Sterilizing Water

malleebkk · October 22, 2011

How to Sterilize Water

This is a great lesson for learning about water, hygiene, sanitary habits, germs, etc. It’s a good piece of information to know also if for some reason your water supply is ever in question. And, it’s a good way to teach them not to drink directly from rivers, streams, ponds, etc. Do you have any idea how much water you use each day? The average person uses at least ten of gallons of water a day for drinking, washing, and flushing the toilet. What happens if you water supply is interrupted or corrupted for some reason? You could have a busted pipe, loss of electricity for an extended period of time, natural disaster such as hurricane or tornado. Even a drought can cause problems with wells. What if you have to use an alternative water source for some reason? You have to be very careful to avoid potentially lethal germs and bacteria in untreated water. You do this by sterilizing any water source that is questionable. How do you sterilize water? The best way to sterilize water is to boil it vigorously for 5 minutes. That’s 5 minutes at sea level. If you live above sea leave then you would need to boil it longer, up to 10 minutes at higher elevations. Water can also be sterilized with unscented household bleach. A 4 liter (approximately one gallon) container will require 4 eyedroppers of bleach. Do not drink water immediately after adding bleach. Allow it to sit for an hour or two. You can also store sanitized water in containers. New, opaque, heavy plastic containers, with screw caps make good storage containers. The liter containers that soda comes in also make for good water storage containers. Empty milk and juice containers are not as durable and may crack with age. Remember that not just the water you want to store needs to be sanitized. So do the containers you want to store the water in. HOW TO STERILIZE CONTAINERS? Wash container with hot, soapy water and rinse thoroughly. Very thoroughly! You do not want any soap residue to remain inside the container. Fill 3/4 full of tap water and 1 cup of liquid bleach for a 4 litre container. Shake well, turning upside down to sterilize the cap. Allow to stand for several minutes. Pour the contents into the next container. The same bleach solution can be used to sterilize three 4-liter (one gallon) containers.

h90 · October 22, 2011

this all does not sterilize water, but it makes it good enough for drinking.

boiling is not enough for some bacteria, but good enough for drinking.

nong38 · October 22, 2011

You make interesting points and when I next go to Boots I will see if they have any sterilizing tablets, if not will have a look in the UK next year and bring back, used to use them for beer and wine making, not expensive and very small.

Heng · October 22, 2011

We have an RO system but have stocked up on bottled water anyway (too much free time perhaps). We're good for about 6 months on that supply.

tutsiwarrior · October 22, 2011

horrors! the step daughter was giving the grandson a basin bath on the terrace and brown water was coming out of the hose pipe and we're not even badly flooded around here...I pointed it out and the SD dumped it and dried off the little boy and we proceeded to boil some water for tmw...I could still smell a faint scent of chlorine from the municipal treatment system in the tap water but we boiled it anyway...

quite frightening as the water supply around here has always been reliable and the flooding has been minimal...

jonnyscot · October 22, 2011

Hi,,, I'm no chemist, but I would be concerned if I was smelling Chlorine in the water system since I believe if you smell it this tells you the chlorine in the system should be renewed, i'm also unsure about basic household bleach for water purification, as far as I was aware I wouldn't have thought household bleach was suitable for the purpose as I don't think it removes all harmful bacteria, thats my thinking although I am quite happy to be corrected on this.

horrors! the step daughter was giving the grandson a basin bath on the terrace and brown water was coming out of the hose pipe and we're not even badly flooded around here...I pointed it out and the SD dumped it and dried off the little boy and we proceeded to boil some water for tmw...I could still smell a faint scent of chlorine from the municipal treatment system in the tap water but we boiled it anyway...

quite frightening as the water supply around here has always been reliable and the flooding has been minimal...

jonnyscot · October 22, 2011

Just realised I was replying to you Tutsi,, thanks for this update, assume you are referring to the Suphan area,,,,, better get on the blower to the wife to update her to be careful the kids don't drink (as they normally do) the shower water when showering

Hi,,, I'm no chemist, but I would be concerned if I was smelling Chlorine in the water system since I believe if you smell it this tells you the chlorine in the system should be renewed, i'm also unsure about basic household bleach for water purification, as far as I was aware I wouldn't have thought household bleach was suitable for the purpose as I don't think it removes all harmful bacteria, thats my thinking although I am quite happy to be corrected on this.

horrors! the step daughter was giving the grandson a basin bath on the terrace and brown water was coming out of the hose pipe and we're not even badly flooded around here...I pointed it out and the SD dumped it and dried off the little boy and we proceeded to boil some water for tmw...I could still smell a faint scent of chlorine from the municipal treatment system in the tap water but we boiled it anyway...

