{"id":104046,"date":"2019-03-14T13:31:35","date_gmt":"2019-03-14T17:31:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sbp.tgcsitechecker.com\/?p=104046"},"modified":"2019-05-23T09:26:11","modified_gmt":"2019-05-23T13:26:11","slug":"water-purification-methods","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/watermatcher.com\/water-purification-methods\/","title":{"rendered":"Survival 101: Water Purification Methods to Keep You Alive and Healthy"},"content":{"rendered":"

Featured Image by fancycrave.com via pexels.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Whether you’re out in the wild or surviving a disaster, the importance of the right water purification methods cannot be overstated.<\/p>\n

These days many people are used to drinking pre-purified water out of plastic bottles sold in stores.<\/p>\n

While those are handy, the likelihood of finding a convenience store deep in the backcountry is pretty slim.<\/p>\n

Therefore, you’ll need to know the best water purification methods to survive.<\/p>\n

Why Water Purification Methods Are so Important<\/strong><\/h2>\n

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Image via Pexels<\/a><\/p>\n

Perhaps you’ve seen Hollywood movies where the grizzly bearded outdoorsman or soldier survives by drinking water straight from a river or creek.<\/p>\n

He dips into the stream with gnarled dirty hands and looks around suspiciously as he drinks.<\/p>\n

First of all:<\/p>\n

That guy’s an idiot.<\/p>\n

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Image via Giphy<\/a><\/p>\n

Even the most pristine and unpolluted river or creek is teeming with microscopic contaminants that are more dangerous than any grizzly bear or enemy soldier.<\/p>\n

Drinking water not treated by water purification methods is a sure ticket to a lot of pain, sickness, and even death.<\/p>\n

Fun Fact:<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Roughly 70 percent of planet Earth is covered in water. Only 2.5 percent of it is drinkable. Plus, only one percent of it is easily accessible, with the rest trapped in snowfields and glaciers.<\/p>\n

In the wild, you’re probably drinking Bambi poop<\/strong><\/h3>\n

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Image via Giphy<\/a><\/p>\n

Oh, come on.<\/p>\n

What could be so wrong with drinking water that hundreds of animals probably drink every day?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Okay, first of all, would you drink out of a glass that hundreds of animals also drank from?<\/p>\n

If not, then you have your answer.<\/p>\n

Here is another question, though:<\/p>\n

Would do you drink out of your toilet?<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Image via Giphy<\/a><\/p>\n

Most people don’t realize this, but animals in the wild also do their business in rivers and creeks.<\/p>\n

Yes, those same sources of water that look so fresh and pure on postcards are filled with poop from animals (maybe even a few humans).<\/p>\n

Also, there’s this:<\/p>\n

Due to the size and solitude of many wilderness areas, it’s easy to forget that you’re not the only person to access a particular water source.<\/strong><\/p>\n

It’s almost a certainty that others have probably bathed, swam, washed dishes or clothes and done their business in the wild water source that you’re about to drink out of.<\/p>\n

Water purification methods can ensure your drinking water is poop free.<\/p>\n

Diseases, parasites, and infections, oh, my!<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Maybe you’re wondering what’s the harm in drinking a little poop every now and again?<\/p>\n

Okay, fair enough.<\/p>\n

In that case:<\/p>\n

Here are a few unwanted guests lurking in untreated water, just waiting for you to take a sip.<\/p>\n

Oh, and by the way, there are a lot more.<\/p>\n

Cholera<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Cholera is a waterborne bacterial illness that impacts the intestine.<\/p>\n

Sounds, fun!<\/p>\n

Its symptoms include watery diarrhea and vomiting, which can cause dehydration and electrolyte imbalance.<\/strong><\/p>\n

According to a 2013 report by the Global Health Observatory of the World Health Organization (WHO), 47 countries reported 129,064 cases of cholera.<\/p>\n

A total of 43 of this number came from Africa, while 47 percent came from the Americas.<\/p>\n

