Three Easy Ways to Sanitize Water

In addition to having a bad odor and taste, contaminated water can contain microorganisms that cause diseases such as dysentery, cholera, typhoid and hepatitis. You should therefore sanitize all water of uncertain purity before using it for drinking, food preparation or hygiene.

There are many ways to sanitize water. None are perfect. Often the best solution is a combination of methods. Before purifying, let any suspended particles settle to the bottom, or strain them through layers of paper towel or clean cloth.

Three easy purification methods are outlined below. These measures will kill microbes but will not remove other contaminants such as heavy metals, salts, and most other chemicals. Ideally, before trying to sanitize water, filter it through a clean T-shirt, paper towel, or coffee filter before trying to sanitize it.

1. Boiling is the safest method of sanitizing water. Bring water to a rolling boil for 10 minutes, keeping in mind that some water will evaporate. Let the water cool before drinking. This will require a source of heat, such as a propane stove or grill (used outdoors, of course), or a fireplace. Boiled water will taste better if you put oxygen back into it pouring it back and forth between two containers. This will also improve the taste of stored water.
2. Purification tablets release chlorine or iodine. They are inexpensive and available at most sporting goods stores, some drugstores, and online. Follow the package directions. Usually one tablet is enough for one quart of water. Double the dose for cloudy water.
3. Chlorination uses liquid chlorine bleach to kill microorganisms. See the information box below.

USING BLEACH TO SANITIZE WATER

Use regular household unscented liquid bleach, 5%-9% concentration of sodium hypochlorite. Use 2 drops from a medicine dropper (0.1 milliliters or a tiny amount-too small to measure) for one 1 quart of water; 8 drops from a medicine dropper (1/2 milliliters or a little less than 1/8 teaspoon) for every one gallon of water. Stir the bleach and water mixture well and let stand for at least 30 minutes before use. Keep sanitized water in marked, clean, tightly-sealed, sanitized containers. Bleach-sanitized water should taste and smell of chlorine, however, it won’t hurt you. If it does not, add another dose and let stand another 15 minutes.



If you do not have a dropper, use a spoon and a square-ended strip of paper or thin cloth about l/4 inch by 2 inches. Put the strip in the spoon with an end hanging down about 1/2 inch below the scoop of the spoon. Place the bleach in the spoon and carefully tip it. Drops the size of those from a medicine dropper will drip off the end of the strip.

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