quite frightening as the water supply around here has always been reliable and the flooding has been minimal...

tutsiwarrior · October 22, 2011

Just realised I was replying to you Tutsi,, thanks for this update, assume you are referring to the Suphan area,,,,, better get on the blower to the wife to update her to be careful the kids don't drink (as they normally do) the shower water when showering

Hi,,, I'm no chemist, but I would be concerned if I was smelling Chlorine in the water system since I believe if you smell it this tells you the chlorine in the system should be renewed, i'm also unsure about basic household bleach for water purification, as far as I was aware I wouldn't have thought household bleach was suitable for the purpose as I don't think it removes all harmful bacteria, thats my thinking although I am quite happy to be corrected on this.

horrors! the step daughter was giving the grandson a basin bath on the terrace and brown water was coming out of the hose pipe and we're not even badly flooded around here...I pointed it out and the SD dumped it and dried off the little boy and we proceeded to boil some water for tmw...I could still smell a faint scent of chlorine from the municipal treatment system in the tap water but we boiled it anyway...

quite frightening as the water supply around here has always been reliable and the flooding has been minimal...

jonny...we're down in the Songphinong district about 40min south of changwat Suphan on the 3260 and there ain't that much flooding around here but there are a lot of brimming klongs, rice paddies and etc...up in Suphan town last Sunday there is more significant flooding especially along the road to U-tong...near the IT shopping mall I didn't see that much but the water supply has probably been affected...

jonnyscot · October 22, 2011

Hi Tutsie, yes I left Suphan for the airport on Sunday around midday, doing a months stint here in W Africa, I did take the bike out for 100km run around the area on the Saturday and noticed quite a bit of floodwater in the outlying fields and the odd road in Suphan flooded, the tap water was ok when I left, but i'll give the wife a call later today and mention re the water supply

Thanks

Just realised I was replying to you Tutsi,, thanks for this update, assume you are referring to the Suphan area,,,,, better get on the blower to the wife to update her to be careful the kids don't drink (as they normally do) the shower water when showering

Hi,,, I'm no chemist, but I would be concerned if I was smelling Chlorine in the water system since I believe if you smell it this tells you the chlorine in the system should be renewed, i'm also unsure about basic household bleach for water purification, as far as I was aware I wouldn't have thought household bleach was suitable for the purpose as I don't think it removes all harmful bacteria, thats my thinking although I am quite happy to be corrected on this.

horrors! the step daughter was giving the grandson a basin bath on the terrace and brown water was coming out of the hose pipe and we're not even badly flooded around here...I pointed it out and the SD dumped it and dried off the little boy and we proceeded to boil some water for tmw...I could still smell a faint scent of chlorine from the municipal treatment system in the tap water but we boiled it anyway...

quite frightening as the water supply around here has always been reliable and the flooding has been minimal...

jonny...we're down in the Songphinong district about 40min south of changwat Suphan on the 3260 and there ain't that much flooding around here but there are a lot of brimming klongs, rice paddies and etc...up in Suphan town last Sunday there is more significant flooding especially along the road to U-tong...near the IT shopping mall I didn't see that much but the water supply has probably been affected...

costalot · October 23, 2011

I understand that the cheapest and best way to make water drinkable is to put it into clear plastic bottles, then leave it in the sun for an hour or more.

Seen on one of those BBC programs (the UV from the sun does it)

Heng · October 23, 2011

^there's an awful lot of anecdotal posts on the net telling you not to do that. Totally depends on the quality of your 'clear' plastic bottle (whether it's of a grade that does or doesn't leach chemicals when exposed to sunlight).

petedk · October 23, 2011

We use a filter for drinking water and have always had several large plastic containers to store the water in.

Two or three weeks ago my girlfriend threw all the plastic bottles away after reading that the plastic could cause cancer. Now we only have about five litres of glass bottles. We can't buy drinking water from anywhere.

To make matters worse I noticed today that the water from the tap is now tinted a pale yellow.

kyb789 · October 23, 2011

I am thinking that bacterial contamination should be the least of our concerns. Out here in Thailand, I am more concerned for heavy metals, toxic chemicals, etc, in the water. Boil your heart out, and you haven't changed a thing.

uptoyoumyfriend · October 25, 2011

I understand that the cheapest and best way to make water drinkable is to put it into clear plastic bottles, then leave it in the sun for an hour or more.

