Squaregrouper's SHTF Water Info Thread

[Squaregrouper]

Square,

I've see ads for SteriPens (UV light pen), these would kill biologicals, but not filter out chemicals. Would it then need to be run through an activated charcoal filter for chemical treatment, some other method?

Q

#1- The fluence/dose of UV light is very important. Make sure the flow is slow enough to kill things rather than just give them a sunburn.
#2- Activated carbon is effective at removing many (but not all) toxins from water.
For SHTF situations, you should be good to go- provided you have electricity for your UV.

 

[Squaregrouper]

Keep in mind two things about distilled water:

1. It is not advisable to drink distilled water in a long-term situation. The pH will be more acidic than what your body needs and mineral equilibrium will pull essential minerals out of your body.
2. Distilling water does not necessarily make it "pure". The source water may contain VOCs that vaporize at or below the temperature that your water is boiling at. These VOCs will condense along with your "pure" water.

This is important to know and understand. Long term being the important thing to know. Drinking distilled water for a week isn't going to hurt you; for a year is a different story.

 

[Boondock Saint]

Keep in mind two things about distilled water:

1. It is not advisable to drink distilled water in a long-term situation. The pH will be more acidic than what your body needs and mineral equilibrium will pull essential minerals out of your body.
2. Distilling water does not necessarily make it "pure". The source water may contain VOCs that vaporize at or below the temperature that your water is boiling at. These VOCs will condense along with your "pure" water.

This is important to know and understand. Long term being the important thing to know. Drinking distilled water for a week isn't going to hurt you; for a year is a different story.

What, if anything, can be done about the potential VOCs in the distilled water? Doesn't seem like something that could be treated with chlorine.

 

[Squaregrouper]

What, if anything, can be done about the potential VOCs in the distilled water? Doesn't seem like something that could be treated with chlorine.

The simple answer is to not distill water which is obviously polluted. Stay away from Inner Harbor, Anacostia, steel mill canal, etc.

 

[Boxcab]

Activated Carbon

Once the filtering has been completed, would something like this ( https://www.amazon.com/Activated-Ch...d=1473875730&sr=8-4&keywords=activated+carbon ) work by setting the bags in a 5 gallon bucket with a small hole in the bottom, draining into another bucket?
I assume the carbon can be re-activated by baking it at some temp, for some length of time. How long would I expect this be re-useable?



.

 

[CrazySanMan]

I have a question.

I live in Colorado and I routinely camp above 10,000' in elevation. Up here water boils at a lower temperature. At 11,000' water boils around 190 degrees. Is that temperature high enough to safely kill any nasties in the water?
__________________

 

[Squaregrouper]

Once the filtering has been completed, would something like this ( https://www.amazon.com/Activated-Ch...d=1473875730&sr=8-4&keywords=activated+carbon ) work by setting the bags in a 5 gallon bucket with a small hole in the bottom, draining into another bucket?
I assume the carbon can be re-activated by baking it at some temp, for some length of time. How long would I expect this be re-useable?



.

This will work. You can filter >1000 gallons with a pound of carbon. This would be easier and more sanitary- just use a funnel...
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Pentek-158116-Slim-Line-Filter-Housing-Clear-Blue-PENTEK-158116/206017090
http://www.homedepot.com/p/HDX-Carbon-Household-Filter-2-Pack-HDX2CF4/205373472

 

[Squaregrouper]

I have a question.

I live in Colorado and I routinely camp above 10,000' in elevation. Up here water boils at a lower temperature. At 11,000' water boils around 190 degrees. Is that temperature high enough to safely kill any nasties in the water?
__________________

You should be fine. To the best of my knowledge, no "nasties" can survive 175f for 5 minutes.

 

[cap6888]

This will work. You can filter >1000 gallons with a pound of carbon. This would be easier and more sanitary- just use a funnel...
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Pentek-158116-Slim-Line-Filter-Housing-Clear-Blue-PENTEK-158116/206017090
http://www.homedepot.com/p/HDX-Carbon-Household-Filter-2-Pack-HDX2CF4/205373472

Ok, maybe I am misunderstanding and/or over simplifying, but did I read right that carbon flyers chemicals? If I used the items you listed in the above post, and maybe two five gallon buckets, would that suffice to make pool water potable?

