How to Treat Water in Emergency Situations

If you find yourself in an emergency situation, you’re most likely going to need clean drinking water. But without a clean water source, you’ll need to know how to treat water to make sure it’s safe. Water filters are lightweight and inexpensive, and can give you a constant supply of fresh drinking water. Below I have listed a few different types of water filters and water filtration systems.

Pump Filters

One popular method for filtering water is through the use of pump filters. Most pump filters have a small unit that’s placed directly into the contaminated water. The unit is connected to the main filtration system and pump via a flexible hose. Many of today’s pump filters include a built-in pre-filter that removes sediment before the water is run through the filter. The pre-filter helps to extend the life of system.

Using this type of filter requires the user to place the submersible end of the unit into the contaminated water. The other end is placed inside the reservoir or water bottle that you want to fill. Once everything is in place, it’s time to start pumping. Some pumps may be harder than others to operate, but they all do the same thing. Keep pumping until your bottle or water receptacle is full. Afterward, simply seal the water up. Once you’ve got a bottle of clean drinking water, remove the submersible end of the unit from the water. Before packing the filter back up, give the individual filter elements some time to dry out first. The biggest advantage of a pump filter is that water can be siphoned from even the shallowest of pools.

Treating Water with Chemicals

Certainly the easiest way to treat water is by using water purification tablets. It’s as easy as filling up a water bottle or container with the contaminated water, adding a tablet or two, and then waiting for awhile. The major drawback to tablets is that it can take anywhere from a half hour to several hours or more before the water is drinkable. If you need water quickly, using water purification tablets is not the preferred method for treating water. It is usually best to use tablets as a backup method to other methods of filtering water.

Gravity Filters

Gravity filters can produce a lot of water in a short period of time. And they’re very easy to use since you’re literally letting gravity to the work for you. The drawback is that a small puddle of water won’t work. You’ll need to find a body of water that’s big enough to fill our reservoir in.

A gravity filter has a water reservoir on each end, with the reservoirs connected to each other by a hose with a filter. To use this type of filter, you’ll first fill one reservoir with water and then seal it up. Find a place where you can hang the reservoir securely, such as a tree branch. As the water drains from the reservoir, down the hose, and through the filter, it will end up as clean drinking water in the lower reservoir. It may take as long as 30 minutes, but it’s easy to do and produces lots of fresh water for drinking.

Bottle Filters

If you want a lot of drinking water, bottle filters are not the best choice. But if you want to produce a bottle of fresh water quickly and easily, a bottle filter is a great way to go. The entire system is a bottle and a lid that also contains a filter. That’s it. Producing clean water is as simple as filling the bottle with water and screwing on the lid. As you drink from the bottle, the water is filtered as it passes through the lid. What could be easier than that?

Treat Water by Boiling

The old fashioned way to treat water is simply by boiling it. Just take water from any source and boil it for about a minute or so. The big advantage is that it’s easy and quick. The disadvantage is that most people do not want to drink boiling water, so it’ll take a little time to cool. Another drawback is that you’ll need to start a fire. In a survival situation, starting a fire may not be as easy as one of the other filtering methods.

How to Treat Water Using Various Filtration Methods

There are countless ways to filter water. You may be living off grid, in an urban survival situation, or in a wilderness setting. If you live in the city, you’ll want to take a look at the must-have urban survival gear article. If you’re in a rural area, you’ll want to know more about what emergency supplies to pack for wilderness survival. And depending on your particular circumstances, one method may be preferred over another. Take some time to learn more about each water filtering method to determine which method is best for you.

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