﻿ Water Collection, Purification & Storage on Prepare4Tomorrow

Water Collection, Purification & Storage

Water is an essential element to survival and necessary in every emergency supplies kit. It is said that the average person can survive only three (3) days without water. Following a disaster, clean drinking water may not be available. Regular water sources could be cut-off or compromised through contamination. If evacuating, water sources will take on many undesireable and contaminated forms. Building a supply of water is only the beginning of preparing for an emergency. After the initial supply is gone, knowing how to collect and decontaminate subsequent supplies is crucial. The search for potable (drinkable) water sources should always be a major priority.

When a working faucet is not available, consider these options. Filtering and Purification methods should always be applied.
Before treating, let any suspended particles settle to the bottom or strain them through coffee filters or layers of clean cloth. Be sure to have necessary materials in each emergency supplies kit for the chosen water treatment method.

Stand-alone commercial water filtering (gravity, charcoal, etc.) systems (that DO NOT connect to your household water supply) may be good alternatives but their effectiveness should be researched before relying on them as a safe and reliable water treatment method.  Click here to see related water treatment products.

Removes other contaminants
(heavy metals, salts, & most other chemicals)

Distillation: Distillation involves boiling water and then collection of only the vapor that condenses. The condensed vapor will not include salt or most other impurities.  Fill a pot halfway with water.  Tie a cup to the handle on the pot’s lid so that the cup will hang right-side-up when the lid is upside-down (make sure the cup is not dangling into the water) and boil the water for 20 minutes. The water that drips from the lid into the cup is distilled. Distillation removes a broad range of contaminants, which will stay behind in the liquid phase vessel, but some contaminants can be carried into the condensate. Distillation does purify water, but it can't remove all contaminants. Organics such as herbicides and pesticides, with boiling points lower than 100°C, cannot be removed efficiently and can actually become concentrated in the product water. So, don't confuse distilled water with 100% pure water. Careful maintenance is necessary to improve purity.

Boiling is the safest method of treating water. Protozoa and most bacteria (but not all) are killed at the first bubble. It takes about three minutes of full boil to kill the remaining bacteria.  In a large pot or kettle, bring water to a rolling boil. Some water will evaporate but puttng a lid on the container will reduce evaporation. Let the water cool before drinking.   Boiled water will taste better if you put oxygen back into it by pouring the water back and forth between two clean containers. This also will improve the taste of stored water. Boiling water does not eliminate chemical pollutants (including chlorine), poor taste or foul odors. The water can still contain particles. So filtering (through a handkerchief, for example) may be necessary.


Potassium Permanganate: Antiseptic, Water Purifier, Fire Starter and more . . .

Iodine: Tincture liquid, crystals, tablets. Can be toxic if you use more than directed.

[Activated] Charcoal Filter: is effective on water & airborne contaminates. Scraped from burnt [hard] wood or purchased, crush & sandwich a thick layer between 2 cloth pieces to breathe thorough or strain water.


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