Survival Skills: How to Purify Water

By Susan Dickson

Survival Skills: How to Purify Water thegearhunt.com

You need water to survive. That fact is well-known and can’t ever be disputed. Everyone knows that. However, strangely, some people still don’t know that drinking water that isn’t purified can make you sick. The Environmental Control Agency has reported that over 90 percent of the water in the world is unfit to drink without undergoing some type of treatment or purification method. Yet, many people don’t pay that any attention. However, if they could see exactly what is in the water they drink, they would probably make quite a different decision. There are things in untreated and unpurified water that can actually kill you, so why wouldn’t you take that extra step to make sure the water you bring to stay healthy, is going to actually help you stay healthy?

So, whether you’re in an emergency situation or just sitting at home drinking a glass of fresh, iced water, that water needs to be purified. So, in this blog, we will go into a few of the reasons that you need to purify your water, a few ways it can be done, and even some of the health benefits that go along with it.

Ready to dive into our blog on water purification and how to purify your water? Great! Pull up a chair, grab your purified glass of water, and let’s dive in.

Top Reasons to Purify Our Water

There are quite a few reasons that purifying our water is the best way to stay healthy, and even alive in many cases. Read on below for a few of those reasons to be revealed.

Lowers the Risk of Cancer

Studies have shown that purification of the water we drink actually lowers the risk of developing cancer. Chemicals and other waste have been known to work their way into the water supply and those things can cause certain types of cancer. Purifying the water helps to reduce that risk by quite a bit.

The Health of You and Your Family

Since our bodies are made up of over 80 percent water, and doctors recommend you drink at least eight glasses a day, you can see why purified water would be the best thing for your health, and your family’s health as well.

Reduces the Risk of Alzheimer’s

Aluminum that has gotten into drinking water has been traced back to being responsible for some Alzheimer’s cases. Purifying your drinking water makes it possible to reduce that risk, so you have less of a chance of developing this horrible disease.

Improves the Flavor

If you have ever gotten a glass of water from your tap and cringed at the metallic taste, that could be because your water is unpurified. Since the experts say that we should be drinking a ton of water a day to stay healthy, then the stuff needs to taste good, right? Right! Your water should taste amazing and fresh, and you should enjoy drinking. Purifying your water will give it that fresh taste you deserve.

Helps to Reduce Chlorine Levels

Remember, how your hair feels when you get out of the pool and then don’t wash it, or the way your eyes burn when you go under the water or are in the pool for a while? That is because of chlorine and chlorine is in water from treatments. That’s why it’s so important to purify your water so that you aren’t getting an unhealthy dose of chlorine when you drink. It also has been noted that chlorine in drinking water can lead to the following problems.

Birth defects
Asthma

A higher risk of developing cancer
Cardiovascular problems

While it is possible that these diseases and conditions can happen to you anyway, it’s better to try to reduce the likelihood by having your water purified.

Provides You with Healthier and Fresher Coffee, Food and Tea

While it is true that you can drink bottled water to ensure what you’re drinking is purified, it takes a lot of bottled water to use it for everything. What about your cooking? What about the water you give your pets? What about coffee you drink in the mornings and the gallon of iced tea you have sitting in the fridge? It would really be too expensive to make those things using bottled water, so why not buy a water purifying system instead to ensure that your coffee, tea, ice, foods, and even the water you give your beloved pets is clean, fresh, and above all healthy, the way water was meant to be.

Saves You Time

Using a water purification system is the best way to ensure that your water is purified. While there are quite a few other methods out there to purify your water, like boiling it, having a water purification system saves you the time it would take to boil the water, let it cool a little, then put it in the fridge to cool the rest of the way before you can drink it. No one wants to have to wait forever to drink a cold, glass of water, so a water purification system, just makes good common sense, wouldn’t you think?

It’s the Greener Option

While getting all of your drinking water from bottles is an option, and it works well for most, it’s also not the greener option at all. It is estimated that 65 percent of plastic bottles end up at the bottom of a landfill on a yearly basis. That is a lot of waste and is bad for the environment. If you are looking to go green and become environmentally friendly, then switching to a water purification system is the best way to do that for you and your family. Not only will it make a difference in your carbon footprint on the earth, but it will also be cheaper for you in the long run as well.

