Water Filtration and Purification

8/3/2019 Water Filtration and Purification

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Water Filtration and Purifcation

During times of serious emergency, the normalwater supply to your home may be out or becomeso polluted that it is undrinkable. In fact, a supplyof stored water could be your most precious supplyitem! Again, the time to prepare is NOW, not afterdisaster and disruption strike when none may beavailable. Health department and public watersafety ofcials use many safeguards to protect thesanitary quality of your drinking water. However,this protection may break down during emergenciescaused by natural disasters. You and your familymay then be on your own to provide a safe andadequate water supply. If you have to leave youhome, nding and decontaminating water will bea major problem. Remember that typhoid fever,amoebic dysentery, diarrhea, infectious hepatitis,

salmonella, and giardiasis are diseases oftenassociated with unsafe water, not to mention themany kinds of parasites that may be contracted.Dont take a chance! Under emergency conditions,NO WATER CAN BE PRESUMED SAFE. ALLDRINKING AND COOKING WATER MUST BEPURIFIED.

Most people need two quarts of water perday though one quart per day will sustain life.Considering washing and other uses, a gallon perday per person is not too much. The exact quantitydepends on the size of the person, amount ofexertion, weather and perspiration loss. If there arefamily pets, include sufcient additional water forthem. You should store a two week supply of waterto meet emergency needs. A family of four wouldthus need at least 56 gallons of pure water fortheir 2-week reserve supply. With careful use, this

amount would be sufcient for drinking and foodpreparation. Water for clean-up purposes is alsodesirable if space is available.

If stored in clean containers and if safe bacteriallyat the time of storage, water will remain safebecause disease organisms tend to die out withstorage. Thus, the longer the water is stored,the safer it will become from the bacteriologicalstandpoint.

Potable water stored in glass or polyethylene(PETE) containers will remain safe, but may changesomewhat in appearance, taste, or odor. Althoughsome of these qualities may be disagreeable, theywill not harm you. Stored water should be checkedevery few months to determine whether containershave leaked or if any undesirable characteristicshave developed in appearance, taste or odor. If so,the water may be replaced.

Because water quality varies throughout thecountry, no set rule can be given for shelf life.Current experience shows, however, that somewater taken directly from a tap and stored severalyears in glass or polyethylene containers cannotbe distinguished by appearance, taste or odor from

freshly drawn water from the same tap.

It is physically impossible to store a years supplyof water because the sheer volume and space itoccupies. A years supply of wheat takes up lessspace than a two week supply of water. Therefore,though it is absolutely essential to store a two orthree week supply of water it is likewise essentialthat you know how to locate and purify water whenthere is none coming from your tap.

Simply Living Smart Water Purication KitQuick Steps.

Pull all items from 5-gallon bucket. Be carefulnot to get let the lter bags get dirty.

Use the 2-gallon bucket to draw water fromsurface water source. Although the lter bagwill lter the material, it is best to use theclearest water possible. Or, if water is verymuddy, you might use a different bucketor barrel to let water settle until the heavyparticles have dropped to the bottom.

With someones help to hold the lter bag,pour water from the 2-gallon bucket into thelter which is suspended over the 5-gallonbucket. Be careful not to pour dirty waterdown the outside of the lter bag.

When the 5-gallon bucket is full, use the bungie cord to hang the lter out of theway. It is best to keep the lter out of directsunlight.

Use a cup or small container to dip waterfrom the 5-gallon bucket. Pour water throughthe funnel into any other clean container. (Ind 2-liter soda bottles to work very well.These are not included in the kit.)

Put appropriate amounts of iodine, chlorine,or other purifying agent into the 2-literholding containter. (Amounts of thesechemicals differ. Follow specic instructionsbelow or follow instructions on the iodinebottle.)

Let water sit for adequate time. (Seeinstructions below.)

Water should be safe to drink.


