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In order to develop a plan on how to furnish your own potable supply of water, you must first make an intelligent projection of usage in gallons per day of drinking water. We will not discuss non-drinkable water usage within this section. A normal person needs to drink 2 quarts of water each day. You will probably require more than during a crisis and disaster period. Furthermore, you need to have sufficient water for cooking and cleaning dishes. A typical minimum requirement is one gallant foot each family member, during the crisis.

Storing Water:
Water weighs approximately 8 pounds per gallon, which means weight can add up quickly as a number of gallons being stored in increases . Water should be stored in new containers and should be rotated. Never store water in metal and or used containers. Water should be stored with some form of anti bacterial agent. Common household bleach can be used. Avoid bleach containing softeners, scents or any other added agent, for these additives are generally poisonous. You can use straight liquid bleach with a single ingredient of sodium hypochlorite in it. The ratio is 16 drops per gallon, or one teaspoon per 5 gallons.

A better solution is to use a water preserver, which will stabilize electrolytes of oxygen for up to five years. These products selectively kill microbes, bacteria, parasites and viruses by over oxygenating the water.

How Much To Store The amount you need to store is almost impossible to predict. In the cool season we use less water than in the heat of the summer. However, if you plan on storing enough for 2-4 weeks supply for each person, that should give you enough time to prepare alternate source. Don't forget your pets.

Storing Containers
Drinkable water, ideally should be stored in sturdy,, plastic containers, with sealable lids. They should be sterile at the time of filling. Each container should be food grade and approved for water storage by the FDA.

Reuse Containers: In a pinch you can use two to three liter soda/water bottles purchased from the food store. It is very important to clean and sterilize each container prior to using it to store your water. Some families purchase lots of these containers, and they could be a good supplement to your commercially purchased containers. A few drops of chlorine in a cup of water, swish it about and let standing for a few minutes should sterilize most containers. Make sure you flush the bleach before filling.

Commercial Purchased Containers:
Note: Collapsible containers are much easier to store and ship, than rigid containers. However, they do not stack well. The later is important if your storage space is small.

• 250 gal. rigid tanks can run $200-500 each
• 200 gal. expandable bladders will run about $100
• 55 gal. FDA approved drums run about $38.00
• 5-6 gallon cans can be found for $8-$10
• Collapsible 5 gal containers are readily available

Filtering & Purifying Your Water:
There are a number of ways of making water safe to drink:

Filtration/Purification:
Visible Floating Debris Removal should always be the first step in creating potable water from bad water. Visible debris [floating chunks] will clog filters and will significantly diminish the killing power of most if not all of the adjunct chemicals used in the process. Let's call it Prefiltering of "Floating Debris" and it can be accomplished by employing a store bought prefilter [easily cleanable] in-line before your more high efficiency filters and or purifiers. In a pinch improvise, use cloth from clothing or #4 coffee filter you may carry, or when available make a sand filter. Think out of the box to remove the debris, but remove it.

There is a difference between water filters and a water purifiers. Basically, a water filter is not very efficient in removing contaminants, while a water purifier, which is also a filter, is very efficient. A filter removes some contaminates while not filtering out smaller and often more harmful contaminants. Typical filters available at retail stores are inadequate for the potential needs of crisis times as well as the potential for biochemical contamination.
A quality water purifier will meet the following standards:

• Should remove all three contaminants, bacteria, chemicals, and viruses.
• Should be able to remove all three to a 99.99999% purity level.
• Should be rated to remove bacteria to a (0.3 micon) in size.

Other important issues:

• How often would the filter/purifier cartridge need to be replaced... make sure you have an adequate supply
• How expensive are the cartridges
• Does the unit carry a seal of approval indicating it has met the standards listed above, or does it just say so in the brochures? Only use certified products.
• Purifiers are available with replacement cartridges as well as ceramic filters, which can be cleaned and reused. As long as the purifier meets the standards it is safe to use.
• Always add a chemical such as iodine to kill off any residual critters who get through the mechanical purifying process. Iodine seems to be the best product to use [see Iodine below].

Purify By Boiling: Boil for ten minutes at sea level and add 1 minute per 1000 feet above sea level.

Purify With Iodine: Add 12 drops of iodine with each gallon of purified water. To treat cloudy dirty unpurified water, double the level of iodine. Never ingest any unfiltered water with visible debris, regardless of the Iodine, because the debris diminishes the killing power of the iodine. Water that has visible debris [not just cloudy] should be filtered to remove the debris. Use any cloth or even sand to remove the debris. Once you removed the debris and you have cloudy water, then add the iodine to kill-off the critters. Let the water sit for one hour before ingesting.

Purify with Hydrogen Peroxide [food grade]: A long term [since 1978] self proclaimed primitive lifestyle contributor found that 35% hydrogen peroxide, food grade 7-10 drops per gallon of potable water keeps over 5 years. He also puts it in the live stock water troughs to stop algae from forming.

