Water can be abundant in many locations but it has the rick of containing impurities, bacteria or parasites that can cause illness or death.
There are several methods of making water safe to drink from boiling the water to using homemade filters.
Boiling Water Boiling water is one of the most time-honored methods of purification. Bringing the water to a temperature above 160° F (70° C) will kill all pathogens within 30 minutes and temperatures above 185° F (85° C) will kill it in a few minutes. By the time the water boils all pathogens will be dead. Boil the water for long when at higher altitudes as water boils at a lower temperature. |
Chemical Treatments Chemicals such as iodine have been shown to be very effective in killing viruses, bacteria, and the protozoa Giardia, but are ineffective against Cryptosporidium ("crypto"). Follow the instructions on the bottle when using chemical treatments. It has been noted that iodine treatments do have an undesirable taste and can be neutralized by adding vitamin C or a drink mix containing vitamin C, after the treatment protocol has been followed, not before. |
UV Light According to the CDC extensive data has shown that UV Light is effective in killing bacteria, viruses and Cryptosporidium. The effectiveness is dependent upon exposure time, UV dose as well as requiring filtered water to prevent microorganisms from being shielded. | |
Solar Irradiation and Heating Recent work as confirmed the effectiveness of the use of solar disinfection. Transparent bottles such as plastic or glass bottles are best used. Laying on a dark surface the water is exposed to sunlight for 4 hours. The UV rays and the heat causes the bacteria and viruses to become inactive making them safe to consume. Use a reflector or solar oven to reach a temperature of 149F to kill any remaining pathogen. This method is not effective on turbid water if it is clean of any particles it leaves the risk of pathogens surviving. |