Week 3 for 72 hour kits More water!

Now that you have your water for your backpacks you may have noticed that you need a lot! I have cases of water in my garage that can easily be grabbed and put in my van if we are leaving by car but if you are having to walk then you'll realize that the backpacks can be quite heavy with just the water alone. So here's another thing to think about adding to your backpacks so that you can have extra access to water. There's many different suggestions and they are all up to you and what you prefer to do.

Suggestion #1 Bleach:

Pros:

• Inexpensive & easy method.
• Available at almost any store.
• Kills most microorganisms.
• Can treat a large amount of water all at once.
• Time-effective

Cons:

• Does not remove contaminants such as heavy metals, salts, and most other chemicals.
• Will not remove mud or dirt or make muddy water clear again.
• Will not fix the taste of contaminated water.
• Even clear water treated with bleach will taste funny.

If you choose this method: If you choose this method, you will need to keep bleach in your 72 hour kit (find a small container at a dollar store or in the travel section). Make sure to rotate it every few months! You may also want to consider adding a drink mix to make treated water more palatable. Print out the following instructions from FEMA and keep them with the bleach:

Use only regular household liquid bleach that contains 5.25 to 6.0 percent sodium hypochlorite. Do not use scented bleaches, colorsafe bleaches, or bleaches with added cleaners. Because the potency of bleach diminishes with time, use bleach from a newly opened or unopened bottle. Add 16 drops (1/8 teaspoon) of bleach per gallon of water, stir and let stand for 30 minutes. The water should have a slight bleach odor. If it doesn’t, then repeat the dosage and let stand another 15 minutes. If it still does not smell of bleach, discard it and find another source of water.
 

Suggestion #2 Boiling water
Pros:

• Very effective at treating microorganisms in water, and used in conjunction with distillation, it will also remove heavy metals, salts and chemicals.
• It will make your water clear to drink and make it taste relatively normal.
• It is also relatively inexpensive if you already have a pot and heat source.

Cons:

• You will need a LARGE pot, lid, and small stove in your 72 hour kit. These items will take up some space.
• You will need to use fuel, which will be precious in an emergency, just to get drinkable water. You may prefer to save your fuel for other things.
• You can only distill so much water at a time.
• This method is not time-effective.

If you choose this method: Add a large pot with a handled lid (see illustration below), a small cup, string, and a small stove (with fuel) to your 72 hr kit. Print these instructions from FEMA and keep them with your pot:

Distillation involves boiling water and then collecting the vapor that condenses back to water. The condensed vapor will not include salt or most other impurities. To distill, fill a pot halfway with water. Tie a cup to the handle on the pot’s lid so that the cup will hang right-side-up when the lid is upside-down (make sure the cup is not dangling into the water), and boil the water for 20 minutes. The water that drips from the lid into the cup is distilled. (see illustration)

Suggestion #3: Water Purification Tablets / Treatment solutions

Pros:

• Inexpensive: a bit more expensive than bleach, though not by much.
• Take up very little space.
• Usually taste better than bleach
• Will kill most microorganisms.
• Can treat a large amount of water all at once.
• Time-effective.

Cons:

• Will not remove other contaminants such as heavy metals, salts, and most other chemicals.
• Will not remove mud or dirt or make muddy water clear again.
• Will not fix the taste of contaminated water.

If you choose this method: Make sure that the option you purchase includes directions and be sure to include them in your kit.

Suggestion #4 Water filtration bottle
Pros:

• Relatively inexpensive (when compared to other water filters).
• Convenient.
• Filter water just as you need it.
• Treats microorganisms and filters heavy metals and chemicals as well as sand, mud, silt, etc.
• Can have one for each family member.
• Filtered water is easily portable.
• Filtered water will be clear and taste normal.

Cons:

• Will need to replace filter periodically (usually after filtering about 30 gallons).
• Sometimes difficult to push water through the filter: you can’t suck it out. You will need to push it through the filter into a glass or cup.
• Filter has a shelf life. Even if you only use it once, you will need to replace it after 6 months.

Suggestion #5 A Steripen
Pros:

• Very quick! Water is ready in just seconds.
• Convenient. Small & Light. Fits almost anywhere  Pros:
  
  • Effective against microorganisms and heavy metals, salts, and most other chemicals as well as sand, mud etc .
  • Typically lightweight.
  • Can usually pump and filter at the same time.
  • Most can filter and incredible amount of water: some up to 13,000 gallons.
  • Some can be attached to your faucet and used if you were to shelter in place and still had running water, but were unsure of its safety.
  Cons:
  
  • Expensive
  • You will have to replace the filter after you filter so many gallons.
  • Filter has a shelf life. Even if you only use it once, you will need to replace it after 6 months
  If you choose this method: Purchase one (or more) water filters and add it to your kit
• Fits into almost any water bottle or cup.
• Very effective against all microorganisms.
• Can have one for each family member.

Cons:

• Relatively expensive: especially if you buy one for everyone in your family.
• Does not filter heavy metals, salts, and most other chemicals or sand, mud etc.
• Will not fix the taste of contaminated water.

Suggestion #6 A Water Filter
Pros:

• Effective against microorganisms and heavy metals, salts, and most other chemicals as well as sand, mud etc .
• Typically lightweight.
• Can usually pump and filter at the same time.
• Most can filter and incredible amount of water: some up to 13,000 gallons.
• Some can be attached to your faucet and used if you were to shelter in place and still had running water, but were unsure of its safety.

Cons:

•  They are expensive.
• You will have to replace the filter after you filter so many gallons.
• Filter has a shelf life. Even if you only use it once, you will need to replace it after 6 months

If you choose this method: Purchase one (or more) water filters and add it to your kit