It’s Less Expensive

Of course, you will pay a little more by getting a water filtration system to put in your home from the get-go, but in the end, it will end up saving you quite a bit of money. You are probably buying quite a few cases of bottled water a month, and while water isn’t that expensive, the cost does add up. If you’ve been looking to trim your food and drink budget a bit, this is the best way to do it for sure. Also, recent studies have shown that bottled water is actually no more purified and better for you than tap water is, so what are you actually paying for?

Contains Fewer Plumbing Contaminants

If you live in an older home, then it is highly possible that you have old pipes. It is even possible that the pipes your drinking water travels through to get to your home are rusted, slimy, and corroded. Is that the type of water you want your children to drink? Of course, you can replace all of your pipes, but it’s probably easier to just purify your water instead.

Lowers Bacteria Levels

E Coli and other types of bacteria can seep back into your water, even after it leaves the treatment plant. There are some bacterias that can make you and your family mildly sick, while others can make you severely sick and can even be deadly. Purifying your water helps you ensure that your water is bacteria free.

Your Pets and Plants will be Healthier

Purifying your water doesn’t just help your family, it also helps your pets and even your plants to be healthier. Pouring unpurified water into your pet’s water bowl can end with him becoming sick. Watering your plants with unpurified water can lead to diseases they normally wouldn’t have gotten, and make them look wilted and sickly as well.

To Avoid Human Error

One of the top reasons to purify your water is that humans make mistakes. While we put our trust in the treatment plants to ensure our water is safe and ready to drink when it comes out of the treatment plant and flows to our faucets, the truth is, someone could be having an off day and put too many chemicals in the water or too little, and you end up with water that is not fit to drink.

Your Own Peace of Mind

Purifying your water through some type of purification process gives you the peace of mind of knowing that you are doing everything you can to ensure that you and your family are safe, healthy, and not about to get sick from the water to drink, and your family is what is the most important thing, isn’t it.

These are just a few of the reasons that you should be drinking only purified water. Now, we will move into the section on how to exactly purify that water as well. Ready? Then, let’s get started.

Top Methods for Purifying Your Water

Believe it or not, there are quite a few methods out there for purifying your water, read on below to see which is the best option for you.

Boiling It

Boiling your water is a tried and true method for purifying it, but it also comes with its own drawbacks. It takes a while to accomplish and on hot summer days, no one wants to heat up their house by having boiling water on the stove. Then, you have to wait for the water to cool enough to put in a pitcher in the fridge and then wait to drink it until it’s cooled or the ice from the same boiled water is made. No one wants to have to wait for hours, especially in the heat of summer to have a refreshing glass of ice cold water.

Iodine Solution, Tablets, or Crystals

This is a more modern way of purifying your water, but it also takes a bit of time. Once you drop the solution, tablet or crystal into your container of water, you have to wait at least 30 minutes before you can drink it. This method also can’t be used if you are pregnant or nursing. It also has an aftertaste that most people don’t like. However, it is possible to find it in many forms and it suits almost any budget as well.

Chlorine Drops

Chlorine drops are a popular method of purifying water as well. It’s lightweight, easy to find, and very affordable. You do have to wait 30 minutes before drinking any water that you purify with chlorine, however. The biggest drawback of using this method is that you have to be extra careful not to put too many drops into your water container because overdoing it can poison you and could be deadly.

Invest in a Water Filtration/Purification System

One of the best ways to purify your water and know that it is safe to drink is by investing in a water filtration system. They range from medium to high prices, according to the brand, type, and features you choose to buy. All you have to do is install the system and that way you know that you are not somehow poisoning your family, like with some of the other methods of purifying water above. The only downside to water filtration systems is they might not fit every budget, but they are the best method for purifying your water and keeping your family safe, that has come out so far.

This concludes our blog on how to purify water and the top reasons why you need to do so. Water is supposed to be healthy for us, but if it isn’t treated and purified the right way, it can become the exact opposite. It seems that investing in a water filtration and purification system is your best bet for keeping yourself, your family, your pets, and even your plants healthy, happy, and safe.