When SHTF Survival Series ~ water

Water is a basic necessity! Consumption , personal hygeine, washing clothes to flushing a toilet.... all are important and we need water to do those things. Now what do we do if a crisis event happens and we find ourselves without running water? How do we survive?

~ excerpt from http://hardnoxandfriends....

You’ll need 1 gallon of water, per person, per day, just to stay alive. Three days is about the max anyone can go without being critically dehydrated. If you don’t have a ready source, you’ll have to stock it. Flushing a toilet and keeping clean can take much more so consider this as well.... or an alternative in case there is no running water available.

Bottled water will be great in an emergency situation for a few days if you have it on hand. If the event lasts longer than you have prepared for, then that could be a big problem.

Some more tips from http://hardnoxandfriends....

A tub is great for short term emergencies but, for the longer term, you’re gonna need some containers. Milk jugs are NOT recommended as they tend to leak and they’re too hard to sanitize.

Standard “fountain” jugs are a “given”, Arizona Iced Tea containers are thick and easy to clean and carry. Soda Bottles are good, too. Check your camping aisle for collapsible containers. They’re fairly cheap and purposed; with a spigot.

Before we go ANY further into this, let’s make 2 things distinctly clear. There are two (2) important factors regarding procurement of drinking water: 1. Filtration and 2. Purification.

Filtration means to filter particles/solids FROM the water. This can be done using a sock, canvas or Denim material, a coffee filter or any tightly-woven medium with the finest of holes. The tighter the material, the better.
A pool filter that uses sand is great and adding a layer of ground, plain, old-fashioned charcoal (not the “easy-lite” type) is another. A ceramic type or Brita Brand filter is great as this is their intended purpose. Even a Camper’s “Soldier Water Filter” will save your life, (I bought mine on Ebay for less than $30.00 and it’ll filter ~500 gallons).

But that’s only the half of it…Now we need to purify it. Just because it “looks clean”, doesn’t make it safe!

Purification is an entirely different issue and must be taken VERY seriously. Many have fallen ill, and died, as a result of improperly treated water.

Boiling
The first recommendation, commonly broadcast during water emergencies, is BOIL YOUR WATER!

Distillation
Distillation is another method, though not commonly used (unless you’re already into making “hooch”) in purifying water. The heat kills the bacteria and the vaporization removes any residual solids leaving nothing but pure water.

UV/Sunlight
Here is an easy and recommended way, by the WHO (World Health Org.) using UV light to kill bacteria. Simply fill a clear bottle with water and let the sun do the work. After 5 or 6 hours of exposure, you should be good to go. No one says it’ll taste good but, at least, it’ll be safe to drink.
Here is a YouTube video on “Easy Water Purification Secret”

~~~~~~

BEFORE I GO ANY FURTHER, the following disclaimer must be understood: The information, provided herein, is in no way to be considered as instructional or construed as indicative of any technical prowess on my behalf. This information is provided for EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY and I disclaim any responsibility by the readers’ use, thereto. I INSIST you do your own research into the use of ANY CHEMICALS and their handling thereof. SAFETY EQUIPMENT AND DUE CAUTION IS ADVISED!

~~~~~~

Chlorine

Using readily available, UNSCENTED, liquid Bleach (containing 5% to 6% Sodium Hypochlorate), add 2 drops per quart / 8 drops per gallon / 1/2 teaspoon per 5 gallons and 3 tablespoons per 100 gallons of water. Shake/mix well and allow it to sit for at least 30 minutes before consuming.

Since emergencies are not announced, keep a few eye droppers and a small bottle of Bleach in your “Bug Out Bag”, right next to your canteen – but away from your “Granola Bars”.

Here is the video: Survival Skills 101: Clorox!! How to Purify/Disinfect Water:

MAKING YOUR OWN BLEACH SOLUTION – DUE CAUTION ADVISED!

Since common household Bleach degrades after a year of storage, you may want to know how to make your own “Bleach” from HTH Brand “Pool Shock” containing 78~% Calcium Hypochlorate and NO OTHER additives.

It’s used in pools and can be bought in large quantities under the label of “HTH” at any Walmart or large item store. This is a very volatile chemical and can cause serious injury if not used with DUE CAUTION. Gloves, glasses and a face mask are insisted upon.
Here is the formula, according to the video, below, for diluting it into a usable form:

Add 1 “rounded” teaspoon to 2 gallons of water and allow it to dissolve thoroughly before using. Shake as needed before use. Then follow the previous procedure, under Chlorine, for sanitizing your drinking water.