Purify With Liquid Bleach: You can use everyday unscented Bleach [Clorox] which is 5-6% Sodium Hypochlorite. Make sure you open a new container of bleach or be sure the existing container is not more than 30 days old and has had the lid tight all the time. If you are planning to work on a lot of water and containers, then use fresh bleach. Some people prefer Ultra Bleach, you either but use the Ultra with the same ratio's as indicated below. If you are using water with visible debris floating [murky] then increase the bleach dosage by 50%.

1 gallon of potable water add 16 drops bleach
3 gallon of potable water add 48 drops or equivalent of bleach
5 gallons of potable water add 1 teaspoon bleach
55 gallon drum of potable water add 1.7 liquid ounces of bleach

Then:
Shake it up good and let stand for 30 minutes and check the odor, which should be slightly bleachy. If not, add 50% more bleach and repeat the procedure. Note, when doing many water containers, work on only one until you have a system. If the temperature is below 60F, test the smell in 45 minutes or longer if much colder, not 30.

Please note: Only water purifiers will remove all contaminants, boiling won't, iodine won't and bleach won't. These are just acceptable alternatives in the absence of a quality purifier. Bleach will only kill microorganisms, it does not treat anything else. Remember to clean any container very well and don't use containers which are not food grade containers.

Purify With Granular Bleach:

Granular Bleach is "Calcium Hypochlorite"

One heaping teaspoon granular calcium hypochlorite which is about 1/4 ounce, mixed well will produce two gallons of bulk treatment water or stock solution of about 500 mg/L.

To treat water for long term storage, add the stock chlorine solution at [1] part stock to each [100] parts of storage water. Or roughly 16oz of stock to each 12 gallons of water to be disinfected.

As in liquid bleach, it kills microorganisms, but does not remove or neutralize chemical toxins.

Removing nuclear fallout from water:

• Take a bucket and punch three small holes in the bottom
• Place a couple of inches of gravel on the bottom
• Fill the rest of the bucket with dirt taken from below the surface by several inches (leave an inch or so on top of the bucket for contaminated water)
• Lay a porous cloth over the dirt
• Add water and let it drain down
• Make sure you capture the decontaminated water that comes out the bottom
• Now you can purify the decontaminated water with your water purifier

Purify by Distillation

The value in distillation is that it will remove just about everything including: heavy metals, trace minerals, salts, microbes, radioactive particulates [fallout] and most chemicals.

The downside to distillation is rate of production, which is very low. You would reserve this process for human ingestion only. Another problem occurs when the process removes trance minerals from the treated water. The human body needs trace minerals to support good health. Not replacing what we use up is a negative factor to be considered.

Of course heat which translates into energy is needed for the process. In the event of a power outage or lack of heat, distillation is not possible.

One proven method for household application is to use a normal pressure cooker. Just rig a heat resistance hose or tubing to the steam port and let it dump into a large receiving vessel such as a one gallon jug.

Foraging For Water:

Finding water inside your house: Remember, every method indicated below may yield contaminated water and you ought to purify before ingesting.

Collect from your pipes by finding the lowest faucet in the house and placing a bucket under it. Open the faucet a full turn. go to the highest faucet in the house or shower control. Open the valve a full turn. Allow to drain, then work your way to each of the other values opening and allowing to each to drain before going to the next. Make sure your bucket does not overflow.

From the toilet reservoir tanks, carefully ladle out as much water as possible. [not the bowl]

From ice cubes in your freezer.

From a waterbed, carefully drain as needed into a bucket.

From the water heater, drain into a bucket as needed.

Finding water outside your house: Remember, every method indicated below will yield contaminated water and you will need to purify before ingesting.

Hot tubs and swimming pools: are possible water sources, although extreme precaution and education is recommended before using this option. Rain Water: Place a receptacle under your gutter drains. Store as much as you can. You may not have rain again for a long time.

Snow & Ice: Just collect it in a receptacle and let it melt

Near the ocean: Go inland from the high tide mark about 20 feet and dig down. The water you find is partially desalinized already.

Near a brook: Go away from the waters edge and dig until you hit water. It will normally be cleaner than the running water.

Additional Ways To Collect Water

Solar still:

• Dig a hole in a damp area, 3' deep and 3' in diameter
• Place a bucket in the middle
• Fill the perimeter with vegetation.
• Place a sheet of clear plastic over the hole and secure all around.
• Place a small weight in the center of the plastic to cause it to settle a bit.
• Allow the sun to heat the interior, which will evaporate moisture and it will condense on the plastic.
• Eventually it will drain to the center of the plastic and drip into the bucket.
• Remove the collected water and purify

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Last edited on ... March 15, 2007
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