Make Drinking Water Safe with Bleach
Water. We can’t live without it. Not for long – only about 3 days without any source of it (including any water or moisture that is in your foods). In fact, water is the one thing that we need the most, to survive.
Far too often, survival minded preppers think of and concentrate on storing extra food, with lesser regard for storing water. For some reason, there is an underlying assumption that obtaining water during an emergency or disaster will not be a problem. For some, this may be true, especially if they live right next to a plentiful source of water. But for those that rely on a steady supply of water from their faucet, think again…
Without electricity, most homes will quickly lose their water pressure as municipal pumps will be unable to supply. Don’t count on municipal generators to keep on supplying the pumps to pump your water.
The general rule for storing water for an emergency or disaster is 1 gallon per person per day.
There are variations to this generality, ranging from a half gallon to as much as 3 gallons per person per day because there are other uses for water besides just drinking.
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A problem that you will encounter during an emergency or disaster is not only obtaining water to drink, but treating it to make the water safe to drink.
A best way to treat water for drinking is to boil it first. Well, almost boiling… you don’t actually have to heat water all the way to boiling to rid it of microorganisms.
According to the Wilderness Medical Society, water temperatures above 160° F (70° C) kill all pathogens within 30 minutes and above 185° F (85° C) within a few minutes. So in the time it takes for the water to reach the boiling point (212° F or 100° C) from 160° F (70° C), all pathogens will be killed, even at high altitude. To be extra safe, let the water boil rapidly for one minute, especially at higher altitudes since water boils at a lower temperature.
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If boiling is not possible, or to add a layer of protection after boiling (after cool down), another very effective way to make water safe to drink is to add a specific amount of regular household bleach. Bleach contains about 5 to 6 percent chlorine, which will disinfect the water if added in the right amount.
First things first. If the water is cloudy and contains sediment, it should be strained through a filter by using a cloth or other straining method (use your common sense here with whatever is available). Of course if you have a drinking water filter with you, you’re in good shape.
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How to purify water with Bleach
According to the American Red Cross,
- Use regular liquid bleach (any brand). The only active ingredient should be sodium hypochlorite (concentration 5.25 – 6 percent). If you also see sodium hydroxide on the ingredient list, it is apparently OK and safe. Do not use bleach that contain soaps, perfumes, or dyes. Be sure to read the label. The “Regular” household bleach is usually fine for this.
- Add about 8 drops (one-eighth US teaspoon) of regular liquid bleach per one gallon of water. Use 4 drops if using a 2-liter bottle.
- Mix thoroughly and let stand for 30 minutes.
- Then, smell the water. If the water has a faint smell of chlorine, then it is OK to use. If you cannot detect any chlorine odor, add another 8 drops of regular liquid bleach (4 drops for 2-liter bottle). Let stand, and smell it again. If you still cannot smell chlorine, discard it and find another water source.
It may be useful to have a swimming pool test kit
Note that bleach has a shelf life, although you will probably not see a date on the bottle. Bleach loses about half its effectiveness within a year, so be sure to date your bottle upon purchase. Double the dosage if one year old. I would replace bleach that has been stored much beyond a year, just to be sure of full strength effectiveness.
Facts about chlorine level for safe drinking water
The EPA recommends a maximum (no more than) 4 ppm (parts per million) of chlorine for safe drinking water.
Ideal chlorine levels for safe water in swimming pools is between 1 – 1.5 ppm, to keep bacteria and other nastiness from growing.
Municipal tap water measured at the MSB homestead is 0.6 ppm chlorine (good enough).
It takes 45 minutes to destroy Giardia Protozoan (common cause of diarrhea) with 1 ppm chlorine level (so, let your water sit for awhile, even if using more than 1 ppm).
It is highly recommended to have a simple Pool Water Test Kit
Chlorine (which is effectively the active ingredient in general household bleach) is in all tap water systems across America and the developed countries of the world. It has no doubt saved countless lives from contamination and subsequent disease.
From the CDC, Centers for Disease Control, “If you don’t have clean, safe, bottled water and if boiling is not possible, you often can make water safer to drink by using a disinfectant, such as unscented household chlorine bleach”
CDC Instructions:
Add 1/8 teaspoon (or 8 drops; about 0.625 milliliters) of unscented liquid household chlorine (5–6%) bleach for each gallon of clear water (or 2 drops of bleach for each liter or each quart of clear water).
Add 1/4 teaspoon (or 16 drops; about 1.50 milliliters) of bleach for each gallon of cloudy water (or 4 drops of bleach for each liter or each quart of cloudy water).
Stir the mixture well.
Let it stand for 30 minutes or longer before you use it.
Store the disinfected water in clean, disinfected containers with tight covers.
From the WHO, World Health Organization, “Chlorine is commonly available to households as liquid bleach (sodium hypo chlorite), usually with a chlorine concentration of 1%”
WHO Instructions:
Disinfection with chlorine is the most appropriate way of ensuring microbiological safety in most low-cost settings. Bleaching powder, liquid bleach, chlorine tablets and other sources of chlorine may be used, depending on local availability. At least 30 minutes contact time should be allowed after the chlorine is added to the water before the water is drunk, to ensure adequate disinfection. The free chlorine residual (i.e. the free form of chlorine remaining in the water after the contact time) should be between 0.5 and 1.0 mg/l (0.5 ppm and 1.0 ppm).
