The last in this weeks survival series….
Drinking unclean water can make you very sick. It could contain a variety of bacteria, viruses, parasites and all kinds of nasty organisms. Since we all need about a gallon of water a day to survive… what do we do if our water is contaminated? If you have not prepared a head of time with bottles or jugs of water, there are a few ways to find or make clean water for consumption:
*for all these water sources, please see the section on how to make it safe/clean!
Hot water tank. You have a stored amount of water in here. The key is that if your water supply going into the house is or has a chance of being contaminated, shut off the valve on your hot water tank so that no more comes into it. You can then safely use (or boil to use) your water in that tank.
Canned foods often have a lot of water in them! Don’t let that go to waste, use it!
Toilet water. Okay, I know, yuck yuck, and OMG yuck. Do NOT use it from the bowl, use it only from the tank!
Gutter system
Swimming pool
Rivers, streams, lakes, etc. (these are also a breeding ground for microorganisms that can harm you!)
Don’t ever use water that smells funny or has funny colors to it.
Make water clean/safe to drink by:
Boiling it:
Clear water: Bring the water to a ROLLING boil for 3 minutes. Cool. Drink.
Cloudy water: You must filter the water through a cloth, a coffee filter, or whatever has small enough holes to keep the junky stuff from falling through it along with the water. Let it settle! Then draw off the water and bring it to a boil (rolling) for 3 minutes. Cool. Drink.
Beach it. (pure bleach! no colors, scents, or other disinfectants!)
Clear water: 8 drops from a dropper per 1 gallon of water. Mix. Let stand 30 min.
Cloudy water: 16 drops from a dropper per 1 gallon of water. Mix. Let stand 30 min.
Rock and Sand filtering. Actually, my son told me about this one!
Get 2 – two liter bottles.
Cut about 4-5 inches off the top of one bottle and the bottom of the other.
Hold the one with the top still on it upside down so that the pouring spout is facing down.
Cover the spout with a coffee filter or clean piece of cloth. Secure it.
Place the bottle with the spout (or neck) facing down into the bottle with the top cut off.
On top of the filter or cloth, layer — in the order:
A cup or so of small stones or pebbles.
then gravel
then sand.
Pour your water over this primitive type system to filter out your water. I’m pretty sure this will not filter out organisms, so I would still bring it to a boil after you have filtered it.
