Discover five easy and approved ways to get clean drinking water at home or in the wild.
In scenarios when you don’t have access to clean water, there are a few methods scientifically approved to make water safe to drink. However, certain water conditions might compromise the security of each, such as radioactive contaminants, fuel, toxic or chemicals, among others, that will still be extremely dangerous to consume.
Below there’s an informative article with five different methods to get water optimal for drinking for those searching how to get clean tap water at home. The information gathered has professional facts included to back up each technique and further reading recommendations to acquire more knowledge on the topic.
1. Boiling
Boiling is the surest method to kill disease-causing organisms, including viruses, bacteria, and parasites, states the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This method is the safest, but nothing is as effective and secure as bottled water; still, in situations when you don’t have clean drinking water, this technique allows you to have plenty of liquid to drink.
Simply put the water on a pot and bring it to a boil; this will kill bacteria and germs, making it safer to drink. To improve the taste of boiled water, the CDC recommends pouring the water from one container to another and letting the water sit still for a few hours (1).
This is one of the best ways to get clean drinking water approved by professionals and with many resources available to obtain more information.
2. Disinfectants
In situations when you don’t have access to bottled water, and you can’t boil water either, using specific disinfectants, like unscented household chlorine bleach, in small quantities can help you obtain clean drinking water for you and your family.
They can kill most bacteria and disease-causing viruses, but they cannot eliminate powerful organisms that are often found in water. Furthermore, chlorine tablets can be used instead of liquid disinfectants and obtain the same results if followed the instructions corrected. If a chemical or radioactive material already contaminates the water, adding disinfectants will not make it safer to consume.
To properly disinfect water with unscented household liquid chlorine bleach, read the instructions in the chemical chosen, which will most likely have information about this. And if you can’t find information in the chemical, search for the “active ingredient” section of the label to find the percentage of sodium hypochlorite and follow this table provided by the CDC as a guide.
If you’re looking for how to get clean tap water or how to get clean drinking water at home, this method will come in handy.
3. Filters
Aqua Clear Water Systems can eliminate parasites that will allow you to have clean drinking water when you need it. It is recommended to pick a water filter with tiny pores to remove parasites effectively. After filtering the water, experts advise adding a disinfectant to kill bacteria and viruses; thus, water filters cannot do on their own.
Clean drinking water, especially tap water, can be achieved if using a certified (by NSF Standards 53 or 58) and tested water filter that can eliminate Cryptosporidium, a parasite found in contaminated waters. For more detailed information and technical aspects of water filters, you can read this guide published by the CDC.
4. UV Light
In emergency cases, solar disinfection can be effective in obtaining clean drinking water if done properly and knowing the possible risks. To purify water with this method, simply fill a few clear plastic bottles with water, shaking them to oxygenate, and leaving them as close to the sun as possible (rooftop, terrace, etc.) for at least 6 hours if it’s sunny or two days if it’s cloudy.
It is necessary that the water used to fill the bottles is as clean as possible to allow the UV rays to kill some pathogens. If the water is cloudy, you’ll need to filter it before trying solar disinfection. Here you can find more information about filtering water.
5. Distillation
This method to get clean drinking water is similar to boiling but with an extra step, in which after bringing the water to steam, it is captured to obtain safer water to ingest. The most common way to capture steam is by placing the fire and pot under a “plastic tent” (three branches in a triangle form that hold a plastic coverage, though it can also be done using a cloth or other materials, results may vary) in which under each end, small containers can be placed to capture the distilled water.
After doing this, the water needs to cool, and then it will be ready to drink. If you have any disinfectant in hand, it is always best to add some (carefully following the instructions) to ensure the water is 100% optimal to consume.
Educate And Inform
This article was written following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s recommendations and advice, which readers from other countries can also follow, to inform readers about the benefits and risks of each method and technique.
There’s nothing safer than bottled water, but in situations when you don’t have access to it, it is advisable to know these methods explained above to get clean drinking water at home or outdoors.
