BY DUANE CHENEY, VICE CHAIR OF DISASTER PREPAREDNESS COMMITTEE

One of the necessities of life is WATER!! Are you prepared if something were to happen to the quality of water coming out of your tap? The coronavirus pandemic revealed how little people are prepared if their normal weekly needs and/or services are disrupted. What will you do for drinkable water if your water source was contaminated? Storing water is a great answer but what if your stored water’s purity was in question?

There are 5 major classes of water filters on the market:

• Sediment Filters – Removes suspended solids but not microbes
• Gravity Based Water Purifiers – Remove germs and dissolved salts but not high concentrations of TDS (Total Dissolved Solids), microorganisms or Heavy Metals.
• Reverse-Osmosis – Removes high concentrations of TDS, heavy metals, but does not kill germs and bacteria.
• Ultraviolet water purifiers – kills germs and bacteria and microorganisms but doesn’t remove any TDS, salts, impurities like nitrates, lead and arsenic.
• Ultrafiltration water filters – Removes germs and bacteria, microorganisms but don’t remove large quantities of TDS, salts, impurities like nitrates, lead and arsenic. For example the “Life Straw” does not remove salt from ocean water.

The CDC notes that no filter can eliminate all contaminants. When bacteria, germs, algae or viruses may be present in the tap or stored water, filter through a sediment or ultrafiltration water filter and then boil the water for 1 minute or pass it through an ultraviolet water purifiers to make it safe.

Chlorine is another effective means of killing bacteria, germs algae and even viruses. Place 1/8th of a teaspoon of chorine bleach (not scented, color safe or with added chemicals) to one gallon of water. Stir and let sit for 30 minutes before use. There should still remain a slight bleach odor. If there is not an odor of bleach repeat the process. (www.fema.gov/pdf/library/f&web.pdf) (https://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/emergency/making-water-safe.html)