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HOW TO PURIFY WATER FOR DRINKING

All water obtained out doors (lakes, streams, etc),is subject to pollution and contamination fromradiation particles, dirt, bacteria, or other pollutantsand requires purication consisting of a two stepprocess. First it must be claried and cleansed ofall physical impurities such as dirt and debris. Thenit must be disinfected or made biologically safe to

drink. Certain water treatment methods describedin the following pages can reduce the risksinvolved, but emergency treatment of water cannotguarantee the same quality water as a supply ofproperly stored water. Gadgets and devices whichare sold with a claim that they can purify anywater should be evaluated carefully.

STEP 1

CLARIFICATION - Removing physical pollut-ants:

Use one of the following two methods for removingphysical pollutants:

SETTLING: Settling is one of the easiest methodsto remove most debris and suspended particulates,including radioactive fallout particles, from water.Furthermore, if the water to be used is extremelymuddy or murky, settling it before ltering willextend the life of the lter. The procedures is asfollows:

A) To clear muddy water let it stand for 12 to 24hours. This will allow any sediment to sink to thebottom of the container. A handful of clay soil in

each gallon of water will help speed this settlingprocess.

B) If the water is thought to be contaminated withradioactive fallout then ll a bucket or other deepcontainer three-fourths full of the contaminatedwater. Dig pulverized clay or clay-type soil froma depth of four or more inches below the groundsurface (to avoid adding fallout contaminated dirtto the water), and stir it into the water. Use abouta 1-inch depth of dry clay or dry clayey soil forevery 4 inch depth of water. Stir until practicallyall the clay particles are suspended in the water.Let the clay settle for at least 6 hours. The settlingclay particles will entrap and carry most of thesuspended fallout particles to the bottom and coverthem, Carefully dip out or siphon the clear water.Then lter this water as described below and thendisinfect it. Clarication is important; clear watercan be puried using less chlorine or iodine thanyou need for cloudy water and the disinfectants aremore potent since the bacteria has no place to hide.(Bacteria are often found in suspended particles

and other debris and escape the effects of chlorineor other disinfectants).

FILTERING: This is the fastest way of eliminatingphysical pollutants from water but be sure that yourstraining material is ne enough to trap all of thesediment or you may be disappointed in the results.Use pieces of cloth, paper towels, coffee lters,industrial bag lters, commercial ultra-ltrationunits, or even layers of grass or charcoal.

The Water Purication Kit available through

SimplyLivingSmart uses a 1 micron industrial lterbag which will lter particles out of the water. Youmay want to use the settling process indicatedabove for heavily muddied water.

If radioactive fallout is suspected then the settlingprocess indicated above is only the rst of a two-step process. It must also be passed throughan earth lter. Filtering through earth removesessentially all of the fallout particles and more ofthe dissolved radioactive material than does boiling-water distillation, a generally impractical puricationmethod that does not eliminate dangerous

radioactive iodides. Earth lters are also moreeffective in removing radioactive iodides than areordinary ion-exchange water softeners or charcoallters. In areas of heavy fallout, about 99% of theradioactivity in water could be removed by lteringit through ordinary earth. To make the simple,effective lter shown in the diagram below, the onlymaterials needed are those found in and around thehome. This expedient lter can be built easily byproceeding as follows:

Expedient radioactive and contaminated

water ltration.


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1) Perforate the bottom of a 5-gallon can, a largebucket, a watertight wastebasket, or a similarcontainer with about a dozen nail holes. Punch theholes from the bottom upward, staying within about2 inches of the center.

2) Place a layer about 1 1/2 inches thick of washedpebbles or small stones on the bottom of the can. Ifpebbles are not available, twisted coat-hanger wiresor small sticks can be used.

3) Cover the pebbles with one thickness of terrycloth towel, burlap sackcloth, or other quite porouscloth. Cut the cloth in a roughly circular shapeabout 3 inches larger than the diameter of the can.

4) Take soil containing some clay (almost any soilwill do), from at least 4 inches below the surfaceof the ground. (Nearly all fallout particles remainnear the surface except after deposition on sand orgravel.)

5) Pulverize the soil, then gently press it in layersover the cloth that covers the pebbles so that the

cloth is held snugly against the sides of the can. Donot use pure clay (It is not porous enough.) or sand(It is too porous.). The soil in the can should be 6to 8 inches thick.

