Kathy James Water Presentation

This is the handout provided by Kathy James from her Sanitation/Water Presentation given in Richland in July 2010

The Ultimate “Gotta Have” Food

(Sorry…it’s not chocolate!)

In an emergency we can live for several weeks without food, but only a few days without clean water.

Water-related diseases are responsible for 80% of all illnesses and deaths in the developing world.

Obtaining good-tasting, contamination-free water is ordinarily not a problem. But in times of emergency, on out-door trips, or when traveling in under-developed areas, having access to a source of clean, drinkable water is a matter of first priority. The bacteria, viruses, and parasites in contaminated water can not only cause many kinds of health problems, but can, and do, cause death.

In a disaster situation water may be a scarce commodity for a few days, or even a few weeks. Municipal water systems have the potential for contamination, especially in floods and earthquakes. If possible… following a disaster, contact authorities in your area to determine if tap water is safe to drink.

If there has been a breach in the infrastructure you must consider ALL tap water to be unfit for bathing, brushing teeth, washing dishes or hands, cooking or drinking -- that's what the emergency water supply is for.

If in doubt… Keep it out. Don’t Drink the Water!

Following any type of major loss of infrastructure and support… Your #1 task is to shut the water off where it enters your property. Learn how to NOW and practice doing it.

How much do I store?

Most authorities suggest storing at least 1 gallon of clean water per person per day for 3 days. Only you can decide if that is enough for you and your family.

Half is for drinking; the other half is for cooking and sanitation.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints used to recommend 1 gal. per day per person for 14 days. They no longer post any quantity recommendations, possibly due to laws in some countries prohibiting storing food and/or water.
If you are sick, nursing, pregnant, have kids or elderly people living with you… you will need more water.

Also… In hot or humid weather you may need more.

Use your emergency water supply anytime water will touch you or your food.

To conserve your emergency water supply, use disposable cups, plates and utensils. You may also clean your hands using waterless hand sanitizers and wet wipes to conserve water.

Do not ration drinking water. If you run short, drink what you need today and find more tomorrow. Don't risk dehydration. (See handout on dehydration and heat stroke.)

Do not use water from the tank above the back of your toilet. (See the handout on sanitation for instructions on what to use that water for.)

Don't forget pets. When storing clean water, you may want to store for pets just like people… a gallon a day each for Fido and Fluffy.

Storing Water

Keep emergency water in a cool, dark place in your home, each vehicle, and your workplace.

There are a variety of water storage containers available; some are spendy, some are free. They range from individual 4 oz. pre-packaged Mylar packs to containers that can hold a few hundred gallons.

Commercially bottled water in PETE (or PET) plastic containers and 4 oz. pre-filled Mylar packs can be purchased. Follow the container’s “best if used by” dates as a rotation guideline. Avoid plastic containers that are not PETE plastic. The 4 oz. packs usually have a 5 yr. shelf life. Most bottled waters won’t be quite that long.

If you choose to package water yourself, consider the following guidelines:

Containers

• Use only food-grade containers for drinking water. Smaller containers made of PETE plastic or heavier plastic buckets or drums work well. 2-litre soda bottles are great.
• Clean, sanitize, and thoroughly rinse all containers prior to use. A sanitizing solution can be prepared by adding 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of liquid household chlorine bleach (5 to 6% sodium hypo chlorite) to one quart (1 liter) of water. Only household bleach without thickeners, scents, or additives should be used.
• Do not use plastic milk jugs, because they do not seal well and tend to become either brittle or “saggy” over time.
• Do not use containers previously used to store non-food products for drinking water.
• Water that’s going to be designated for non-food/drinking purposes can be stored in just about any type off plastic container. You should still make sure that the container is clean and you might even still want to rotate it once in a while.
• Don’t store canning jars on the shelves empty… store them with water in them. Water bathing the water would be even better. They wouldn’t have to be rotated every year that way. Make sure the shelves are strong enough for the extra weight. Water weighs just a little over 8 lbs. per gallon.

Water Pretreatment

• Water from a chlorinated municipal water supply does not need further treatment when stored in clean, food-grade containers.
• Non-chlorinated water should be treated with bleach. Add 1/8 of a teaspoon (8 drops) of liquid household chlorine bleach (5 to 6% sodium hypo chlorite) for every gallon (4 liters) of water. Only household bleach without thickeners, scents, or additives should be used. OR better, yet…
• Use Sodium Dichloro-s-triazinetrione. See information under Purifying Water below.
• Best of all… use Oxy-Stabile Water Preserver. This revolutionary product will allow you to store water for up to 5 years without rotation! One 2.36 oz bottle will stabilize 110 gallons (two 55 gallon barrels) of tap water for long term storage. http://www.nitro-pak.com/

Storage

• Containers should be emptied and refilled regularly.
• It is recommended to use a “white” hose instead of the garden hose to fill containers too large to fill at the sink. Thoroughly drain all water out of hose after each use.
• Store water only where potential leakage would not damage your home or apartment.
• Protect stored water from light and heat. Some containers may also require protection from freezing.
• The taste of stored water can be improved by pouring it back and forth between two containers before use.

