Water Treatment Methods

TOMBSTONE

TOMBSTONE

Joined
Oct 31, 1998
Messages
3,036
Well I just bought some water treatment tablets and the tablets that remove the iodine taste after treatment.I guess they have a shelf life of about 4 years if bottles remain sealed.They replaced ones that I had for about fifteen years,good thing I never needed the old ones :eek: Has anybody ever had water tested to see how effectively they remove bacteria or how effective old "expired" ones remained.I was also thinking,I thought I have heard that like a teaspoon of bleach per quart or gallon kills all bacteria and is good for long term water storage.Any thoughts about using bleach for water treatment and/or stabalizing water storage supplies.Any ill effects and what exactly is the bleach to water ratio if anyone knows?Would this type water treatment also in the process keep the canteen/camelback style resevoirs clean,cause I heard they can get kinda cruddy after alot of use?Thanks
 
Here in Brazil I use the Potable Aqua Plus iodine tablets when I can get them just because they are practical and effective.

I also use 2% Tincture of Iodine drops and had the pharmacy make me up 100, 45mg capsules of ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) for about $3. This effectively duplicates the action of the Potable Aqua Plus both treating the water and removing the iodine taste.

If you use iodine treated water to cook starchy food it will turn the food blue. Iodine treated water that has has the ascorbic acid added to it does not.

Also at the local pharmacy I can buy Potassium Permanganate in neat little foil packets,10 packets for about 25 cents. I have these stashed away in various kits and places as a backup water treatment source. (Add three sugar grain sized crystals to a liter of water) It looks funny (Light pink) but it works. I have a packet of this taped inside the little pocket of each of my canteens, that way it's there it I ever need it.

I have used bleach but in actual use you end up getting it dripped on your clothes at some point. It never fails, you will come home with a white spot on something! Mac
 
Chlorine will not reliably kill cryptosporidium. Iodine will. After treatment, I run it thru a .4 micron filter and charcoal absorber. (Sweetwater Guardian). That will basically remove anything that I may have missed with the iodine (IE not waiting long enough for it to work.), and the charcoal removes pesticides that the iodine won't touch, and removes the iodine taste.
 
Has anyone tried the Steri-Pen yet? It looks interesting, but it's a little too pricey for me at the moment.

http://www.hydro-photon.com/hydropgs/how_works.html


Tombstone,

Iirc, it's a teaspoon of bleach per gallon, to keep bacteria from building up. However, before drinking the water, you should take off the cap and put it in a sunny spot, to help the chlorine dissipate.

Brommeland is correct though - only iodine will get rid of cryptosporidium, which is one *nasty* little bug!

Oh, one last thing: chemical pollution in water. Neither boiling, iodine or bleach will get rid of it. The only sure ways are: distillation or running the water through a carbon filter.

I hope this is helpful to you.
 
Yes,thanks to all,this is very helpful.I will check out the links too,thanks very much guy's.I'm even thinking about adding some water filter device to my backpack contents,if I can get something compact.I would really like something small that I could directly pump from water supply into canteen/camelback resevoir.Inexpensive long lasting replacement filters is a plus.thanks again
 
Let me ask another question of water storage treatment.I wanted to or I'am in the process of putting together a emergency backpack kit that I may also use on hiking and/or hunting treks.I have backpack that has a 100oz camelback bladder that fits in the pack.I thought about keeping it filled as in an "event"I may not have time.However;I don't really want to have to change the water every couple months so it doesn't go "bad" Is this a case where it is wise to keep it filled and ready and perhaps treat it with bleach for this storage? How long is it wise to keep this water treated or untreated?
 
I've been using a chlorine dioxide water purification system (brand name: Pristine). Very effective against bacteria, viruses, giardia and cryptosporidium. You mix 5 to 10 drops of Solution A and Solution B in a small plastic cap (supplied), wait five minutes for it to react and add it to a quart or litre of water. Let it stand for 15 minutes and it is ready to drink. The two 30 ml. bottle are enough to treat 120 litres (30 gallons). There is no aftertaste. The same system is used in some municipal treatment systems.
 
Brigade Quartermaster sells an aerobic water stabilizer:
"AEROBIC OXYGEN, 2-FL OZ BOTTLE
A safe, non-toxic stabilized liquid concentrate of electrolytes of oxygen is used for treating emergency stores of drinking water. Experienced travelers have long used Aerobic Oxygen to purify questionable drinking water. It removes chlorine in about 30 seconds and kills infectious bacteria and organisms.
Shipping Weight: 0.12 lb / 0.05 kg
AEROBIC OXYGEN STABILIZED 2OZ - AOW99 $11.99

BQM also sells a 2-pack for $18.99 + shipping.

Another source for the same sort of product:
http://www.emprep.com/water preserver.html

Water storage barrels & smaller containers:
http://www.emprep.com/water_storage_barrels.html

Some related threads found by doing a Search of this forum:
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=246201
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=214718
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=210620
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=197251
 
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