- Joined
- Mar 9, 2010
- Messages
- 825
You need a layered approach, ideally...
A rain barrel or cistern is a great way to capture rain water that otherwise gets dumped on the ground - you will still need to treat this water. Dust, dirt, or debris will certainly wash into your container (from your roof and gutters) and into the container, and you may get algae growth inside the container as well.
Large water filter systems like the Berkey or a gravity-fed system can work very well, but they're not too portable. Some use reverse osmosis systems and things like that, but usually rely on power and or water pressure.
If you need to be mobile, you'll likely want some portable way to treat water - pump-type backpacking filters work OK, as does the steri-pen. Both are imperfect, though - pump actions can break, get gummed up, or filters clogged, and the steri pen requires batteries - neither do well with turbid water, either.
Then there is chemical treatment - bleach, aquamira, iodine tablets, etc. all require precise measurement and proper dwell time, but they can be a great backup to another method you use.
In Japan, they may be able to use the SODIS (solar distillation) providing they can filter out particulate contaminants - the larger problem they will have is dealing with the many diseases and molds that may be spread through/from the water like post-katrina NOLA.
SODIS works well, but I would not trust it if the water is teeming with pathogens or chemicals from other toxic sources... but what kills you faster? Some of the sickness you may contract could be treated after a while, where you will surely die if you don't drink anything for a few days.
Then there is boiling.
Bottom line, make sure you have a few different tricks up your sleeve, and you know how to use the tools you have.
A rain barrel or cistern is a great way to capture rain water that otherwise gets dumped on the ground - you will still need to treat this water. Dust, dirt, or debris will certainly wash into your container (from your roof and gutters) and into the container, and you may get algae growth inside the container as well.
Large water filter systems like the Berkey or a gravity-fed system can work very well, but they're not too portable. Some use reverse osmosis systems and things like that, but usually rely on power and or water pressure.
If you need to be mobile, you'll likely want some portable way to treat water - pump-type backpacking filters work OK, as does the steri-pen. Both are imperfect, though - pump actions can break, get gummed up, or filters clogged, and the steri pen requires batteries - neither do well with turbid water, either.
Then there is chemical treatment - bleach, aquamira, iodine tablets, etc. all require precise measurement and proper dwell time, but they can be a great backup to another method you use.
In Japan, they may be able to use the SODIS (solar distillation) providing they can filter out particulate contaminants - the larger problem they will have is dealing with the many diseases and molds that may be spread through/from the water like post-katrina NOLA.
SODIS works well, but I would not trust it if the water is teeming with pathogens or chemicals from other toxic sources... but what kills you faster? Some of the sickness you may contract could be treated after a while, where you will surely die if you don't drink anything for a few days.
Then there is boiling.
Bottom line, make sure you have a few different tricks up your sleeve, and you know how to use the tools you have.