Make Water Safe During An Emergency

 

In the aftermath of a major disaster, drinking water sources may be contaminated. While stored drinking water can mitigate this risk, water can be difficult to store in large quantities.

If you must collect water from questionable sources (ponds, rivers, or a potentially contaminated well or commercial water system) it is important that you treat this water to prevent illness from drinking bad water. 



Water treatment involves removing suspended particles in the water, killing biological pathogens in the water, and removing chemical contaminates.

The 3-pot method of letting particles settle out of standing water over a period of days is a first step in water treatment.  


Wiki-Water discusses several methods of water treatment that can be used at home.

The SODIS method of water purification relies on sunlight to kill biological pathogens in water. While the method is effective, it requires strong sunlight throughout the day, and may therefore not be the best choice during overcast days. 
 

You can disinfect water using household bleach. Only use regular, unscented chlorine bleach products that are suitable for disinfection and sanitization as indicated on the label. The label may say that the active ingredient contains 6 or 8.25% of sodium hypochlorite. Do not use scented, color safe, or bleaches with added cleaners.If water is cloudy, let it settle and filter it through a clean cloth, paper towel, or coffee filter.

CDC’s Traveler’s Health Water Disinfection page and A Guide to Drinking Water Treatment and Sanitation for Backcountry and Travel Use covers information on the effectiveness of various water treatment methods.


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