Make Drinking Water Safe in a Survival Situation
Whether your power goes out, you’re hiking or disaster just struck, you need to have access to clean drinking water. Filters can break and get clogged and sometimes your only choice is a questionable water source. If you don’t drink clean water you may end up with an infection or disease, including E. coli, shigellosis, cryptosporidiosis, hepatitis A and a variety of other ailments. In order to ensure the purification of water, one should take several precautions.
First, do not use contaminated water to wash dishes or glasses, brush your teeth, prepare food, make baby formula or wash your hands. Also, ice should be considered contaminated and should not be used. If you have bottled water, make sure it came from a safe source. If you’re unsure, make sure to boil and/or disinfect it before use.
Boiling water, when practical, is one of the most reliable ways to make sure your water is purified and safe for drinking. Water should be brought to a forceful boil for one minute, which will kill most organisms and the bacterial and parasitic causes of diarrhea. Remember, ice should not be added.
If boiling is not an option, you can choose to filter or chemically disinfect your water. You can filter water through a clean cloth, coffee filter or paper towel. If you have access to bleach or iodine you can choose to chemically disinfect your water. To use bleach, add 1/8 of a teaspoon, or 8 drops of unscented liquid chlorine bleach to each gallon of clear water available. Next, stir this mixture extremely well and let it sit for at least 30 minutes before drinking it. If you choose to use iodine, remember, it may not kill all sources of cryptosporidiosis, unless it is allowed to sit for at least 15 hours. Iodine tablets are available at pharmacies and should be packed whenever a natural disaster is expected to strike or a hiking or travel trip is planned. To sterilize your water with iodine, follow the manufacturers’ instructions. However, chemically treated water should only be used for a few weeks, as it is not intended for long-term use.
If don’t have access to any of these options and you have just found a water source, you’ll want to determine if it’s safe before you drink it. Always look for glacier water first and collect running water. It can still be contaminated, but it’s less likely to cause infections than muddy water. You’ll also want to examine the surface of the water; does it have a rainbow sheen? If so, this could mean it’s toxic. If the water is colored from natural bacteria and breaks apart when you poke a stick into it, it’s usually harmless. If the water doesn’t break apart it could be petroleum-based, which could be toxic. Also, look for foam. Foam could be caused from industrial pollution or detergents, which isn’t safe drinking water. However, if it separates easily and doesn’t have a “chemical” smell to it, it’s most likely created by plants in the water and the agitation of waterfalls, in which case it is safe to drink.
Remember, if you can boil, filter or chemically treat your water, you’ll always want to do so. If you don’t have access to these purification systems and it is an emergency, look for clearer water sources. Most infections from water will not give you symptoms immediately, and sometimes can even take a week, so if you have to hydrate yourself then do so and hopefully you’ll have access to medical care by the time symptoms hit your body.
Keep some clean drinking water in your car at all times. You never know when you’ll need something to drink, wash or use for other purposes. And be sure to visit our sponsor for cheap car insurance quotes, another thing you never know when you’ll need.
Permalink : Comments (0) : Apr 18th, 2011