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I believe you mean 4 drops per 2 liter bottle, under American Red Cross reference, if not accept my apologies.
Yes, that is more accurate (4 drops per 2 liter bottle). There are almost 4 liters in one gallon. So the maximum used (start with 4 drops) should apparently be 8 drops per 2 liter bottle, which I believe is about 1/8 teaspoon. I’ve corrected the text in the article. Thanks.
You see the government has laws …. mainstream has rights …
Rights without laws are privileges that can and has been taken away at any given moment …
And any Amendment of rights which follows the first Amendment is thus an extension, and rest upon the foundation of that first Amendment … and that foundation is as unstable as quicksand …
I say that because just as rights of the first amendment are not empowered by any written law … as they so plainly say;
Congress shall ‘make no law’ respecting an establishment of religion, or (no law) prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or (no law) abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or (no law for) the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
The mainstream must realize that the amendment and enforcing laws … have never been on their side … the first amendment must be changed, and Congress must make rightful laws backing any and all given rights …
@Isis2012; Actually that flies in the face of the Founding Fathers’ philosophy of rights and their origins. Rights, regardless of whether you believe so, are God given rights, according to the founding fathers. The Bill of Rights is only the “enumerated chronicle” of the MOST pointed of rights that our forefathers listed, at the behest of the populace at large, since they didn’t actually understand what rights they had. The founders purposely left out the rights since they didn’t want to restrict them in any way. The “other name” for the BoR is the “Enumerated Rights”. Rights, God given rights, are never privileges regardless of what laws are made. They are only privileges as far as we allow them to be taken away from us and so diluted that they are not what was intended by our forbears. Replacing one set of written words (well written IMO) with another will not solve the problem. The first amendment cannot be better written than it already is. You are right though, in that “the people” should realize the “gubment” and whatever incursions and changes to our “rights” they try to make have never been on our side. Survive well. Enjoy.
Great tip!
Also thanks for using both imperil and metric conversion rates – I’m hopeless with imperial as I am a child of the metric age.
Thanks ken
Great article! Does this rule apply if I want to fill a 55 gallon plastic drum of water from the tap? Considering the tap water already has chlorine added to it as it is municipal water?
Simply check your tap water with a chlorine test kit (a pool kit), and you will know what you have…
So long as you’re at 1PPM – 4PPM(max), then you’re presumed ‘safe’
Josh…. make sure the barrel is sterile /sanitized and the instruments you use to fill the barrel. I personally add a qt of bleach into the plastic drum, rolling it around, standing it on one end , then the other to sterilize it good. Then rinse. Once filled to over flowing with good tap water, I push on the side to expell any air bubbles before tightening bung plug.
Two years latter, its still good water. The recommendation is to change the water every six months, but I haven’t done it yet? This water was for basic use, not drinking. I would drink it! Depends on the barrel that your are using and how long the water has been stored.
Ok, thank you for the responses, this is great information. I just want to make sure I understand you clearly.
1. Rinse the barrel thoroughly and then pour 1 quart of bleach into barrel. Swish around on both ends, let it soak well.
2. Rinse the bleach out.
3. Fill the barrel with water from the tap, squeeze sides to push any air out and then put in the bung plug (always funny saying that) and then good to go? Don’t add any bleach to the water or it should be safe as is?
I’m not using this as my primary source for drinking water, but would be nice to have that option if needed. It’s mainly just as a backup to my primary drinking sources which are all just unopened drinking gallon water jugs from the supermarket.
Josh….your equipment that you use for storage and processing, (barrel, hoses, water source) is the weak link in water storage. Also disinfect your hands! I personally use recycled 4L glass wine bottles that I get at the recycling center for immediate drinking water. I use 200L (53 gallon) barrels of water for dishwashing, laundry, toilets, misc………..
Our well field is 11 miles away with 5 water towers. The water still test 1 ppm – 1.2 ppm chlorine residual at the faucet. Means, good water. Store all water in the dark. Sunlight and aeration destroys chlorine. If you have good water with too much chlorine( if you smell it, its probable too strong) let it set in the sunlight or shake it and then let chlorine dissipate. The water is disinfected with liquid bleach at the water plant. It was treated prior by gas. Chlorine is a poison to all life, do not over use!
Thanks for this information. I wanted to know for when I run out of bottled water and cannot get out often to purchase more water. Can anyone tell me what is the best type of bottled water to purchase?
Depends what you mean by ‘best’. I’ve researched it awhile back to discover which of the many brands are considered more pure than others (better filtered and without impurities). I came across some test results, and for this particular test (which seemed legit), it was the Nestle brand (I have no affiliation with them). Taste is a matter of opinion, but with regards to survival, any of it is perfectly fine.