6) Completely cover the surface of the soil layerwith one thickness of fabric as porous as a bathtowel with a couple of inches of washed pebbleson top of that. This is to keep the soil from beingeroded as water is poured into the ltering can. Thecloth will also remove some of the particles fromthe water.

7) Support the lter can on rods or sticks placed

across the top of the container that is larger indiameter than the lter can. A dish pan will do.

The contaminated water should be poured into thelter can, preferably after allowing it to settle asdescribed above. The ltered water should also bedisinfected by one of the methods described below.If the 6 or 8 inches of ltering soil is a sandy clayloam, the lter initially will deliver about 6 quartsof clear water per hour. (If the ltration rate isfaster than about 1 quart in 10 minutes, removethe upper fabric and re-compress the soil. It is notdoing the job properly.) After several hours, the

rate will be reduced to about 2 quarts per hour.

When the ltering rate becomes too slow, it can beincreased by removing and rising the surface fabric,removing about 1/2 inch of soil, and then replacingthe fabric. The life is extended and its efciencyincreased if muddy water is rst allowed to settle asdescribed above. After about 50 quarts have beenltered, rebuild the lter by replacing the used soilwith fresh soil.

STEP 2

DISINFECTING - Removing Biological Pollutants:

Once the physical pollutants have been removed,the job is only half done. These physical pollutants,though unpleasant to the taste, are usually quiteharmless. The important task is now to make thewater safe to drink by eliminating or killing themicrobiological pollutants.

CAUTION: All of the chemical disinfectants listedhere are poisonous. They kill germs on contact andthey will also kill you if you do not handle themproperly. These chemicals should be respectedby not feared. If used properly, they not only willnot harm you but will protect your health andcould even save your life. Keep these, and allchemicals, out of the reach of children. Waterdisinfectants must be able to kill the hardiestorganisms--especially amoebic cysts, the dormantencapsulated form of the amoeba which is hardierthan the active, free swimming form, and the

enteroviruses which are the most resistant of thedisease producing organisms. At the same time, thedisinfectant must

be harmless to humans in the quantities used forpurication

be easy to use

be effective even in the presence of organicpollutants

work in a wide range of acidity, alkalinity andtemperature

not be offensive to the taste

work relatively quickly.While there is no single product that accomplishesall of the above, there are several products thatare acceptable. There are ve main methods ofaccomplishing this; however, each of them hasboth good and bad characteristics. Be aware ofthe limitations and precautions of each and beprepared to implement several of them in a time ofemergency. The methods of chemically disinfectingpolluted water indicated below are listed in orderfrom the least effective to the most effective meansof making it drinkable.

1) HALZONE: Water purication tablet. Halzonetablets, which slowly release chlorine into thewater, are available in most drug stores andsporting goods stores and are recommended foryour rst-aid kit. Halzone tablets are the leasteffective method of chemically disinfecting pollutedwater. Though they are effective in killing mostwaterborne bacteria, they do not kill GIARDIA. Also,alkaline water or water containing certain protein


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contaminants greatly reduce its effectivenessagainst hepatitis, amoebic cysts, and viruses.(Halzone was abandoned by the military as a formof personal water treatment during World War IIand was replaced by iodine tablets, yet halzone isstill readily available in most sporting goods stores.)Four tablets will purify 1 quart of water if it is clear.Double the dosage for cloudy water. Halzone tabletshave a shelf life of only 5 months when stored at 90

degrees Fahrenheit if they are unopened but losetheir effectiveness in less than 48 hours if allowedto get damp or if exposed to air.

2) CHLORINE: Liquid household chlorine bleachcan be used to purify water provided the label saysthat it contains hypochlorite as its ONLY activeingredient. It should also contain at least 5.25%sodium hypochlorite as most name brand bleacheshave. Do not use granular or powdered forms ofhousehold bleach; they are poisonous! To treatwater, add 8 drops of bleach per gallon of water orone teaspoon for ve gallons.

