As April, Earthquake Preparedness Month, begins nearing its end, I thought I'd do a final water related, emergency situation blog.

Today's topic: Treating Drinking Water in an Emergency Situation (taken from the American Red Cross)

If you are uncertain about the purity of any water source, treat before you use it for drinking, food preparation or hygiene. In addition to having a bad odor and taste, water from questionable sources may be contaminated by a variety of microorganisms that can cause dysentery, cholera, typhoid and hepatitis.

To treat water, follow these steps:

1. Filter the water using a piece of cloth or coffee filter to remove solid particles
2. Bring it to a rolling boil for about one full minute
3. Let it cool at least 30 minutes. Water must be cool or the chlorine treatment described below will not work.
4. Add 16 drops of liquid chlorine bleach per gallon of water, or 8 drops per 2-liter bottle of water. Stir to mix. Sodium hypochlorite (concentration 5.25% to 6%) should be the only active ingredient in the bleach. There should be no added soap or fragrance.
5. Let stand 30 minutes.
6. If the water smells of chlorine, you can use it. If it does not smell of chlorine, repeat steps 4 and 5 above. If after the second try the water smells of chlorine, you can use it. Otherwise, discard and find another source of water.

People with certain medical conditions may need distilled or sterile water. Your physician can tell you whether you fall in this category. If so, the Red Cross can provide you with instructions on how to distill water.

Jennie Day-Burget

PIO