Dysentery<\/strong><\/h4>\n

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Image via Giphy<\/a><\/p>\n

Dysentery is perhaps one of the most common waterborne diseases out there.<\/p>\n

It’s responsible for the deaths of over 600,000 children who’ve yet to reach the age of five who come mostly from developing countries.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Here’s why:<\/p>\n

A microorganism called Shigella causes this bacterial disease, and just like the cholera bacterium, this little gut-wrecker attacks the cells of the large intestine.<\/p>\n

Symptoms include abdominal cramps, anal pain, and bloody stool.<\/p>\n

Fun Fact:<\/strong><\/h3>\n

“About 6,800 gallons (25,700 liters) of water is required to grow a day’s food for a family of four.” — Espwaterproducts.com<\/p>\n

Salmonella and E.coli<\/strong><\/h4>\n

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Image via Giphy<\/a><\/p>\n

These two bacterial diseases have a lot in common.<\/p>\n

Here’s what we found:<\/p>\n

They both thrive in unsanitary conditions, such as filthy water containing feces.<\/p>\n

Animals are known to spread salmonella through their feces.<\/p>\n

A particular strain of the Escherichia coli can make toxins that cause illness.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Both of these water bacteria present similar symptoms in infected individuals: abdominal cramps, high fever, vomiting, and diarrhea.<\/p>\n

In the worst cases of E. coli infection, people have experienced kidney failure.<\/p>\n

Dracunculiasis<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Dracunculiasis may sound like something out of Transylvania, but its nickname isn’t Dracula.<\/p>\n

It’s actually known better as Guinea worm disease, based on the worm that causes it.<\/p>\n

This disease is contracted when someone drinks water contaminated with this creature’s eggs, larvae, or both.<\/p>\n

It gets better:<\/p>\n

When the larvae grow up, they can develop up to a meter long.<\/p>\n

Female worms can move through an infected person’s subcutaneous tissue and eventually emerge.<\/p>\n

More often than not, they come out through the feet.<\/p>\n

By that time a person will experience painful ulcers, fever, vomiting, and nausea.<\/p>\n

Typhoid fever<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Typhoid fever, made famous by the true story of Typhoid Mary.<\/p>\n

Mary Mallon, known as Typhoid Mary, lived from 1869 to 1938.<\/p>\n

She was an Irish-American cook who was the first person identified in the U.S. as an asymptomatic carrier of Typhoid fever.<\/p>\n

Throughout her career as a cook, Mary is believed to have infected up to 51 people, three of whom died.<\/p>\n

Typhoid fever is a bacteria similar to Salmonella typhi.<\/strong><\/p>\n

However, in addition to possible diarrhea, victims suffer from a severe skin rash with rose-colored spots on the chest and abdomen.<\/p>\n

As with the case with Typhoid Mary, carriers of this illness can also be free from symptoms and go on to infect others who are not so lucky.<\/p>\n

Check out this video:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Fun Fact:<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Typhoid Mary infected people because she refused to wash her hands.<\/p>\n

Botulism<\/strong><\/h4>\n

The bacterium Clostridium botulinum is the culprit that creates the condition known as botulism.<\/p>\n

The infections start with fatigue, problems with eyesight, and slurred speech, symptoms common with many water diseases.<\/p>\n

That’s not the worst of it:<\/p>\n

Eventually, it progresses to weakness in the facial muscles, which ultimately spreads to the arms and legs.<\/p>\n

If it’s not treated immediately with antibiotics, an antitoxin, or both, the condition could lead to death as this little devil can affect the production of saliva and breathing.<\/p>\n

Not a fun way to go for sure.<\/p>\n

Fun Fact:<\/strong><\/h3>\n

“To produce one chicken, we need 330 gallons of water.”<\/p>\n

— Espwaterproducts.com<\/p>\n

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Recently discovered in 2003, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrom (SARS) is a disease with no known cure.<\/p>\n

