In a disaster or emergency situation, clean water is very important. An ordinary person needs a minimum of 4 liters of water to survive. After a disaster, water can be contaminated. If you don't have access to bottled water or a commercial water filtration system, you can clean your dirty water by making your own water purifier. There are three basic methods of cleaning water: disinfection, filtration, and distillation. Of the three, distillation produces the cleanest water, although the process is more complicated than others.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Disinfecting Water
Step 1. Prepare clean pots and storage containers
To disinfect water, you will need a clean pot as well as a clean container to store the water after disinfection. This container should have a lid that fits tightly and ensures that the water inside is not re-contaminated.
- If you are reusing bottles, use soft drink bottles instead of bottles that previously contained milk or fruit juice. Milk and fruit juices contribute to the growth of bacteria in stored water.
- Clean the bottle thoroughly with dish soap. You can also sanitize the bottle with 1 tsp. (5 ml) homemade chlorine bleach for every liter of water.
Step 2. Strain the water
Although disinfection kills most microorganisms that can cause health problems, it does not remove heavy metals, salts, and other chemicals. Before disinfecting the water, pour it through a cloth or coffee filter to help get rid of the contaminants.
You can also let the bottled water sit for a few hours before disinfecting it. Heavy particles will settle to the bottom of the container, and you can pour water from the top of the bottle so that any sediment remains at the bottom
Step 3. Bring the water to a boil
Fill a large skillet or pitcher with water and bring to a boil. Let the water boil for 1-5 minutes. Some of your water will evaporate. Allow the water to cool before drinking or pouring into a plastic bottle.
- Boiling water is the safest and most effective way to purify water so that it is drinkable.
- Boiled water tastes better if you add oxygen by pouring it a few times back and forth between the two containers.
- If you're in the wild and you don't have electricity, you can still boil water over a fire, or add rocks that are heated until they start to boil.
Step 4. Clean the water with chlorine
Home bleach also kills microorganisms in water. You should only use chlorine with 5.25-6 percent sodium hypochlorite. This bleach must be unscented, contain no cleaning agents or other chemicals, and be new or recently opened.
- Pour 16 drops of bleach into 4 liters of water. Stir and let stand for 30 minutes. The water will have a slight bleach smell. If it doesn't smell like bleach, repeat this method and let it sit for 15 minutes.
- Disinfecting water with bleach that does not have a slight bleach odor is not safe to drink. Find another source of water, or use another method of disinfection.
Step 5. Use the solar water disinfection (SODIS) method
If you can't boil water and don't have enough bleach, you can use the sun's power to disinfect the water. You only need a soft drink bottle with a lid.
- Fill the bottle with water and close it tightly. Place the bottle in an area that will receive at least 6 hours of direct sunlight. After 6 hours, the water is safe to drink.
- This method only works with PET bottles. Glass counteracts the important UV rays needed to properly disinfect water.
- For best results, place the bottle on top of a conductive material, such as a tin roof, and tilt it so that it faces the sun.
Method 2 of 3: Filtering the Water
Step 1. Pour the water through a cloth or coffee filter
If the water is cloudy, simply pour it through a cloth or coffee filter to remove most of the sediment. This method will also remove dirt and debris from the water at its original source, for example from a river or river.
Filtering water through a cloth is the first step of the filtration process. Although the turbidity of the water will decrease, the water is not clean enough or safe to drink
Step 2. Prepare the filter materials beforehand
You can make a simple bio filter that mimics the process of filtering the earth, but you have to plan ahead. You will need an empty soft drink bottle, gravel, sand, and carbon or activated charcoal.
- Gravel and sand can be purchased at the construction shop.
- To buy carbon or filters or activated charcoal, try visiting an aquarium supply store.
Step 3. Create a biofilter
Cut a soft drink bottle in half, and place the top half of the bottle somersault inside the bottom half of the bottle. Place a cloth or tissue around the neck of the bottle, then add the filter ingredients.
- Place the sand into the bottom of the filter on a paper towel, followed by a layer of charcoal. Cover the filter with a layer of gravel.
- Sand and gravel remove contaminants in the water, while charcoal removes pesticides and chemicals and enhances taste.
Step 4. Pour the water through the filter
After you have prepared the filter, slowly pour the water through the top. The water will flow through the layers of the filter to the bottom half of the bottle. You may have to run the water through the filter several times to get safe drinking water.
Charcoal can give a slightly gray color. As long as the water looks clear, the charcoal won't harm you
Step 5. Disinfect the water after it is filtered
Filtering water does not kill viruses and bacteria present. To ensure the cleanliness and safety of the water, boil and chlorinate the water after it has been filtered.
Water disinfectant tablets containing chlorine dioxide are also effective for disinfecting filtered water, provided you follow the instructions for use
Method 3 of 3: Distilling Water
Step 1. Gather the ingredients to make a simple distillation system
Home distillation systems can be quite expensive, but you can make a similar system using a large pot with a lid, a cup, and a few small strings.
- The thread should be thick and strong enough that it doesn't break when it gets wet. You can also use fishing line or other plastic string.
- If you plan to distill water in a disaster or emergency, it's best to prepare these materials in advance and include them with other emergency supplies. You should also practice this method beforehand so that you are proficient in an emergency.
Step 2. Tie the cup to the handle of the cauldron cover
Use string to tie the cup to the lid of the skillet so that when the lid is flipped over, the cup is stuck under it. Make sure the cup hangs with the inside facing up so it can fill with water.
Experiment with wrapping a rope around the cup to keep it upright. If it's tilted, the cup won't hold as much water
Step 3. Check the depth of the cup
Once you've attached the cup to the cauldron's lid, place the lid on the cauldron upside down and see how far the cup hangs down. That way, you'll know how much water you can put in the pan.
Since you can't see through the sides of the skillet, hold the lid on the side of the pan at the height it would be if it were placed on top of the skillet. Then, mark the height of the base of the cup on the sides of the skillet
Step 4. Fill the skillet halfway with water
The amount of water to be distilled at a time depends on the size of the cauldron. Usually, you can't fill the pan more than halfway so there's enough room for the cups.
The water should not be high enough to reach the bottom of the cup
Step 5. Boil the water for at least 20 minutes
Bring the water to a boil, then immediately place the lid on the skillet upside down so that the cup hangs under it. The water in the cauldron will evaporate as it boils.
The steam will condense and flow into the cup. When it evaporates, all microorganisms in the water are killed. Heavy metals, salts and other chemicals have also been removed
Step 6. Drink water from a cup
The steam that condenses and enters the cup is clean of all contaminants and is safe to drink. However, depending on the size of the cauldron, you will need to repeat this process a few times before getting enough water to quench your thirst.