Liquid bleach loses strength over time. Rotatebleach to keep fresh. If bleach is a year old, theamount used should be doubled. Two-year oldbleach should not be used.

Purchase an eye dropper to add bleach. Keep it forthat purpose only. You may also use a plastic bottlewith a dropper nozzle. When using chlorine bleach,mix thoroughly by sirring or shaking the water inthe container. Let stand for 30 minutes. A slightchlorine odor and taste should be detectable in thewater. If not, repeat the dosage and let stand for anadditional 15 minutes before using. Iodine added to

the water will also have a strong taste. IF WATERIS CLOUDY, DOUBLE THE DOSAGE. After thewater chlorine has disinfected the water for theabove length of time, you can pour water back andforth between containers to reduce or eliminate thechlorine odor and taste.

3) IODINE: Iodine is an excellent purifying agentthat is not affected by many of the conditions thataffect dosage suggested for water purication.It is safe and very reliable. Only persons whoare sensitive to iodine or who are being treatedfor hyperthyroidism might suffer any ill effectsfrom this method. No other adverse physiologicalsymptoms have been noted in tests using samplegroups. If you should get an iodine stain on yourskin or other objects while handling the crystals,the stain can be removed with alcohol.

To use iodine in crystalline from, add 4 to 8 gramsof USP grade re-sublimed iodine crystals to a oneounce, clear glass bottle with a leak proof bakelite cap, not plastic. Any size bottle can be used bya one once bottle is convenient for carrying and

for measuring the proper dosage. Plastic bottlesare not acceptable, since they take on an opaquebrown stain and leak or distort over time. Afterpouring the crystals in the bottle, remembering toNOT touch time, ll the bottle with water and shakevigorously for one minute. Then allow the bottle tosit for one hour before using.

The solution above the crystals contains an amountof iodine that depends on the temperature of the

water in the bottle, therefore the amount of solutionneeded to disinfect a quart of water depends onthe temperature of the disinfectant solution (NOTthe water being treated). It will range from 10 ccs(Cubic Centimeters) at 100 degrees Fahrenheit to20 ccs at near freezing temperatures. The cap ofthe iodine solution bottle makes a handy measuringdevice, once you have determined how many ccsit holds (10 ccs is about 5 or 6 cap fulls or about1/2 the bottle when using a one ounce bottle). Therecommended quantities will produce the proper 4parts per million (PPM) concentration of iodine inthe drinking water.

When adding the iodine disinfecting solution topolluted water, remember to use only the solutionin the bottle. NEVER LET THE IODINE CRYSTALSLEAVE THE BOTTLE! If you swallowed one ofthe crystals, even in small one, it will cause greatintestinal problems and, in sufcient quantities, itcan be fatal.

The Water Purication Kit, available from Sim-plyLivingSmart.com includes iodine crystalsalready prepared. Follow the directions on thebottle. Also, the bottle includes a trap to keep

the iodine crystals in the bottle.

The contact time--the amount of time necessaryto treat the water--depends on the temperature ofthe water being treated (not the temperature of theiodine solution). Under normal conditions, about70 degrees and warmer, the water is disinfectedafter about 15 minutes. For cold, near freezingwater, approximately 40 minutes will be necessary.For turbid, cloudy or heavily contaminated water,use a strength of 8 PPM (double the recommendedsolution) and a contact time of 20 minutes toincrease germicidal potency.

As the iodine solution in the bottle is used, addmore water to it. The iodine crystals in the bottleused in this fashion will treat about 1,000 quartsof water before the iodine crystals are totallydissolved. IMPORTANT - if there are no morecrystals visible in the bottle, do not use it becausethere is no indication as to the strength of thesolution. Should this happen immediately, add moreiodine crystals to the bottle. Iodination, using this


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simple kit, is a method of disinfecting water whichis particularly well suited for travelers and hikers.It is easy to use, stores forever without loss ofstrength, and is effective against the most resistantmicro-organisms. The following chart shows theproper amounts of solution to use for one quart ofwater and the appropriate contact times to use.

