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MCC Daily Tribune Archive

HSMI Provides the Following Safety Tip on Purifying Water


 

On an island or in a home, bleach for water purification is the ideal choice when no other means to obtain potable water is available and you do not have the reverse osmosis tools used for camping etc…

If you can't boil water, you can disinfect it using household bleach. Bleach will kill some, but not all, types of disease-causing organisms that may be in the water. If the water is cloudy, filter it through clean cloths or allow it to settle, and draw off the clear water for disinfection. Add 1/8 teaspoon (or 8 drops) of regular, unscented, liquid household bleach for each gallon of water, stir it well and let it stand for 30 minutes before you use it. Store disinfected water in clean containers with covers.

Yes Aspirin in concentrations of 29-31 % in powder form is a weak acid and can be used as a last resort to purify otherwise non-potable water. A research article by Vanderbilt University’s can be obtained on line as well as other studies. You can also search military and Special Forces methods to purify water as a last resort.

Powder; Disinfectant:  31%, 29%. There are many other mechanisms to obtain clean water such as digging a hole in the ground, placing a clean container in bottom, drape a plastic sheet with a rock in the center so that plastic sheet is just above can.  The sun will set, condensation will build on plastic sheet in the hole and empty into clean can.

https://drugs-about.com/drugs/reliance-hld-high-level-disinfectant.html

https://tvnews.vanderbilt.edu/program.pl?ID=198419

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aspirin

John Perrone
Homeland Security Management Institute
07/24/2009