Removing chemicals from water

[Glenn]

I had been thinking about storing drinking water when I just happened to look out the window and realized there are several thousand gallons sitting in the backyard. It seems that water purifiers are for removing dirt, bacteria and stuff like that. Are there purifiers that would remove the chemicals from pool water? The water is already pretty much disinfected and clear, but I am pretty sure you wouldn't want to drink it as is.

Glenn

[Rightwinger]

Distill it.

Your method will vary on what you have around your home or wish to purchase.

[Glenn]

I think I want something that doesn't need electricity. Are there filters that would remove chemicals?

Glenn?

[poak]

Ever consider converting your pool to saltwater? I'm not educated on this kind of stuff, but I would imagine it would be easier to remove salt from water than chlorine and whatever else. I also hear that after the initial setup, saltwater pools require less to maintain.

[Guest bkelm18]

I think I want something that doesn't need electricity. Are there filters that would remove chemicals?

Glenn?

Are you talking in like a survival situation? If you can build a fire (which I would certainly hope you could in a SHTF situation), then you can distill water.

Ever consider converting your pool to saltwater? I'm not educated on this kind of stuff, but I would imagine it would be easier to remove salt from water than chlorine and whatever else. I also hear that after the initial setup, saltwater pools require less to maintain.

But it stings when you pee in salt water...

[poak]

But it stings when you pee in salt water...

Oh Bkelm, will there ever be a shortage of reasons for why it stings when you pee?

[Guest bkelm18]

Oh Bkelm, will there ever be a shortage of reasons for why it stings when you pee?

Nope.

[Guest SUNTZU]

Didn't strickj have a thread with a picture of your girlfriend recently?

[Guest bkelm18]

Didn't strickj have a thread with a picture of your girlfriend recently?

Hey this thread is about making clean water, not man-women with breasts.

[Guest SUNTZU]

Well, that thing was a tall glass of....battery acid.

[Bocephus]

Using Swimming Pool Water

You should always view your pool as “backup” water; keep the water treated; you never know when it will be needed! The maintenance of the free chlorine residual will prevent establishment of any microorganisms. The maintenance level should be kept about 3-5ppm free chlorine. (See Water Purification for detailed information on purifying pool water.) If other stored water stocks are not available, remove the necessary pool water and boil it or just treat with chlorine to the normal 5ppm. It is best to err on the side of caution.

Covering the pool at all times when not in use is a very good idea. Try to keep the cover clean and wash the area you put it on when removing it from the pool.

[midtennchip]

I've done a LOT of research on water treatment and finally decided on the product below. I think (but I'm not positive) this would also remove chlorine. It is relatively cheap and it is rated at 1 million gallons . That's without replacement filters and without chemicals or electricity.

https://www.sawyersafetravel2.com/more.asp?pid=122

It's available here for even less money:

http://www.rei.com/product/781792

[Guest macmonkey]

The only way to treat chemical polluted water is with other chemicals. Filters and distillation don't work.

[Guest JeepMonkey]

The only way to treat chemical polluted water is with other chemicals. Filters and distillation don't work.

X2. Think back to high school Chemistry, provided you weren't like me and can actually remember high school. Acids and bases can only be neutralized by an equal amount of their opposite and nothing else. However, equalizing them properly gives you pure, clean water.

[Guest mikedwood]

After that Ash spill I went and got several 5 gallon bottles of water from Krogers as well as an MSR filter.

There is a creek behind my house, but I'm in Oak Ridge and even though there is a running creek and woods on the other side I never see animals back there. Deer once but no other animals, no tracks, no birds. I'm thinking what the heck? That must be some terrible creek water.

[Glenn]

Is that creek by chance called East Fork Poplar Creek or something like that?

Glenn

[Smith]

Chlorine burns off pretty fast. In fact one day without fresh chlorine and you will be easily in drinking safe levels. In fact, a lot of tap water I tested in Nashville has more chlorine than swimmming pools. When chlorine combines with bacteria, foreign particles ect. it breaks it down. What's left are neutral chloramines/chloramites. These are easily removed with filters, which is why pools have filters. Salt water pools use a very low level of salt (in ppm) as a sanitation medium. If you can taste it you have too much. It will not "burn" or hurt you in any way unless you drink a whole lot of it. Salinity is also easily lowered with dilution. Just a little rain in a salt water pool will lower salinity fairly significantly.

All that to say, a good filter will do just fine for drinking purposes in a pinch if you give your pool a day or so to deactivate. all other pool chemicals are made to break down and filter in fairly large filter mediums. Drinking filters are much finer than any pool filter. Especially a sand filter.

BTW - I was the post construction service manager for a high end pool company that dealt with a lot of the musicians and athletes here in Nashville and almost all of our pools used salt systems. Great stuff and cost difference is negligible even during install.

Edited March 16, 2009 by Smith

[R.Z.]

Several good options already listed here (and a little bad information), I'll add another to consider:

A "Berkey" with the black filter elements.

[NuTcAsE]

Several good options already listed here (and a little bad information), I'll add another to consider:

A "Berkey" with the black filter elements.

That's what I was thinkin...

[Guest SUNTZU]

When the Berkey breaks...or, how not to pay a bunch of money for filters.

http://shop.monolithic.com/products/just-water-ceramic-drip-filter