Since temperature is very important in using thismethod of disinfection and since a thermometer will

probably be too big to get into the bottle of iodinesolution, simply place it next to the bottle, keepingit out of direct sunlight.

IODINE TREATMENT CHART

Temperatureof Iodinesolutions

Quantityof solutionto use perquart ofwater

Temperatureof water tobe treated

Recom-mended con-tact time.

40 C (104 F) 10 CC 40 C (104 F) 15 min

30 C (86 F) 12 CC 30 C (86 F) 15 min

20 C (68 F) 13 CC 20 C (68 F) 20 min

10 C (50 F) 16 CC 10 C (50 F) 30 min

3 C (37 F) 20 CC 3 C (37 F) 40 min

Iodine is the most dependable and effective methodavailable to the general public. It does have somedrawbacks, however, depending on the form used.There are three main forms of iodine which can beused for water purication.

TINCTURE OF IODINE. A 2% solution of tinctureof iodine, as found in most rst aid kits, can beadded to polluted water. Use 32 drops of tincture of

iodine per gallon of water or 8 drops for a quart andlet it stand for 20 minutes before using. As with allforms of water purication, be sure to loosen thelid to the container and allow some of the iodinetreated water to spill over onto the lid and threadsof the container to disinfect them too. Tincture ofiodine, though stronger than chlorine, is still notstrong enough to kill the cyst form of giardia ormany of the water born viruses.

IODINE TABLETS. Tableted iodine in the form oftetraglyceine hyperiodide (sold in sporting goodsstores under the names of Coghlas Globaline,and Portable Agua) are very effective against allforms of bacteria; however, they are less effectiveagainst the dreaded protozoa GIARDIA LAMLIA.Iodine tablets usually have a relatively short shelflife (losing 20% of their effectiveness in just sixmonths) and are very sensitive to heat and light.They turn color from grey to yellow as they becomeless potent. The usual dose is one tablet per quartof clear water and two for cloudy water.

IODINE CRYSTALS. Crystalline iodine is the mosteffective method of chemically purifying water athome or out of doors. If the water temperature is68 F or above, iodine can destroy the cyst form ofgiardia and any other bacteria or virus. Completedisinfection can only be accomplished with clearwater, however. In the crystal form iodine hasan innite shelf life and is very inexpensive.Great care should be exercised however when

handling crystalline iodine. DO NOT TOUCH IODINECRYSTALS! They can cause severe skin burns andcan be fatal if swallowed in sufcient quantity.They also produce toxic fumes and will discolor orcorrode almost anything they come in contact with.

Note. Using crystalline iodine in the formof Polar Pure which is included in the WaterPurication Kit is contained in a bottle with ascreen across the bottle opening. As long asthis bottle is handled with reasonable care, youshould be safe from the danger of the crystal-line iodine.

4) BOILING: Water sterilization by boiling isvery effective but requires a signicant amountof fuel. Microorganisms cannot survive the heatof a sterilizing boil. If water is cloudy, only heatsterilization can be fully relied upon to assurecomplete destruction of these organisms becausethey can hide by burrowing into the microscopicparticles that cause cloudiness in water and therebyescape the action of disinfecting chemicals andremain capable of producing disease. Water thatis boiled vigorously for ve minutes will usuallybe safe from harmful bacterial contamination,

adding one additional minute for each 1,000 feetof altitude. At 5000 feet elevation, that wouldmean boiling water a minimum of 10 minutes. Toconserve fuel during times of emergency, use apressure cooker. Bring it up to 15 lbs pressure,remove it from the heat, and allow it to return toroom temperature by itself.

5) ULTRA FILTRATION: Ultra ltration is theltration of water down to .2 microns. It removesall bacteria and could also be expected to removeessentially all radioactive particles. Virus aresmaller than .2 microns but are normally associated

with particles much larger than that. The ltrationis normally rather slow and the lters tend to clogquickly when ltering heavily contaminated water.The ceramic lter elements will also break if frozenin a wetted state. It is a good idea to use a pre-lter or the settling method to remove most of theparticulate before using an ultra ltration device.Several good ultra ltration units are availablecommercially.

Water Filtration and Purification

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