How often does water come up in your thoughts of emergency preparedness? I know many of us who have made some efforts to prepare for emergencies have done some with water but have we done enough?
First, when disasters happen, immediate access to clean water from the usual sources could be cut off. Secondary sources such as irrigation ditches, puddles,lakes, streams etc could give water, just not potable water. These sources could be made potable, but it takes time and water is something we can only go a few days without.
First, the most common recommendation is to have at least one gallon of water per person, per day available for at least two weeks. For me and my family often people, that means ten gallons per day for up to 14 days. 140 gallons can take up a lot of room. Second we live in a desert, Utah being the second driest state in the nation. I also live in a big metro area so a lot of people will need water. That has induced me to save more potable ready to go water for my family. I have more than the minimum and I am glad of it.
What next? What if the emergency last longer than two weeks? Some people live in rather remote areas and it could take time before water is restored to these more distant localities. There are a few different methods for treating water. Filtration, Boiling, or chemical.
Filtration of water is a good method but it is only as good as the filters and containers being used. I have often imagined some people dumping a bucket of water into a filtration system and then using that same bucket to capture the filtered water! That may have helped with sediments, but not with bacteria, or other chemical wastes that could be in the water. I have also wondered how long it has been since some filters are changed. Understand, filters do get used up and the dirtier the water is when it goes in, the faster the filter gets used. Screen the water for bigger stuff then run it through several layers of clean cloth as a prefilter. That should get rid of a lot of the mud and other sediments. Then, run the water through the regular filter. That will extend the life of your filter and ensure you have clean water longer.
If your filter is not designed to handle biological or chemical contaminants, invest in a good one that does. Get to know your filter. If you have an under sink filter that uses cartridges for the filters, get a spare set. Sure they can be spendy but you may be very glad you have it.
Chemical treatment can be done with a variety of chemicals but understand, they only get rid of bacteria, viruses, and other biological nasties in the water. It does not "kill" the dirt. Bleach, iodine, and water purification tablets are the most common methods. Depending on the issues with the water you are using, you may need to use more or less. If the water is relatively clean usually a few drops of bleach will be enough to sanitize it. Put it in before you store it and then before using it, open the lid and let some of the bleach smell breathe off before use. For tablets, follow the directions on the package.
Boiling is a common method but uses fuel to get it to boil so I would hesitate at it unless the other methods are not available. Boil the water for a few minutes at least and keep it clean and safe from contamination. A home water distiller uses this method and is the safest of the boiling methods when used correctly.
All of these methods will certainly make non-potable water you have better than it was but no method is perfect. Even water pumped to you house now isn't perfect. Protecting your source is vital too so don;t bathe in the stream or wash your dishes in the lake. keep the water source pristine and carry water uphill and out of the way for use for any need, bathing, drinking,cooking or cleaning -- DON'T do any of it in your water source. When waste water is dumped. dump it into a pit,dug for the purpose so the water can go through the natural filter in the ground and not contaminate the rest of the system.
As the title of the blog implies, this is intended for someone without much money. It is true that some suggestions given here cost money. However, with some creativity and savings, clean water as an element of ones emergency preparedness, is worth saving up for and investing time in.
First, when disasters happen, immediate access to clean water from the usual sources could be cut off. Secondary sources such as irrigation ditches, puddles,lakes, streams etc could give water, just not potable water. These sources could be made potable, but it takes time and water is something we can only go a few days without.
First, the most common recommendation is to have at least one gallon of water per person, per day available for at least two weeks. For me and my family often people, that means ten gallons per day for up to 14 days. 140 gallons can take up a lot of room. Second we live in a desert, Utah being the second driest state in the nation. I also live in a big metro area so a lot of people will need water. That has induced me to save more potable ready to go water for my family. I have more than the minimum and I am glad of it.
What next? What if the emergency last longer than two weeks? Some people live in rather remote areas and it could take time before water is restored to these more distant localities. There are a few different methods for treating water. Filtration, Boiling, or chemical.
Filtration of water is a good method but it is only as good as the filters and containers being used. I have often imagined some people dumping a bucket of water into a filtration system and then using that same bucket to capture the filtered water! That may have helped with sediments, but not with bacteria, or other chemical wastes that could be in the water. I have also wondered how long it has been since some filters are changed. Understand, filters do get used up and the dirtier the water is when it goes in, the faster the filter gets used. Screen the water for bigger stuff then run it through several layers of clean cloth as a prefilter. That should get rid of a lot of the mud and other sediments. Then, run the water through the regular filter. That will extend the life of your filter and ensure you have clean water longer.
If your filter is not designed to handle biological or chemical contaminants, invest in a good one that does. Get to know your filter. If you have an under sink filter that uses cartridges for the filters, get a spare set. Sure they can be spendy but you may be very glad you have it.
Chemical treatment can be done with a variety of chemicals but understand, they only get rid of bacteria, viruses, and other biological nasties in the water. It does not "kill" the dirt. Bleach, iodine, and water purification tablets are the most common methods. Depending on the issues with the water you are using, you may need to use more or less. If the water is relatively clean usually a few drops of bleach will be enough to sanitize it. Put it in before you store it and then before using it, open the lid and let some of the bleach smell breathe off before use. For tablets, follow the directions on the package.
Boiling is a common method but uses fuel to get it to boil so I would hesitate at it unless the other methods are not available. Boil the water for a few minutes at least and keep it clean and safe from contamination. A home water distiller uses this method and is the safest of the boiling methods when used correctly.
All of these methods will certainly make non-potable water you have better than it was but no method is perfect. Even water pumped to you house now isn't perfect. Protecting your source is vital too so don;t bathe in the stream or wash your dishes in the lake. keep the water source pristine and carry water uphill and out of the way for use for any need, bathing, drinking,cooking or cleaning -- DON'T do any of it in your water source. When waste water is dumped. dump it into a pit,dug for the purpose so the water can go through the natural filter in the ground and not contaminate the rest of the system.
As the title of the blog implies, this is intended for someone without much money. It is true that some suggestions given here cost money. However, with some creativity and savings, clean water as an element of ones emergency preparedness, is worth saving up for and investing time in.
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