills—such as flipping a switch that turns on lights and turning on a faucet to get drinking water. Today’s children can navigate with technology, but not with a paper road map. They can find Wi-Fi in any city, but ask them to purify water from any source and they can’t. They can use a microwave, but they can’t build a fire. But, what skills do today’s children have to prepare them to face the all-too-common threats of violence and disasters we see on the…


Fire, The Flame of Life, by T.S.K.

…survival situation the light and smoke for a fire can be very beneficial as a signaling device for search and rescue if you desire to be found.  Basic items to start a fire are very light and small and should be included in any survival or bugout bag. In a longer term situation (several days to months), fire provides all the benefits discussed above, but the focus will shift from immediate survival (water, warmth, rescue) to a more long term approach.  Fire will provide the basis to purify water and the means to cook and preserve food and create tools.  Fuel for the fire will become increasingly more important depending on your surroundings and the amount of fuel you are using daily.  Remember, the more fuel you burn the more fuel you have to gather, the more water and food you will need to survive. In a long term or…


Poll Results –What are the Best Items to Store for Barter and Charity?

…rat population to explode in most areas. Handkerchiefs Hard candy Salt Sugar Sewing needles and sturdy thread Fishing lines / rod-reel combos Plastic 5 gallon buckets Leather gloves M.O. suggests: Wheat Oats Rice Honey Seeds Hand tools, like shovel, drill, saw Books Bible Knowledge J.K. in the PRK suggests: 12 gauge ammo Toothbrushes C.W. suggests: Hoes and other gardening tools Non-hybrid seeds Chlorine to treat water Shoe repair Gun repair Blacksmithing Medical care Outdoor Guy suggests: Soap Shampoo “Col. Jack D. Ripper” suggests: Grain alcohol (“Everclear” or equivalent 190 proof ethanol) For salt, those of us with water softeners have hundreds of pounds of salt pellets on hand at a given time. Rub two together for flavoring food, dissolve for brining, etc. C.R.Z. suggests: Paperback books, novels, etc for entertainment How-To Books (especially organic gardening manuals) Primers (sealed in a ammo can) Suture Needles Knife sharpening stones Medical Supplies (gauze,…


SAR Lessons for Preppers, by H.F.K.

…indifference of nature, the poem’s lessons are applicable year-round. In search and rescue, we try to educate the recreating public about what they need to do to avoid becoming one of our “subjects”. We have a list that we call the “Ten Essentials”, which are what people need to have with them when they go out hiking in the backcountry or a state park or any other place where there are no services and motorized access is very limited. Here’s the Ten Essentials list: A planned route, left with a responsible person, including a planned return time. Map and compass, and/or GPS with two sets of spare batteries. Water (about 2 liters), and a means to purify water in the field. Extra clothing (including a pair of socks) to keep you warm and dry. Snacks or food to last at least 24 hours. Appropriate first aid supplies, including 24 hours’…


You Might Just Be a Survivalist If…

…water hookup, and a Big Berkey to purify the water. – You have sapphire lights, survival whistle, and a Swiss Army knife on every family member’s key chain. – The people in line at Costco ask you if you run a store or restaurant. – You require a shovel to rotate all your preps properly. *- You no longer go the the doctor’s because you can either fix it yourself, make it at home, or know and understand the Physician’s Desk Reference better than he does, and can get the goods at the vets or pet store for much less moolah anyway. *- You know that a ‘GPS‘ has nothing to do with the economy. – You track your preps on a computer spreadsheet for easy reordering, but have hard copies in a 3-ring binder ‘just in case’. – You’ve thought about where the hordes can be stopped before entering…