The Best Ways to Purify Drinking Water

Boiling

• The easiest way to purify drinking water is by boiling it in a clean container. Depending on the condition of the water (cloudy, gritty) you may need to filter it beforehand. Coffee filters, cheesecloth and paper towels can all be used as an initial filter to remove any visible particles from the water. Once the water appears clear, pour it into a clean container and boil it for a minimum of three minutes (boiling time varies depending on ground elevation). Keep the water covered while it's being boiled and while it's cooling to reduce the amount of evaporation. The boiling process kills pathogens in the water and can also remove some volatile organic compounds.

Activated Carbon Filters

• Activated carbon filters purify water by filtering it through highly porous carbon that traps organic molecules. These contaminants are drawn into the activated carbon and become absorbed into macropores within the carbon particle's center. Clean water escapes through the micropores on the outer edges. The effectiveness of this purification treatment depends on several factors including the surface area and pore size of the carbon particles. The best filters are those that have a great deal of surface area with very small pores. The carbon is produced using peanut shells, coconut husks or coal that is slowly heated in an airless container. The carbon particles are then activated using oxidizing gases at extremely high temperatures. Activated carbon filters need to be changed regularly in order to maintain their effectiveness.

Distillation

• Distillation units heat contaminated water and create purified steam that cools into purified water. A distillation unit is divided into two chambers; the water passes from one to the other as steam. Contaminated water enters the unit through a coiled pipe into the chamber with a heating element. As the water is heated, steam rises to the coiled pipe where it condenses and drops down into the other chamber as purified water. Salts, sediments and metals often remain in the boiler compartment so, periodically, the unit needs to be cleaned in order to ensure its effectiveness over time. Those worried about volatile organic compounds have the option of adding a vapor filter to ensure these particles don't travel with the steam into the condensation compartment.