 

[Squaregrouper]

Ok, maybe I am misunderstanding and/or over simplifying, but did I read right that carbon flyers chemicals? If I used the items you listed in the above post, and maybe two five gallon buckets, would that suffice to make pool water potable?[/QUOTE

You are correct.
If the pool is above ground, you could use my method as a siphon.

 

[cap6888]

Excellent. When you say "siphon method" I am guessing, hose from pool into the top of the filter on the input side, hose on the output side to clean container, and then a simple hand siphon pump in line on the output side?

 

[Qbeam]

Square,


Thanks for all the information. I have a question, and it is regarding Leptospirosis. I have asked MSR and Katydyn if their filters (.2 micron), eliminates this, and have gotten crickets in response. Would you be able to answer whether the .2 Micron filter devices would eliminate Leptospirosis.




Q

 

[Squaregrouper]

Square,


Thanks for all the information. I have a question, and it is regarding Leptospirosis. I have asked MSR and Katydyn if their filters (.2 micron), eliminates this, and have gotten crickets in response. Would you be able to answer whether the .2 Micron filter devices would eliminate Leptospirosis.




Q

Leptospira bacteria are .2-.4 microns wide, so it might make it through your filters. Get some Calcium Hypochlorite (granular chlorine) or Potassium Permanganate and biologically treat your water that way.
As stated before, I don't have much faith in portable filters finer than 1 micron- they will clog quite quickly.
Leptosporis is rare in the US and I would be much more worried about cysts and E. coli- which are very common in MD.

 

[Squaregrouper]

Excellent. When you say "siphon method" I am guessing, hose from pool into the top of the filter on the input side, hose on the output side to clean container, and then a simple hand siphon pump in line on the output side?

Tube to pool---filter---tube from filter. Suck start siphon and have a valve or something else to stop the flow once the desired amount is collected.

 

[mesmithwesson]

Well, if you're talking SHTF scenario, purchasing anything at the S-Mart is out the window ...

Collection is your first task. Then bulk filtering - strain out the leaves and dead bugs. Charcoal (which you can make from a campfire) over a sand-bed filter (which you can raid from a local golf course or playground) will help take some of the funk out. The next step would be distillation (using the aforementioned fire.) Cook off the low-temp volatiles like methanol and acetone, then harvest the water, and toss the high-temp leftovers. The process is similar to that of distilling corn squeezings, though you actually want the water this time. You'll have to adjust the process depending on what the contaminants are.

Probably should learn to brew beer. After all, it did save civilization.

Its true!

Rainwater collection works.

 

[cap6888]

Tube to pool---filter---tube from filter. Suck start siphon and have a valve or something else to stop the flow once the desired amount is collected.

Thank you Square for potentially saving me and my family's life!

 

[Squaregrouper]

Thank you Square for potentially saving me and my family's life!

No problem.
Remember this will only be safe as long as the pool is still chlorinated.

 

[Mr H]

Great thread!

Do Life Straws (or similar products) actually work? By actually working, I mean would you use it to drink out of a creek like they advertise?

I was actually thinking about this yesterday...

I would think that if a LifeStraw (or equivalent) is all you have, it's likely better than nothing. I would still want to boil first for bio, then the straw/filter for chem/detritus.

Oh yeah... and always drink UPstream from the herd!!

 

[Streetgang]

In third world countries organizations like UNICEF, and other NGO's who give training to the locals to sanitize water buy filtration through sand charcoal and straw then decant the clear water into clear containers then put them in the sun (usually on a sloped south facing roof) for 24hrs. The mechanical filtration removes particulates and somewhat sanitizes and the UV from the sun finishes the sanitizing work.

My background in survival instruction and Navy training has allowed me to use this method many times as well as steri pens (which as you mentioned require some source of power) and yet to get sick.
Of course since this method only minimally removes chemicals (charcoal) I've always used water from sources that are free (as much as is possible) from chemical contaminants.

Thoughts or comments?

 

[cap6888]

No problem.
Remember this will only be safe as long as the pool is still chlorinated.

Hmmm. Follow up question, I don't use chlorine, I use biguanide (Baquacil) instead of chlorine. Does that change things?