The blessed few who have had GEBE grace them with water may or may not know that the water is still deemed unsafe for untreated consumption. Here are a few methods to help you purify your water no matter your situation.
How to remove large particulates:
Strain the water. For water that’s contaminated with large particles like pebbles, insects, plant matter, or dirt, you can strain out the contaminants. This works more for people who are collecting rain water from outside.
- Line a fine-mesh strainer with muslin, cheesecloth, a clean dish towel, or even a clean cotton shirt. Place the strainer over a bowl, and pour the water through the strainer to remove the particles.
Note: Straining the water like this will only remove large particulates, not pathogens, heavy metals, or other contaminants.
Make your own filter. You can also make your own water filter to remove large sediment from water. You will need some supplies, but you can also use alternatives if necessary:
- Use birch bark curled into a cone in place of the bottle and cap.
- Use a shirt or towel in place of the coffee filter.
- Use nuts, roots, or grass in place of the filtration materials.
Use sedimentation. When you don’t have access to anything that you can use to filter the water, you can remove large particulate from water by letting it settle. Collect the water in a bowl or jar. Leave the water to settle for one to two hours. During this time, heavier particles will sink to the bottom, and lighter material will float to the top.
- To remove lightweight particles, skim them from the surface of the water.
- To remove heavier sediment, gently and slowly pour the water into a clean bowl or jar. Stop pouring before you get to the bottom, as this will leave the heavier sediment behind in the original container.
How to treat water with chemicals:
Use water purification and disinfection tablets. Water purification tablets are made of either chlorine dioxide or iodine, and kill bacteria and viruses in water. To use these tablets, fill a pitcher or jar with water and add enough tablets to treat the water. One tablet typically treats one quart (one litre) of water. These tablets generally need anywhere from 30 minutes to four hours to work.
- Purification tablets do not treat water contaminated with protozoa or chemicals.
- Iodine tablets are generally not suitable for pregnant women or people with shellfish allergies.
Clean water with small amounts of bleach. Bleach can also be used to kill viruses and bacteria in water, but it’s important to use only small amounts to avoid poisoning. Bleach must not be expired in order to work effectively. To purify water with this chemical:
- Fill a pitcher or jug with water
- Add four drops (1/16 teaspoon) of bleach per quart of water
- Shake or stir the mixture
- Let the mixture sit for 30 minutes
Purify with iodine. Plain liquid iodine can also be used to kill pathogens in water, but many people are turned off by the taste. To clean water with iodine, simply collect the water and add a 2 percent iodine solution. Stir in four drops of bleach per quart (litre) of water and let it sit for 30 minutes.
How to filter out contaminants:
Use a commercial water filter. A commercial water filter is the easiest and most effective way to filter sediment, pathogens, metals, and other pollutants from water. These filters contain special materials like charcoal, carbon, ceramic, sand and cloth that are specially designed to filter out dangerous pollutants. There are many different types of filters you can use, including:
- Whole-home filters that filter all the water that comes into your house.
- Point-of-use filters that get installed on specific taps and filter water that comes out of the faucet.
- Countertop filters that you fill manually with water.
- Water bottles and straws with built-in water filters.
- Handheld UV water purifiers that kill bacteria, viruses, and other contaminants from small quantities of water.
Remove heavy metals with cilantro. Just as pine trees are effective at removing pathogens, so too is cilantro excellent at removing heavy metals from water. Fill a pitcher with water and place a handful of cilantro leaves into the pitcher. Stir the water and let the leaves sit in the water for at least an hour. Remove and discard the cilantro before drinking the water.
- Cilantro has been shown to be effective at removing lead and nickel from water, but it has not been tested for other heavy metals like arsenic and mercury.
Drain the water through a clay pot to remove bacteria. Clay and ceramic are porous materials that allow water to drain through, but they trap bacteria, protozoa and sediment. Because they trap these contaminants, clay pots can be used to purify water, especially water contaminated with E. coli. To purify water with a clay pot:
- Place the bottom of a clay pot on top of a jar or bucket with a similar sized opening
- Fill the clay pot with water.
- Allow the water to soak the pot and trickle through the clay, filling the jar below.
How to kill pathogens with heat or sunshine:
Boil the water. Boiling is a great way to kill bacteria, viruses, and parasites from water. Fill a pot with water and heat it over medium-high heat, or over a fire. Bring the water to a boil and let it sit at a rolling boil for about 10 minutes. Let the water cool before drinking.
- Water purification typically happens after three to five minutes, but especially at higher elevations, you must boil the water for longer.
- Boiling alone will not remove heavy metals or chemical contaminants from water, but boiling the water with the inside of a cactus could remove additional pollutants, such as arsenic.
Distil the water with a solar still. Distillation is an effective way to remove many contaminants from water, including heavy metals, pathogens, salt and even radiation. You can build your own solar still to collect and distil groundwater. All you need is a jar to collect water, a shovel, and a sheet of plastic.
- A solar still will work best in damp soil that has lots of moisture to collect.
- To make the still so you don’t have to take it apart, insert a drinking straw or tube into the container.
Use the SODIS method. SODIS is an acronym for solar water disinfection, and when done properly, it’s a very effective method for killing pathogens in water. Fill a clear and smooth plastic bottle with water. Twist on the lid, and place the bottle on its side in direct sunlight for six hours to kill parasites, bacteria and viruses.
- This method works because the plastic acts to trap heat from the sun inside the bottle, and the UVA rays pasteurize the water.
