How to Clean Contaminated Water

If you get stuck in a place where you do not have access to pure drinking water, you can clean contaminated water in several ways. You may need to do it in crisis situations such as becoming lost in a desert or purifying water in your home when dealing with the after effects of a natural disaster. In this post, we will show you how to clean contaminated water.

Boiling

Boiling the water is a reliable way to kill parasites and bacteria in the water. Boiling is a very safe method of disinfecting water, although all chemical pollution is not evaporated in this way.

You can kill most organisms in the water by boiling it for just five minutes. The water will be safer if you can boil it for ten minutes. If you are at the top of a mountain, you will need longer time to boil the water.

You can boil water over a campfire in a ceramic, glass or metal container. If you do not find a fireproof container, you can use a rock depression, an animal stomach, a folded bark container or something like that. Then heat some rocks for about half an hour and keep them in the container.

Distillation

Water supply can be tainted by lead, radiation, heavy metals and salt. If you try to filter out these contaminants, you may end up ruining your water filter. You do not have many options when you only have access to dangerous water. Water distillation is one of the safest solutions.

You can heat water into steam, and then you can capture the steam and turn it into clean water. But you have to know that all possible contaminants will not be removed by distillation. Some organic compounds and volatile oils will stay behind.

If you are in a field, you can use a solar still. It collects and distills water easily. It is pretty easy to build it. You just need to place a plastic sheet over a two-foot deep hole, and keep a clean container in the bottom.

Survival straws

Survival straws are one of the lightest and smallest water disinfecting tools. Several models of survival straws are available on the market. A survival straw can also fit to a garden hose. It will filter the water that runs through it.

But it can not filter out all types of bacteria and virus. A carbon filter element filters the water. It filters out pathogens and larger bacteria, and removes odors and odd flavors from the water.

Filters

There are mainly two types of water filters: suction filters and pump-action filters. Suction filters utilize a gravity drip action while pump action filters use a pump to force water through a cartridge. When you use it on a hydration bladder, the water is sucked through the filter.

It is better if the filter has a ceramic cartridge and the inside is silver embedded. If you use a ceramic filter, the larger pathogens are filtered out easily.

Ultraviolet rays

You can kill bacteria within a few minutes by swishing an ultraviolet flashlight around in the water. This device is easy to carry and easy to use. To operate it, you need batteries. You can not filter out solid particles if you use this method. If you want to know how to clean contaminate water, using ultraviolet rays can be one of the smartest ideas.

Purification tablets and drops

Purification tablets and drops are not only inexpensive but also easy to use. But using these products is not the best method of water purification. In most cases, chemicals such as iodine, potassium permanganate and chlorine are used.

Before you consume the water, you should allow the chemicals to work for at least 20 minutes. To mask the taste of these chemicals, you can use powdered mixes.

Evaporation trap

If you get stuck in a place where you do not have access to water, making evaporation trap is one of the best things you can do. In this process, moisture is pulled out of the earth. If you are looking for how to clean contaminated water within a short time, evaporation trap is an effective method.

The procedure is pretty easy. Dig a hole in the ground. Then, on the bottom, insert a container. To prevent the moisture from escaping, the hole should be covered with plastic. In the center, you should put a small weight. Make sure there is a dip in the center.

This is not a fast way to get some water. But this technique can be useful in an emergency situation.

Ozonation

To produce purified water, most European countries use Ozonation. Ozone is a blue gas that has a bitter smell. It perfectly works as a disinfectant. By bubble contact, this gas is added to the water. It can break down many types of organisms. It can also solve odor and taste problems of the water.

But the operational cost of this system is pretty high. And ozone generation can lead to toxicity and fire hazards. Ozonation is a great way to go if you want to know how to clean contaminated water within a short time.

Chlorination

Chlorine has long been used as a powerful chemical to treat water. Whether you need to purify ground or tap water, using chlorine is a good idea. It purifies water by killing parasites, germs and other organisms. You can use liquid chlorine or chlorine tablets.

If you want to know how to clean contaminated water, using chlorine is one of the best ways to do that. This product is effective and cheap. However, you should be cautious when using liquid chlorine or chlorine tablets. If you have thyroid problems, you should avoid using this product.

Iodine treatment

Iodine is a salt component and powerful disinfectant. It can not only purify water but also prevent thyroid problems. Iodine is found in the forms of crystal, tablet, liquid and tincture. Iodine can also kill Giardia cysts if you can use it in the right way. Would you like to know how to clean contaminated water? You can try Iodine treatment.

Iodine is a powerful substance, and it can be dangerous if you use it in high doses. You should use iodine only when you do not have access to other methods of water purification.

Children, pregnant children, and people with allergies should not use iodine. For every quart of water, you should use two drop of iodine. You can use up to 10 drops if the water is not clean.

Solar purification

When you do not have access to traditional purification methods, solar purification can be a good option for you. If you are living in an emergency situation, you can use this effective water purification method. If you get stuck in an isolated place and you want to know how to clean contaminated water, solar purification can be a great solution.

There is a misconception about pond water. Some people think that when the sun shines on the stagnant water of a pond, the heat kills dangerous microbes. But in reality, it is always unsafe to drink pond water. Different types of bacteria breed below the surface of stagnant water.

You can disinfect water simply using sunlight and plastic bottles. Labels and paper should be removed from the bottle. Make sure that there are no scratches on the bottles. Fill the bottle with water and shake it for about 30 seconds. It will activate the oxygen.