During the apocalypse, you can’t be too picky with your food. The same goes for water. There may come a time when there’s no more clean drinking water. When this happens, your knowledge of how to purify water will help keep you alive and hydrated.
Boiling
The simplest and most common way to purify water is by boiling. This process kills bacteria, parasites, and even viruses. Boiling also doesn’t require adding chemicals to purify water.
Boiling water is great if you want to have a cup of coffee to relax your nerves after a bout with flesh-eating zombies. If you want something cold to quench your thirst, you need to ice it up. Unfortunately, there likely won’t be ice left in an EOTW scenario. You also need to wait for the water to cool before you can drink it.
Another problem with boiling water is that it does not get rid of metals and other harmful chemicals such as pesticides. You also need to strain or filter the water to get rid of large particles. Boiling also requires a match, lighter or fire starter to make a fire. It also takes some time before water boils and some of the water is lost through boiling.
Chlorine
Some people may not be aware that household bleach can be used to purify water. While this doesn’t sound too appetizing, chlorine bleach can make water safe to drink. Just make sure the bleach is not expired yet and does not contain additives such as dye and perfume.
To purify water using chlorine, simply add 16 drops of bleach to every gallon of water. If you managed to gather only a liter of dirty water, you just need four drops of chlorine to make the water safe to drink. Mix the chlorine and water thoroughly and let it stand for 30 minutes to an hour. The taste and smell of the water will be quite discouraging but it’s better than drinking dirty water.
Iodine
Iodine can also be used to purify water. Yes, the same iodine you put on a wound can be used to make water safe to drink. It’s a good alternative to boiling, especially if you’re trying to avoid using up valuable resources, particularly you’re matches and other fire starters.
When the water is a little hazy, add ten drops of regular 2% iodine. Use only five drops if the water is clear. Wait for at least half an hour before drinking the water. Iodine kills many but not all the pathogens in the water.
Iodine also comes in tablet or crystal form. They can also be used to purify water.
Distillation
Distillation is a better way to purify water compared to using iodine because it kills all the pathogens. It also gets rid of pollutants and can even make salt water safe to drink. It is done by allowing your water to evaporate to separate the molecules. The clean, distilled water is then collected in another container.
Ultraviolet Germicidal Radiation
Ultraviolet light works with other processes to completely purify water. On its own, UV radiation can eliminate microorganisms but does little to get rid of pollutants.
UV water purification is done using an ultraviolet lamp. It is fast and is the healthiest of all the other processes. However, the microbes can be reactivated if UV-radiated water is exposed to visible light.
LifeStraw
When on the go, you can’t always stop to start a fire and boil after or to teat dirty water and wait until their purified. A LifeStraw water bottle will do wonders in keeping you hydrated and alive.
If you want the cleanest and healthiest you can drink after the water grid fails, it’s best that you combine the water purification processes in this list. Whatever water you gather and purify, you need containers to keep them clean.
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