NOTE: If storing liquid chlorine bleach for disinfecting water or for other sanitation purposes remember to check the date on the container. It usually will only have an, at full potency, shelf-life of 6-12 month, 24 months tops, according to the Clorox Company.

A better way to store “chlorine” is to store and use sodium dichloro-s-triasinetrione. It has a 15-25 year shelf life and takes up far less space. More on this under Purifying Water.

Purifying

The “A, B, C, D and R” of water contamination:

A esthetic – unpleasant taste and odors, cloudiness, silt, sediment, chlorine, chlorine by products…

B iological – harmful microscopic pathogens such as Cryptosporidium, Giardia and other cysts and spores.

C hemical – toxic chemicals: Trihalomethanes, PCB’s PCE’s, detergents, and pesticides

D issolved solids – including heavy metals such as aluminum, asbestos, cadmium, chromium 6, copper, lead, arsenic and mercury

R adiological – Radon 222

There are three ways to purify water…

Heat, Chemicals, or Filters

Heat:

Disease-causing organisms in water (and milk) are killed by exposure to heat in a process known as pasteurization. Boiling is often recommended to achieve pasteurization. However, contaminated water (and milk) can be pasteurized at temperatures well below boiling, saving time and valuable fuel resources. Water heated to 149° for a short period of time is free from microbes, including E.coli, Rota viruses, Giardia and the Hepatitis A virus. (At 160° milk and foods are pasteurized.)

The reusable WAPI (Water Pasteurization Indicator) is a simple, low cost device containing a temperature-sensitive wax that helps users determine when water has reached pasteurization temperatures.

http://www.solarcookers.org/catalog/waterpasteurizationindicatorwapi-p-42.html?osCsid=a06ca0ad56fdebce58b61999f199921c

Without a WAPI… bringing water to a boil is the most certain way of killing all microorganisms, because boiling is a visual indication that the water has exceeded the required temperature. (If the water pot is covered, it will shorten the time to reach a boil.)

To improve the taste of boiled water, add charcoal from a wood fire during boiling and filter out the charcoal before drinking. You may also add a pinch of salt to the water and aerate to make it taste better.

Chemicals:

 Liquid Chlorine Bleach: Any brand - 5.25% or 6% sodium hypochlorite (chlorine) (like Ultra Clorox) that contains NO soap, fragrance or phosphates. Do not use scented bleach.

Amount of water, Clear water, Cloudy water – (1st strain / filter)

2 quarts, 4 drops, 1/8 teaspoon
1 gallon, 1/8 teaspoon – 8-drops, 1/4 teaspoon
5 gallons, 1/2 teaspoon, 1 teaspoon


Let the water stand for 30 minutes. Test for Free Chlorine, a residual odor… The water should have a slight chlorine odor. If it does not, add the same amount of bleach again and let the water stand for 15 more minutes.

 Hydrogen Peroxide: Peroxide is a perfectly acceptable disinfectant for water, as it oxidizes, as does chlorine. Peroxide degrades even more rapidly than chlorine, however, and potency may be an issue if it is to be stored. The other thing that makes peroxide more difficult to use is that testing for peroxide residual levels is difficult compared to testing for chlorine residuals. Residuals must be measured to ensure disinfecting is complete.
 Iodine Methods: Iodine has been used to disinfect water since the early 1900’s. In order to destroy Giardia cysts, the drinking water must be at least 68° F, the water can be warmed in the sun before treating or hot water can be added. Iodine should be limited to a short-term disinfectant.
 Special NOTE…Regular Iodine Tablets ARE NOT EFFECTIVE against chriptosporidium.
 Sodium dichloro-s-triazinetrione: 99% and 1% inert ingredients powdered bleach may be purchased anywhere that sells supplies for pools and hot tub spas.

A 2 lb container of sodium dichloro-s-triazinetrione will clean up to 160,000 gallons of water. That’s enough for your family with plenty left to share with extended family, friends and neighbors.

 Its advantages, only 1/4 teaspoon is used to treat a 55 gallon drum of water and the shelf life of a container of this concentrate is 15 to 25 years if kept dry and stored in a cool location.
 Two oz. treats 10,000 gallons
 Dissolves instantly with no residue
 Clears up water fast and keeps it clear

Instructions for use: Add ¼ teaspoon of the chlorinating concentrate to a 50 or 55 gallon drum. Place the cap on the container and seal it. Allow the water to sit for 24 hours. After 24 hours remove the lid and test for the presence of free chlorine in the water.

This can be done by smelling, or by using test strips for free chlorine, available at pool and spa stores. (The test strips cost about $10-$12 for 50 strips.) If the chlorine can be detected after 24 hours, then the water has been purified.

At this point, remove/loosen the lid from the water container and allow it to sit open for another 24 hours. The free chlorine will come out of the water, and the water is then fit for drinking.

