A recent survey shows that around 200 million Americans are drinking water contaminated with PFAS. So, how do you purify your water supply and make it less harmful than before?

After all, water is essential for our living. It’s the foundation of our health & hygiene. However, different contaminants found in the country’s water supply make it dangerous to our general well-being. The good news is that you can purify your water supply with a few tried-and-trusted methods.

In this blog, we’ll discuss chemical treatments and advanced filtration systems used to purify water. You should ponder upon the unique benefits of each method and choose the one most suitable for you.

Method #1: Chemical Purification

Iodine and Chlorine

You can start by using iodine or chlorine to get rid of different pathogens. Iodine comes in tablet forms to be dropped in water containers. Chlorine will take half an hour to make your water supply germ-free. However, you should be careful about choosing the right dosage and be mindful of the contact time.

Pros & Cons

Here are the advantages and disadvantages of this process:

• Pros: It’s a quick and portable way to purify your water supply – ideal for emergencies. A set of iodine/chlorine tablets, packed conveniently with your luggage, can give you access to clean water at all times. You can travel to another city without worrying about contaminated water!
• Cons: However, these chemicals may end up changing how your water tastes. Also, experts have argued that the chemical residue can make the water undrinkable after prolonged exposure.

Method #2: Filtration Systems

Filtration Types

You can buy different kinds of filters to get on with this process. For instance, filtration included activated carbon and ceramic filters. These filters can remove large particulates from your water supply. Also, filters are a great tool for absorbing different chemicals/pathogens efficiently.

Filter Selection Criteria

You may wonder how to choose the perfect filter. These factors will help you choose the perfect option:

• Pore size: What size of particulates can this filter remove?
• Filter life: How often do you have to replace the filter?
• Flow rate: How quickly does it filter water?

Pros & Cons

Like each water purification method, this one has unique pros and cons as well, such as:

• Pros: Your water won’t have any chemicals or pathogens after it has been filtered. It’s a great way to get access to clean water at all times.
• Cons: It requires regular maintenance and cleaning. Also, you may have to change the cartridges of your filter after a few months. But it’s a small sacrifice considering the luxury of drinking germ-free water.

Method #3: Ultraviolet (UV) Purification

Process Description

In this unique method, you’ll use UV light to purify water. A wavelength of a certain value will disinfect your water supply by deactivating the microorganisms present in it. So, you’ll get rid of bacteria, protozoa, and viruses living there. UV water purifiers are pretty nifty gadgets and are generally safe to use.

Pros & Cons

So, what’s the catch here? Here are the pros and cons of this unique method:

• Pros: If you don’t want your water to smell bad or taste yucky, use this method. It’ll eliminate the pathogens present in it without changing the flavor.
• Cons: You’ll have to locate a power source to use the UV lamp used as the water purifier here. So, if your area suffers from power outages due to emergencies, this method won’t work. The water should be clear as well for UV rays to be effective, turbidity can make this method ineffective,

Method #4: Boiling

Process Description

On number #4, we have one of the most common (and probably the oldest) methods of water purification, i.e., heating & boiling. You’ll simply boil water for two to three minutes to destroy all pathogens. The CDC calls it the “surest method to kill disease-causing germs,” recommending that you also add a pinch of salt there for every liter of water boiled. Viruses, bacteria, and parasites – it’ll eliminate them all!

Important Considerations

However, boiling takes time. You need to be patient and wait for the water to reach that desired temp at which microorganisms start to die. Also, boiling isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach to getting rid of germs; it doesn’t remove chemical contaminants from your water supply.

Conclusion

This is what we learned from this piece: filtration is a great way to treat household water and make it safer for consumption. However, smaller pathogens left untreated by filtration die when you boil the water. It doesn’t remove chemical contaminants – especially the “forever chemicals” – so, you should switch to the distillation process instead. Chlorination will take this purification a step further while reverse osmosis is a great way to include contaminants like dissolved solids and microorganisms.

You should keep purified water on you while traveling. Entropy Survival offers a water package made for a family with a 72-hour water supply. Their premium filter comes with up chlorine purification tablet and is capable of processing a thousand gallons of water. That’s how you can always be ready for emergencies. Get in touch with Entry Survival to further emergency survival tips and best practices.