HERE is the video on making it using HTH “Pool Shock”, containing Calcium Hypochlorate.

~~~~~~

***Please Note: Both Sodium Hypochlorite and Chlorine do not deactivate Giardia Lambia and Cryptosporidium, however, heat and UV Lighting, does.

Please read HERE  and HERE for more information on Giardia Lambia and Cryptosporidium.

For a short term scenario, many folks may overlook a ready supply of potable water already in their homes – the water heater and toilet. Most modern toilet tanks hold something just under two gallons of water, and water heaters around 30 gallons. This is water ready for consumption, and sufficient to meet survival needs for several days as you implement longer term transition measures. Just remember to ‘toilet dip’ from the reserve tank, not the bowl.

I went to the local Coca Cola Bottling plant. 55 gallon FOOD GRADE barrels were $25.00. They also had some 15 gallon barrels, and I may get a couple later. I don’t recommend barrels from soap or other such as they may not be food grade. I have a 55 gallon barrel in my upstairs bathroom (with a cover on it, it makes a nice table for toiletries). and because it’s upstairs, gravity will give me water-flow to the downstairs. Have a second one on the balcony outside the library room, but it’s not purified (hey, gotta use something to flush now and then).

Anything labeled HDPE is safe for potable water.

An excellent source for plastic barrels is an auto auction or car dealer. They purchase car soap by the barrel. A new 55 gallon plastic barrel will cost $75 plus freight. Most auto places will give them away for free. The key is washing them out. If you don’t get the soap out you will get a bad case of the squirts.

I recommend flooding them several times, then once the soap is gone dump some bleach in and let it sit for a few days then drain the barrels and let them dry thoroughly, then reseal them and store in a shaded place. Most seals have a 3/4′ threaded center for the addition of a spigot.

I recommend setting the barrels on their side elevated and chocked so they won’t roll. Position the openings vertical. Use the top plug/seal to fill the barrels thus using the spigot at the bottom for dispensing.

The easiest way to fill them is from the bottom using a female – female hose adapter (same as for your washing machine). Vent the top first and fill it. Occasionally you will find barrels that have 3/4″ thread in both seals. In that case install two spigots. One for draining – the other for venting. Install garden hose caps on the spigots to keep the spiders out.

If possible get the black barrels. Black will prevent algae from forming as it will prevent sunlight.

~ excerpt from http://www.bae.ncsu.edu/p...

Be sure that the water you are treating is drinking-quality water to begin with. To treat water for storage, use liquid household chlorine bleach that contains 5.25 percent sodium hypochlorite. Do not use bleach with soaps or scents added. Add the bleach according to the table below, using a clean, uncontaminated medicine dropper. 

4 drops bleach per quart or liter container of water
8 drops bleach per 2-quart, 2-liter, or ½ gallon container of water
16 drops bleach, or 1/4 teaspoon, per gallon or 4-liter container of water 

When treating larger quantities of water, use the following table to convert drops to standard measuring units.

8 drops = 1/8 teaspoon
16 drops = 1/4 teaspoon
32 drops = ½ teaspoon
64 drops = 1 teaspoon
192 drops = 1 Tablespoon
384 drops = 1/8 cup which is equal to 2 Tablespoons 

Stir the water and allow it to stand for 30 minutes. Chlorine should be detectable by odor after the 30 minute waiting period. If the water does not smell like chlorine at that point, repeat the dose and let it stand another 15 minutes. Place caps on containers and attach labels describing the contents and when each was prepared.
Water stored in metal containers should not be treated, prior to storage, with chlorine since the chlorine compound is corrosive to most metals. Therefore, only very pure water should be stored in metal containers. 

~ Excerpt from http://www.instructables....

** NOTE~ Iodine tincture is not to be ingested...I have changed the tincture to an iodine solution that is safe to ingest!**

How To Purify Water Using Iodine…..

When you’re in the wilderness, you need clean water to drink — Luckily, there are a number of ways to purify water, and one of the simplest, cheapest, and most effective ways is to use Lugol’s iodine solution. Unless you have a very rare case of being allergic to Iodine, Lugol’s is not only safe, but actually good for you when taken in reasonable amounts.

Using Lugol’s is much healthier for you than chlorine is.

To complete this task, you’ll need the following:

–Water bottle: metal water bottle will work best, but all you really need is any container that will hold water.

–Iodine Solution: You want Iodine …. 2.2% Lugol’s solution.

–An eyedropper: Counting the number of drops is the easiest way to keep track of how much you’re using.

–A good water source: This can be a lake, a river, a stream, etc. If you have a choice of water sources, consider these two tips:

Clear water is better than cloudy water.
Flowing water is better than still water.

Remember, though, that even if the water looks extremely pure and clean, it should still be purified before drinking. Looks can be deceiving!

Fill Your Bottle…. To do this, position yourself close to the water source and tilt the bottle under the water. You want to collect water from near the surface, so don’t just immerse the whole bottle in the water. Let the bottle fill up and remove it.

Examine your bottle of water to make sure there are not too many floating particles (called “floaties” in scientific terms). A couple of small floaties are fine, but too many large floaties can be dangerous. If this happens, you need to try filling up again. A way to solve this problem is to cover the mouth of the bottle with a bandanna or thin cloth that will allow water into the bottle but keep floaties out.

Add the Iodine …..Dip your eyedropper into the iodine and squeeze up some of the liquid. Carefully position the eyedropper over the mouth of the bottle and add 5-10 drops per 32 fluid ounces (about 1 liter) of water. The exact number of drops is a personal choice (I can’t make this decision for you) depending on the following factors:

The water source: if your source is a lake or some other still body of water, you want to add closer to 10 drops; if the source is flowing, you can add fewer.
The clarity of the water: you should add closer to 10 drops if the water is cloudy.
Your own aversion to the taste of iodine: some people hate the taste of iodine (it is a little bitter, and you will notice the taste in your purified water). If this is the case, you might want to add closer to 5 drops.

the addition of Vitamin C eliminate the unpleasant flavor IT IS A VITAL STEP FOR SAFE DRINKING WATER. Use 1/2 tablet of vitamin C after the iodine purification time is done.

If you are filling up a bottle or container that is not 32 fl. oz. or 1 liter, change your measurements accordingly. A 2 liter bottle will require twice the number of drops.

Wait 5 Minutes…After five minutes, you need to purify the mouth and rim of the bottle (which touched the original water source). To do this, you need to “thread” the bottle. Turn the bottle upside down and slowly unscrew the top until you can see a ring of water appear around the inner rim. Once you see that ring of water, you know that the water with the iodine has touched the mouth of the bottle and disinfected it. Screw the top back on and flip the bottle right-side up.

A little water will probably leak out while threading, and that’s not bad–it just ensures that you’ve fully threaded.

Wait 30 Minutes…..

The iodine needs time to completely purify the water. You need to wait 30 minutes before you can drink the water.