If no chlorine is present after the first 24 hours with the container closed, repeat the process, as organic matter (bacteria, cysts, etc.) are still present. Until free chlorine can be detected after 24 hours, there are probably organisms still present.

One of the things that affects the taste of water is it "going flat". This occurs because of the oxidation that takes place as it sits. You can improve the taste by pouring the water back and forth between containers to aerate it.

Filtering

There’s a wide variety of methods and products available for filtering water. The most important thing to look for when either buying or making a water filter is what it can and cannot do.

Some filters do only that… FILTER. They do not purify the water. Be very careful!

If the desire is to both filter AND purify the water make sure that the filtering system will do BOTH… and make sure that it will kill ALL the harmful organisms in the water.

Read labels - Read instructions.

The Church in it's provident living site
http://www.providentliving.org/content/display/0,11666,8207-1-4531-1,00.html under the title of Water Purifying Guidelines the only two suggested links for commercial water filters are…
seychelle.com & katadyn.com.

The Distribution Center now carries the Seychelle 28-ounce water bottle with either one filter or two filters. Each filter will purify 100 gallons of water. The cost of the two-filter kit is currently (7/10) $22.00. That’s $22 for 200 gallons of purified water. Go to…

http://www.ldscatalog.com/ and type “water filtration” in the quick search box to view and order.

Also… Google “water filter straw”

For larger capacity, family sized, water filters, possibly the best on the market is the Berkey Water Filter. And.. they can be homemade since it’s the filter that is the important part, and they can purchased separately. (See both the handout on the efficiency of the filters and the handout on how to make your own.)

Google… “Berkey Water Filter” for commercially made filters, and “Black Berkey Purification Elements” for the filters.

A caution about ceramic water filters: If the ceramic filter is Dropped or Frozen it may be Damaged and Useless. Do Not allow your filter to freeze, or place hot water into the filter. Freezing and hot water will destroy your filter.
Filters strain out particles as water is drained or forced through the filter, and Purifiers chemically kill the particulates.

Other Considerations: Filters clog and need to be replaced. Another negative aspect of filters is that sometimes you can filter faster than the filtering element can clean. For filters that work by pumping a handle manually, impatient, forceful pumping can shove particles through the filter and into your drinking water.

There are a lot of instructions on the internet for building homemade water filters that might be even less expensive than building your own “Berkey” but none of them say what they will or will not kill or remove from the water. With the Berkey filters you can rest assured that you’re not putting your family at risk. Do your own due diligence... It’s your family.

For 72/96 hr. BOBs (bug-out-bags) throw in either some Chlor Floc (see the handout on Chlor Floc) or Katadyn Micropur MP 1 water purifier tablets, in case you forget to grab your Seychelle water bottle or filtered drinking straw. (Straw from seychelle.com) Remember… Regular iodine tablets will not kill chrytospridium. (And if the chrypto dosen’t kill you… the taste of the iodine just might)

Resources for Water

With a good supply of items to filter and purify water in your storage, besides storing water, there are other sources of water that might be available depending on the nature of the emergency, where you live, and the weather conditions.

Within your home there’s always the hot water heater. HOWEVER… After years of settling in older hot water tanks you might not be able to get the water out of the drain plug. It might be clogged up with sediments in which case you’ll have to siphon the water from the top. Check on it NOW. A really cool siphoning hose is available at…

http://beprepared.com/search.asp?t=ss&ss=siphon

In either case be sure to turn off the breaker to the hot water tank, even if the power is out, before draining/siphoning the water out. Just in case.

Outside of the home, here in the Tri-Cities, we have rivers, occasional rain, and very little snow. Having something available to collect rain water might be a good idea… again, just in case.  Remember to filter & purify before using.

Don’t drink water from a waterbed. However, it can be used for sanitation purposes. Also don’t drink the water in swimming pools or hot tubs due to the toxic chemicals used in them. Boiling it makes it worse by concentrating the chemicals. It can be used for sanitation purposes, however.

Learn how to “collect water” using an easy to make homemade solar water still. (See Water Still handout). Practice NOW.

Practice conserving water NOW…

Never throw water away from canned fruit or vegetables… use it to rehydrate freeze-dried fruits and vegetables, make oatmeal, pancake batter, cook rice or beans, or add to homemade soup or sauces.

Take a “bath” with a couple of wet wipes and a spray bottle. (Top to toes, then private parts, front to back.)

Dust hair with corn starch or talcum powder to stretch intervals between shampooing. (There are “dry shampoo” products available in Sporting Goods store.)

Spend a 3-day weekend with your family using only one gallon of water per-person-per-day. Wow, will you learn a lot! Could you go a whole week?

Remember…

I + E = K

Information + Experience = Knowledge

The #1 necessity to surviving a major disaster is an “I can do this” attitude.

Build that kind of attitude by practicing NOW.

Knowledge is gained by experimenting and practicing.

Practicing builds confidence.

Confidence provides for peace in the middle of chaos.

"When disaster strikes…the time to prepare…has passed!”

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