Seen on one of those BBC programs (the UV from the sun does it)

i keep and breed fish and in order to feed the fry i do just that -put the water in clear bottles in the sun and then a lot of algae and little critters too small to really see them grow which the fry feeds on.i wouldn't drink it.

find a machine with revers osmosis.and get it there.it is safe to drink it just doesn't have any minerals .when the filter is full it should clog.

jimbeam1 · October 25, 2011

We have an RO system but have stocked up on bottled water anyway (too much free time perhaps). We're good for about 6 months on that supply.

Exactly what water is it that you have 6 months supply of?

jb1

h90 · October 25, 2011

Hi,,, I'm no chemist, but I would be concerned if I was smelling Chlorine in the water system since I believe if you smell it this tells you the chlorine in the system should be renewed, i'm also unsure about basic household bleach for water purification, as far as I was aware I wouldn't have thought household bleach was suitable for the purpose as I don't think it removes all harmful bacteria, thats my thinking although I am quite happy to be corrected on this.

horrors! the step daughter was giving the grandson a basin bath on the terrace and brown water was coming out of the hose pipe and we're not even badly flooded around here...I pointed it out and the SD dumped it and dried off the little boy and we proceeded to boil some water for tmw...I could still smell a faint scent of chlorine from the municipal treatment system in the tap water but we boiled it anyway...

quite frightening as the water supply around here has always been reliable and the flooding has been minimal...

No you are wrong with that, as more aggressive it smells as more active and young the Chlorine. When it is used up it does not smell anymore. Heavy chlorine smelling water is for sure not the healthiest thing on earth but far better than getting some nasty bugs.

If it is yellow and smells like land (like we have now) than it gets dangerous. Less for a strong person without skin problems, but for children who may get it in the mouth (nose and ears) or if there is scratch on the skin.

h90 · October 25, 2011

I understand that the cheapest and best way to make water drinkable is to put it into clear plastic bottles, then leave it in the sun for an hour or more.

Seen on one of those BBC programs (the UV from the sun does it)

Theoretically right that UV kills it. But in the real world, just forget it.

Think for the next dirty water on the street or in the klong: it stays full in the UV and still you wouldn't drink it.

cook it...

h90 · October 25, 2011

I am thinking that bacterial contamination should be the least of our concerns. Out here in Thailand, I am more concerned for heavy metals, toxic chemicals, etc, in the water. Boil your heart out, and you haven't changed a thing.

no that heavy metals and toxic chemicals makes problems in the very long run. Short time: no problem. Some nasty bacteria can really kill you within 1 week.

WarpSpeed · October 25, 2011

Hi,,, I'm no chemist, but I would be concerned if I was smelling Chlorine in the water system since I believe if you smell it this tells you the chlorine in the system should be renewed, i'm also unsure about basic household bleach for water purification, as far as I was aware I wouldn't have thought household bleach was suitable for the purpose as I don't think it removes all harmful bacteria, thats my thinking although I am quite happy to be corrected on this.

horrors! the step daughter was giving the grandson a basin bath on the terrace and brown water was coming out of the hose pipe and we're not even badly flooded around here...I pointed it out and the SD dumped it and dried off the little boy and we proceeded to boil some water for tmw...I could still smell a faint scent of chlorine from the municipal treatment system in the tap water but we boiled it anyway...

quite frightening as the water supply around here has always been reliable and the flooding has been minimal...

NO not correct, you can house hold bleach for sterilizing better if it's non-scented but that is mostly so you can smell the Chlorine you use to know if you have used enough to sanitize so the idea that if you smell it there's no Cl2 is also not correct..

But if you have nothing besides scented then use it, obviously it's better then nothing use a 1/4 cap full for a liter of water but boil the water first even better if you can filter it through a coffee filter and then boil it then add the Cl2.

WarpSpeed · October 25, 2011

I am thinking that bacterial contamination should be the least of our concerns. Out here in Thailand, I am more concerned for heavy metals, toxic chemicals, etc, in the water. Boil your heart out, and you haven't changed a thing.

no that heavy metals and toxic chemicals makes problems in the very long run. Short time: no problem. Some nasty bacteria can really kill you within 1 week.

