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HOW DO I DISINFECT WATER? BASIC WATER DISINFECTION
Ground water in its natural state is usually pure to drink 99% of the time. Most of the problem results from contamination of the water while removing it from the aquifer or transporting or storing the water. The most common form of disinfection is chlorination. Other forms of disinfection include hydrogen peroxide, ozone, iodine, ultra violet light and a few others. Chlorine is the easiest to handle, store & use. The most common form of chlorine is ordinary household bleach such as Chlorox. This is 5 ¼% sodium hypochloride. This means the mixture contains 5 ¼% of chlorine by weight. If you use ordinary bleach be sure to use plain bleach. Do not use anything with special “whitening agents”, “scents” or any other additives. Just use plain bleach, the least expensive item of the shelf. To disinfect small quantities of water use the following mixture: 25 ppm Mix one teaspoon of 5 ¼% bleach with 5 gallons of water. Shake or mix and wait over night before drinking (at least 4 hours). 50 ppm Mix two teaspoons of 5 ¼% bleach with 5 gallons of water. Shake of mix and wait over night before drinking. Use the “25 ppm “ mixture if the water seems to be from a relatively safe source such as a properly constructed water well and you want to put it in a clean container and save or transport it. Use the “50 ppm” mixture if the water is of a more questionable source such as a City water system that has been off and lost all pressure and then come back on line or after a water main has been broken and repaired. If the water still has a strong chlorine smell after it has set all night the excess chlorine can be removed by running the water through a small carbon or charcoal filter. These are available at a number or outlets. Be aware that the carbon will have to be replaced from time to time. Another source of chlorine is HTH or swimming pool granular chlorine. This has a long shelf life and can be mixed up as required. To obtain a 5 ¼% solution mix 3 1/3 pounds of 65% active granular chlorine with 5 gallons of water. Mix thoroughly and you now have chlorine with the same strength as regular Chlorox.
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