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared SARS a global health threat due to its numerous recent outbreaks, mostly in places like Hong Kong and mainland China where the disease may have originated.<\/p>\n

When SARS comes to the party, it enters the system through the fluids of an infected person.<\/strong><\/p>\n

One starts to develop flu-like symptoms until it advances into something that resembles pneumonia.<\/p>\n

In the worst cases, this disease can result in death.<\/p>\n

Polio<\/strong><\/h4>\n

An oldie but goodie, the Poliovirus causes poliomyelitis, also known as Polio.<\/p>\n

Thankfully, there is a vaccine to prevent the onset of this virus.<\/p>\n

However, there are still cases of outbreaks where the virus has been reported in several developing countries.<\/p>\n

The virus is usually spread through ingestion, where this micro-nasty has the power to produce dizziness, vomiting fever, and bowel and bladder dysfunction.<\/p>\n

And that’s being polite:<\/p>\n

The virus can also cause overall muscle weakness to paralysis, and at worst even death.<\/p>\n

Alarming facts and statistics about waterborne diseases<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The WHO and UNICEF Joint Monitoring Program published a report in 2017 about the progress of drinking water.<\/p>\n

The report found that in 2015, 29 percent of the global population (roughly 2.1 billion people) lacked safely managed sources of drinking water.<\/p>\n

Every year the lack of water purification methods leads to more than 3.4 million deaths from waterborne diseases, making it the leading cause of death and disease around the world.<\/p>\n

Sadly, it’s much worse:<\/p>\n

Most of those deaths are young children, about 4,000 per day.<\/p>\n

From 2013 to 2014, in the United States, waterborne diseases caused 289 cases of sickness, 108 hospitalizations, and 17 deaths.<\/p>\n

The 8 Different Water Purification Methods<\/strong><\/h2>\n

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Image via Giphy<\/a><\/p>\n

There are several different water purification methods you can use to transform contaminated water into clean drinkable water.<\/p>\n

Each method has its benefits and downsides.<\/p>\n

Below a list of a few water purification methods along with their pros and cons.<\/p>\n

Here’s what we found:<\/p>\n

1. Boiling<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Boiling is a tried and true method of purifying water.<\/p>\n

It’s also the cheapest and safest way to go.<\/strong><\/p>\n

This is what you need to do:<\/p>\n

To use this method effectively, water must be brought to a boil and left at a rolling boil for one to three minutes.<\/p>\n

However, for people living in higher altitude areas, it’s recommended that they boil water longer.<\/p>\n

This is because water boils at lower temperatures in higher altitudes.<\/p>\n

Before drinking, boiled water should be covered and left to cool.<\/p>\n

Water drawn from wells should be left to sit awhile to allow compounds to settle before you filter out the clean water for use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
\n

Pros<\/p>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n

\n

Kills bacteria, parasites, protozoa, and algae<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

Destroys viruses<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

Easy and simple<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
\n

Cons<\/p>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n

\n

Doesn’t kill organic chemicals<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

Does not eliminate inorganic chemicals<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

Can’t eliminate radionuclides<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

Requires some kind of fuel to produce heat<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

Taste can be affected<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

Risk of injury<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

Time-consuming<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

Water must cool before drinking<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

2. Mechanical filters<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Mechanical filters are physical mesh-type barriers that allow water to pass through while filtering larger contaminants in the water.<\/p>\n

These filters are commonly used in aquariums to help improve water clarity and remove fish poop.<\/p>\n

The pore size or space between media fibers are granules. They determine the size particles a filter can remove.<\/p>\n

Mechanical filters remove elements such as clay, ferric iron, silt, and sand.<\/strong><\/p>\n

These filters can be made from materials such as carbon, nylon, ceramic, and plastic.<\/p>\n

They also block some pathogens such as colloids (suspended matter), bacteria, and viruses.<\/p>\n

People who draw their water from an underground well may use one or more mechanical filtration to filter water before it reaches a storage tank.<\/p>\n

There are three types of mechanical filters:<\/strong><\/p>\n