Disaster Tip of The Week: Learn How To Treat Water

Monday, October 26, 2009 at 5:00AM
Keith Erwood in Disaster Tip of The Week, emergency water, preparedness and water, treating water, water, water treatment

After a disaster water is both extremely scarce and important to your survival. In some cases you may run low or even completely exhaust your supply of drinking water be things return to normal.

If this is the case you will need to know how to treat any available water before using it to cook, drink or brushing your teeth.

Here are some quick tips for treating water:

1. First, if you can't find clear water or the water is cloudy you should filter the water through clean clothes, towels or other cloth. If nothing is available to filter the water allow the water to settle and draw off clear water for boiling.
2. Next, if possible boil the water for one minute. Then allow it to cool and transfer to clean containers.
3. If you are unable to boil water, you can use house hold bleach (use only regular bleach, do not use scented or color safe bleach, these contain other chemicals that may be harmful) add 8 drops or 1/8 of a teaspoon for each gallon of water to be treated. Let stand for 30 minutes and then transfer to clean containers.

This should cover the basics but if you want more information see the links below which are PDF's from the EPA on the treatment of water.

 

EMERGENCY DISINFECTION OF DRINKING WATER

 

Desinfección de Emergencia del Agua Potable

 

DÉSINFECTION DE SECOURS DE L'EAU POTABLE

Article originally appeared on Disaster Preparedness Blog - Emergency Preparedness Tips, Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Emergency Management (http://disasterpreparednessblog.com/).