Treating Water for Emergency Use

If you are uncertain of the purity of your water source, you should treat the water before drinking or storing it. The Missouri Department of Health suggests the following steps to purify water of questionable quality.

For both Method #1 and #2 that follow, filter the water to remove as much sediment and suspended solids as possible. This can be done by letting the water sit undisturbed overnight, then carefully pouring the top portion into another container for fur ther treatment. Another, quicker way to remove solids from water is to pour it through paper coffee filters; similarly, a clean fine-knit cloth (like a T-shirt, clean panty hose or even several layers of cheesecloth) can be used to strain the water.

Method #1 Boiling

1. Bring the water to a boil; once water is vigorously bubbling, maintain the boil for at least three minutes before using.
2. Let the water cool at least 30 minutes before using.
3. The "flat" taste of boiled water can be improved by pouring the water back-and-forth between clean, disinfected containers to dissolve air back into the water.

Method #2 Chemical Disinfection

1. Using liquid, unscented chlorine laundry bleach, like Clorox or Purex, mix one-half teaspoon bleach with two-and-one-half gallons of filtered water.
2. Let stand at least 30 minutes before using!
3. Other volumes of water can be disinfected at the rate of three drops of bleach per quart of filtered water; for example, 12 drops of bleach for a gallon of water, or one teaspoon (60 drops) for 5 gallons of water.

NOTE: Chemical treatment of drinking water is not effective for certain parasites like giardia or cryptosporidium, that may be in the water. Because of this, the Department of Health strongly recommends boiling as the treatment of choice.