How to Purify Water

Guide Note: In order to prevent yourself from harmful water borne illnesses, it is important for you to know the different methods that can be used to purify and sanitize untreated water for your consumption. This page will tell you about the three most common ways of How to Purify Water.

Disclaimer: The content of this page is intended for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for expert advice. Table of Contents:

Introduction

  • If you've ever done any camping, hiking, or backpacking, you'll know the importance of having fresh, clean water to drink. Unfortunately, there aren't always drinking fountains available in the wilderness areas that outdoor enthusiasts often travel in. This usually means that water must be taken from rivers, streams and lakes that are often full of harmful microorganisms, such as Giardia and Cryptosporidium. In order to make this water safe for human consumption, the water must be properly purified and rid of these disease-causing bacteria.[1] This page will go over the three most common methods of water purification and how you can use them to protect yourself while camping—or in an emergency situation where no clean water is available.
Clean water is a necessity (Creative Commons photo by Snap®)
Clean water is a necessity (Creative Commons photo by Snap®)

Warning: Please be advised that these methods are for purifying biologically contaminated water. There is no safe method of removing chemical contamination from a water source.[1]

Boiling Water

  • Probably the most time-tested method of purifying drinking water is by boiling it. At a high enough temperature, the heat will kill off most of the harmful bacteria that may be in the water and allow you to drink it without getting sick. Of course this means that you need some sort heat source. But if you do, this is one of the most sure-fire ways of protecting yourself from water-borne illnesses.
    Creative Commons photo by Ottmarliebert
    Creative Commons photo by Ottmarliebert
  1. Bring the water to a full, rolling boil.
  2. Let the water boil for about 1 minute.[2]
  3. As it boils, make sure to remove any debris, foam or residue that may float to the top of the water.
  4. Let the water cool off before drinking.
  5. Make sure that you store the water in a clean container (not the one you used to get the water in the first place).
  6. If the altitude you're at is higher than one mile, boil the water for three minutes.[3]
  7. Add a pinch of salt to boiled water to improve the taste.

Chemical Treatments

Iodine Tablets

  1. Purchase Iodine Purification Tablets. If you have some lying around, check the expiration date. If they've expired, buy new ones.
  2. In general, add one tablet of iodine for every quart of water that you want to purify - or two if the water is especially dirty or suspect (if unsure, follow the directions on the bottle).[5]
  3. Let the Iodine dissolve for 30 minutes before drinking. If at all unsure about the amount of time it has been, wait a little longer.
  4. Iodine treated water will often have a bad taste to it. This is natural. To make the water more drinkable, try adding a powdered drink mix to the water.
  5.  Warning If you have Thyroid Disease, make sure to consult your doctor before using iodine tablets.[6]

Bleach

  1. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends that you use 1/8 teaspoon (or 8 drops) of liquid household bleach for every gallon of water that you need to purify.[7]
  2. Stir the Bleach into the water and let it sit for 30 minutes before drinking.
  3. Always use regular, unscented Bleach. No perfumes, dyes or added cleaning agents.
  4. If you need help calculating the amount of Bleach to use for larger quantities, use this handy Emergency Water Purification Calculator.
  5.  Warning Make sure that, if you are using Bleach, you do not use an excessive amount.

Water Purifiers

  • Another common way that outdoor enthusiasts often purify water is with standalone Water Purification Units. These units work by pumping the water through an advanced filtration system that removes bacteria and protozoa in the water. While water purification units can be a convenient and effective way to purify water, there are a few things that you should know before purchasing one:
  1. The CDC says that, in order to verify that a water purifier is designed to fight against Giardia and Cryptosporidium, you should look for the following messages on the label: Reverse Osmosis, Absolute Pore Size of ≤1 Micron, Tested and Certified by the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) for cyst removal.[8]
  2. Water purification units usually use a special filters that can become clogged and may need to be cleaned or replaced often.
  3. Water purification units usually require the users to manually pump the water through the filter (which, if clogged or slow, can take a good deal of time and energy).
  4. The Lifestraw is an alternative water purification device that purifies water through a tube as you drink it.

Tips & Tricks for Purifying Water

Use rapidly flowing water (Creative Commons photo by Brian)
Use rapidly flowing water (Creative Commons photo by Brian)

Conclusion

  • Whether you're a backpacker on a camping trip or someone trapped in an emergency situation, clean water is imperative to your comfort, health and survival. While clean water can give you strength, energy, and oxygen, contaminated water can cause illnesses that will sap you of all of these things. So although water may look clean, if you aren't 100% sure it is free of bacteria, make sure that you put it through at least one of the purifying processes described above. And if you're planning on taking a trip where there may not be a clean, reliable water source, make sure that you are prepared with the tools you need to purify enough water for yourself and your companions.

Resources



Have any great tips on How to Purify Water? Post your thoughts to the discussion board or email them to Andy: andy at mahalo dot com.