There are several necessities that are vital for survival and purified drinking water tops the list. A normal human being has a maximum of three days to survive without water and this number reduces further if you are in hotter climates. This qualifies water to be very important to us.

Pure water is something totally different from clean water. It is possible to have a lot of water that is clean but not pure.

We normally consider water to be clean depending on how clear the water is. On the other hand, when someone talks of pure water, what should come into your mind is water without any living organism present in it.

Protozoa, bacteria as well as other microorganisms have the capability of causing very serious health complications. Sincerely speaking, drinking what that is not pure is 99% deadly.

It is common to diarrhea or vomit as a result of drinking unpurified water, but that’s capable of killing you if you become too much dehydrated. When in a situation where one is surviving, you should be very careful with the water you consume. Ensure that you purify it thoroughly to get rid of living microorganisms.

There are several ways of purifying your water. Most of them are broken down into two major categories: chemical purification and mechanical purification. Both the two methods are very effective in ensuring that your drinking water is very fit and safe for consumption.

Water Filters. Without a doubt, mechanical filters are the commonly used form of purifying water. They get rid of the deadly microorganisms as well as the sediments making the water dirty.

For a mechanical filter to completely protect you from bacteria then it should filter down to two microns. It should filter down to as low as 0.2 microns to protect you from viruses. Majority of mechanical filters are incapable of filtering down that fine.

Several companies manufacture back-flushable filters that are of the highest quality. This means one can run back clean water under pressure through the filter while cleaning out the filter.

It is possible to use such types of fillers in cleaning millions of gallons of water before the need to replace the filter. They might be expensive but when it comes to a matter of life and death then they are priceless.

Chlorination. Using chlorine to purify water is very common. It is even used in treating city water systems and even water in the swimming pools. Chlorine is known to kill bacteria and rendering the water clean.

Chlorine is also sold at the grocery store as a bleaching product for cleaning clothes. Do not go for the scented kinds or the ‘color safe’ bleach but the common bleach. Purifying one gallon just requires around eight drops. Allow it to sit for 30 minutes after the addition of the bleach as this will provide ample time for it to act.

Iodine. You will have to use more of iodine to get the same results of chlorine though iodine works in the same way as chlorine.

Normally, people use 2% of iodine alongside 47% of alcohol. Add 20 drops of this to purify each gallon of water. Should the water be cloudy then you might need to even double that number. Many third world countries purify their water this way.

Boiling. Almost everyone purifies their water by boiling it. It might be effective in making sure the microorganisms are dead but it needs so much fuel to undertake.

The water must reach the boiling point and keep boiling for a further 5 minutes. If you want to make coffee using the water or use it for cooking, then that will be fine but if you want to drink then water then allow it to cool first.

Pasteurization. Boiling the water to kill the microorganisms is not really necessary; just get water to 158°F (70°C). You will be doing what is known as pasteurization, which came into existence after a 19th century microbiologist and chemist called Louis Pasteur came up with this method.

It will be somehow difficult to know whether your water has reached the required temperature that ensures it is safe for drinking if you lack a thermometer.

A great device known as the Water Pasteurization Indicator (WAPI) has been designed to comfortably solve this problem. It is basically a plastic capsule containing some wax pellet inside it.

Simply make the WAPI to float in the water as it gets heated up and when the wax starts melting then the water will have been pasteurized.

Distillation. Distillation is the surest way of acquiring clean distilled water. It is the hardest to carry out as well. One will require a vessel that is enclosed to and use it to heat the water when distilling water.

The steam produced from the water will then be captured and then condensed to get back water. A copper line which has been coiled is normally used as the condenser and will ensure the water drips down and is collected.

Bio-Filter.Apart from the filters that are available commercially, one can make a great filter using the materials that are commonly available. Such filters are known as bio-filters and can remove about 99% of bacteria present in the water alongside other chemicals.

You can use any container to make a bio-filter such as a 5-gallon bucket. Bio-filters are normally made into 3 layers which are the gravel at the top, and then followed by sand and finally activated carbon or charcoal at the very bottom. To purify the water, pour water from the top and allow it to percolate through the three layers and it will come out purified at the bottom.

The first time a bio-filter is made, the water that will come out will be very muddy. After running several gallons of water through the bio-filter then the water coming out will become clear. You can reduce this cleaning cycle by rinsing the ingredients you will use to build the bio-filter.

Chemical Filtration Tablets. There are many companies that manufacture tablets used for chemically purifying water. Most of these tablets use chemical halogens. They are effective in purifying the water but leave the water tasting bad. They only as effective as the supply of your tablets last.

The Bottom Line
We must acknowledge the fact that there are several ways of making your water pure, but their effectiveness is different. Some are suitable to be used at home while others are suitable to be used while in the wild. Because purified water is a very crucial part of being able to survive, it is advisable that one should have more than just a single way of purifying water in both your bug-out bag and at-home survival kit.