This time I agree with you..

jonnyscot · October 25, 2011

Sorry Guys I stand corrected on that,, I was always under the impression that when chlorine is added to a clean swimming pool there is no reaction and no smell,, and when there is plenty piss and other bacteria in the pool, this created the reaction and increasing smell meant more bacteria, in a tap water environment where there may be more minute quantities of chlorine I would have been concerned,,,,, Ok, guess i've been avoiding all the clean public pools all these years and bathing in piss pools,,,,,

Hi,,, I'm no chemist, but I would be concerned if I was smelling Chlorine in the water system since I believe if you smell it this tells you the chlorine in the system should be renewed, i'm also unsure about basic household bleach for water purification, as far as I was aware I wouldn't have thought household bleach was suitable for the purpose as I don't think it removes all harmful bacteria, thats my thinking although I am quite happy to be corrected on this.

horrors! the step daughter was giving the grandson a basin bath on the terrace and brown water was coming out of the hose pipe and we're not even badly flooded around here...I pointed it out and the SD dumped it and dried off the little boy and we proceeded to boil some water for tmw...I could still smell a faint scent of chlorine from the municipal treatment system in the tap water but we boiled it anyway...

quite frightening as the water supply around here has always been reliable and the flooding has been minimal...

NO not correct, you can house hold bleach for sterilizing better if it's non-scented but that is mostly so you can smell the Chlorine you use to know if you have used enough to sanitize so the idea that if you smell it there's no Cl2 is also not correct..

But if you have nothing besides scented then use it, obviously it's better then nothing use a 1/4 cap full for a liter of water but boil the water first even better if you can filter it through a coffee filter and then boil it then add the Cl2.

WarpSpeed · October 25, 2011

Sorry Guys I stand corrected on that,, I was always under the impression that when chlorine is added to a clean swimming pool there is no reaction and no smell,, and when there is plenty piss and other bacteria in the pool, this created the reaction and increasing smell meant more bacteria, in a tap water environment where there may be more minute quantities of chlorine I would have been concerned,,,,, Ok, guess i've been avoiding all the clean public pools all these years and bathing in piss pools,,,,,

Hi,,, I'm no chemist, but I would be concerned if I was smelling Chlorine in the water system since I believe if you smell it this tells you the chlorine in the system should be renewed, i'm also unsure about basic household bleach for water purification, as far as I was aware I wouldn't have thought household bleach was suitable for the purpose as I don't think it removes all harmful bacteria, thats my thinking although I am quite happy to be corrected on this.

horrors! the step daughter was giving the grandson a basin bath on the terrace and brown water was coming out of the hose pipe and we're not even badly flooded around here...I pointed it out and the SD dumped it and dried off the little boy and we proceeded to boil some water for tmw...I could still smell a faint scent of chlorine from the municipal treatment system in the tap water but we boiled it anyway...

quite frightening as the water supply around here has always been reliable and the flooding has been minimal...

NO not correct, you can house hold bleach for sterilizing better if it's non-scented but that is mostly so you can smell the Chlorine you use to know if you have used enough to sanitize so the idea that if you smell it there's no Cl2 is also not correct..

But if you have nothing besides scented then use it, obviously it's better then nothing use a 1/4 cap full for a liter of water but boil the water first even better if you can filter it through a coffee filter and then boil it then add the Cl2.

Actually not wanting to go off topic here too much, a brief explanation.. This is all too convoluted to be over simplified as it has been, too many factors in play to get the result you're speaking of... But basically you're smelling combined Cl2 and this combined with low Ph levels and T/A (total alkalinity)is what causes the smells you're speaking of, I can't go into the detail it would take to explain this in depth but that's in general what it is you're smelling and no that is not a good smell where pools are concerned.

tutsiwarrior · October 25, 2011

well, our tap water is back to normal again but the flood waters have been rising...still dry enough where we are next to the local tesseban premises but rising again out in the countryside.. another BiL and his family have moved into our house as they are flooded out where they are; his daughter who is my lovely niece just spent a couple of nights in the local hospital with some weird water borne affliction...no pampers in the supermarket for the little grandson...but the municipal garbage truck still comes around every day to pickup the trash, hopefully later not with a guy with a bullhorn to shout 'bring out your dead...'

jonnyscot · October 25, 2011

Cheers for the correction WS, I should have known better but my only level of intellegence with any chemical substance was about 7 odd years back with a solubilised 4-HR, a product I used/trialled as an additive in the washing process of some foods

thanks again

Actually not wanting to go off topic here too much, a brief explanation.. This is all too convoluted to be over simplified as it has been, too many factors in play to get the result you're speaking of... But basically you're smelling combined Cl2 and this combined with low Ph levels and T/A (total alkalinity)is what causes the smells you're speaking of, I can't go into the detail it would take to explain this in depth but that's in general what it is you're smelling and no that is not a good smell where pools are concerned.

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