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water:start [2023/07/06 18:10] frater_secessus [non-potable water] moving quote |
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Water is critical for life, especially in hot/dry areas like deserts. | Water is critical for life, especially in hot/dry areas like deserts. | ||
- | Vandwellers living minimally (no showers or slip-n-slides) will typically require 1 gallon of potable water every day for drinking, and 1 additional gallon for cleaning, hygiene, cooking, etc. | + | Vandwellers living minimally (no showers or slip-n-slides) will typically require 1 gallon of potable water every day for [[water:drinking|drinking]], and 1 additional gallon for cleaning, |
Cleaning water to be suitable for use has two components; **filtration** and **purification**. // | Cleaning water to be suitable for use has two components; **filtration** and **purification**. // | ||
- | Not all water needs to be both filtered and purified. Some natural water from fast-flowing streams or springs may have very little particulate matter in it and be very clear already, and will only need purification if you're going to drink or cook with it. | + | Not all water needs to be both filtered and purified. Some natural water from fast-flowing streams or springs may have very little particulate matter in it and be very clear already, and will only need purification if you're going to drink or cook with it. |
- | See this [[https://www.nps.gov/articles/2wayspurifywater.htm|guide from the National Park Service]] about how to treat water. | + | As a general rule, //filtered// water is fine for showering or cleaning with. //Purified// water is needed for drinking and cooking. |
+ | Not all water can be made safe for use; it is //not// practical to purify water that is chemically or mineralogically tainted. | ||
- | ===== Water Filtration ===== | + | See this [[https:// |
- | [[https:// | + | ===== conservation ===== |
- | Mechanical filtration has become more common and less expensive. | + | |
+ | It is far easier to //use less water// than to haul, store, and dispose of gray water. | ||
- | The main drawback of filtration are clogging (addressed by adquate pre-filtration) and relatively slow filtration rate. Look for filters that can be gravity fed so the filtration time isn't tiresome. | ||
+ | ===== potable water ===== | ||
- | * 1-micron filters will filter protozoa like giardia spores and Cryptosporidium out of clear water.((https:// | + | Potable water is water that is know-safe for human consumption. |
- | * 0.1-micron will filter all waterborne enteric bacteria from clear water | + | |
- | * Consumer-grade filtration will not remove viruses because of their tiny size. | + | |
- | The CDC points out the difference between nominal and absolute((or " | + | If the water is non-potable |
- | === fabric filtration | + | ===== non-potable water ===== |
+ | [[water: | ||
- | Note that filtration through layered fabric is much better than nothing. | + | Water used for [[water:cleaning|cleaning]] or [[hygiene: |
- | > a filter made of four layers of worn cotton material held back more than 99 percent of all cholera bacteria - using more layers or newer cloth slowed water collection too much.((https:// | + | ===== wastewater ===== |
- | Both saris and coffee filters have about a 20-micron pore size: | + | Washwater (non-sewage waste water) is usually stored in a [[water:gray|gray tank]] for later handling. |
- | > Typically coffee filters are made up of filaments approximately 20 micrometres wide, which allow particles through that are less than approximately 10 to 15 micrometres((https:// | ||
- | The best we should assume for with such //ad hoc// filtration is a pathogen // | ||
- | Further reading: | ||
- | ===== Water Purification ===== | ||
- | More useful for boondockers who are spending a lot of time in the wilderness, if you can find a natural source of water to top up your reserves you can spend far more time out in nature before you need to head back in. | ||
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- | ===== Potable water ===== | ||
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- | [[water: | ||
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- | ==== Disinfecting non-potable water for drinking ==== | ||
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- | It is safest to start with known-drinkable water from public or commercial sources. | ||
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- | When possible, multiple approaches should be used on the water. | ||
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- | Strain from coarse to fine: through a strainer then a coffee filter, for example. | ||
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- | - sieve | ||
- | - bandana, cloth, or paper towel | ||
- | - coffee filter | ||
- | - actual water filter | ||
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- | === heat === | ||
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- | Heat is an effective way to kill waterborne pathogens. | ||
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- | > Sterilisation of water (killing all living containments) is not necessary to make water safe to drink. For example, boiling may not be effective against bacterial spores such as Clostridium which can survive at 100°C (212°F), however, as Clostridium is not a waterborne enteric (intestinal) pathogen, ingestion will not cause infection. | ||
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- | > All waterborne enteric pathogens are quickly killed above 60°C (140°F), therefore, although boiling is not necessary to make the water safe to drink, **the time taken to heat the water to boiling is usually sufficient to reduce pathogens to safe levels**. Allowing the boiled water to cool slowly will also extend the exposure of waterborne enteric pathogens to lethal temperatures. | ||
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- | Typical times at temperature: | ||
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- | * 212F (100C, boiling at sea level) - 0 minutes | ||
- | * 158F (70C) - 1 minute. | ||
- | * 145F (63C) - 30 minutes to achieve pasteurization.((https:// | ||
- | * 130F (55C) - 10 minutes to kill giardia((https:// | ||
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- | Given that information, | ||
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- | === chemical treatment === | ||
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- | Chemical treatments require no power making them especially useful offgrid. | ||
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- | The most famous treatment is **chlorine bleach**. | ||
- | Note that bleach purfication does not reliably kill Cryptosporidium. | ||
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- | Bleach is cheapest by the laundry bottle but is also [[https:// | ||
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- | [[https:// | ||
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- | === flocculation === | ||
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- | Hybrid chlorinating-flocculating chemicals such as [[http:// | ||
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- | === SODIS === | ||
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- | SOlar water DISinfection (SODIS) uses sunlight to improve water quality.((https:// | ||
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- | Efficacy: | ||
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- | Optimal function may be found by placing small-diameter bottles in a solar oven. This will enhance UV collection and heating. | ||
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- | ===== non-potable water ===== | ||
- | [[water: | ||
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- | Water used for [[water: | ||
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- | ===== wastewater ===== | ||
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- | Washwater (non-sewage waste water) is usually stored in a [[water: | ||