I'm re-posting this because Tj is asking for how to's Link.

I figured that out of the big three (food/water/shelter) this was the one thing that would probably do the most good for the SF community.

REMEMBER - when using liquid bleach to purify water, the formulas all are counting on bleach to be about 5-7% strength...which after 6 months of shelf storage is no longer a sure thing with liquid bleach. Storing liquid bleach long term isn't effective, as it will loose its effectiveness after 3-6 months link

Storing granular calcium hypochlorite (pool shock) is cheap and easy and the shelf life is much longer.

30 bucks of the right sort of pool shock would probably purify a lifetimes worth of drinking water for several people in ideal conditions. I first read about this on SF and didn't figure this out all on my own but I did do the research with help from SF and refined things to this point:

Here is what I found: http://www.epa.gov/safewater/faq/emerg.html

Pay attention to the section on granular calcium hypochlorite to disinfect water. Read the whole thing as it paints a big picture to understand but I really liked the idea of being able to treat a lot of water, for just a couple bucks.

Granular calcium hypochlorite is available from Leslie's pool supply in 73% strength with a minimum average yield of 70% chlorine - perfect for what we need. (see pic for example of product) Its sold as common everyday Pool Shock.

Read the label of the pool shock closely! All you want to use for this is high concentration of Granular Calcium Hypochlorite and nothing else. Be careful to avoid the multi-function pool shocks that have chemicals like algicides and other 'multi function 4-in-1' products. All you want is Calcium Hypochlorite at 65% or stronger. Don't worry about the ingredients listed as 'other' those are the inert parts to keep the concentrations down to where they want them. So long as no other chemical is specifically listed then its OK.

Materials needed (maybe 10 bucks worth of stuff):
1 bag of Leslie's 73% Calcium Hypochlorite Pool Shock ($4)
a couple 5 gallon buckets ($0 - $5 depending on how you get them)
a funnel ($1)
a couple empty bleach containers ($0 save them as you use them normally)

Step 1: Make bleach
1 heaping teaspoon of pool shock makes 2 gallons of bleach
- place 2 gallons of water into a 5 gallon bucket
- place 1 heaping *teaspoon* of pool shock into bucket
- stir into solution thoroughly
- place funnel into empty 1 gallon bleach container
- pour 1 gallon out of bucket into bleach container
- repeat for other bleach container

Now you have made two gallons of normal household bleach that you can use for anything you would normally use bleach for like cleaning, disinfecting etc.

Step 2: Use bleach to disinfect water
- 2.5 *tablespoons* of bleach solution goes into 1 gallon of water for disinfecting
- stir into solution and wait 30 mins
- sample taste the disinfected water, if it tastes too strong of chlorine then aerate the water by simply pouring 1 gallon from one container into another a couple times and this will help remove the objectionable taste, if any.

Leslies Pool Shock



Hope this helps

Shameless bump since this thread won me a SF patch

Thanks a lot. I will try and locate some of this ASAP. For the new members, like me, it is good to have a re-post every now and then, IMO..

Wow I was wondering. I have had two bottles of the stuff sitting for six or seven years now unopened and was shocked to see that they were worthless.

Not sure if ruger270man is a member here but he linked this site on another forum I frequent: Home Made Berkey Water Filter

http://berkeywater.com/BerkeyLight/BB_Purification_Elements.html




Seems pretty easy to build.

Original thread: http://forums.gunbroker.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=341552

I was only echoing what the manufacturer (Clorox) was saying from their own web site link



I'm not a chemist nor can I argue either side of this one but I would like to understand more about the facts if possible. Either way...storing the powdered form works for me since it takes up much less space and is easier for me to deal with.

Interesting

I have several bags of the stuff in my supplies along with instructions.

Isn't this much too strong of an amount to disinfect water with? Every resource I've read uses 2 drops per quart.

Or, is this a function of it being "calcium hypochlorite" and not sodium hypochlorite?

I struggled with this at first because it does seem off at first glance. I based my write up on the .gov site I linked in my original post and for "household cholorine bleaches" they use the often repeated formula of 2 drops per quart minimum and double the amount if the source water is murky, discolored or very cold. Yet the same page calls for granular calcium hypochlorite to be used (after mixed per directions) 16oz per 12.5 gallons of water.

16oz per 12.5 gallons is the same ratio as 2.5 tablespoons per gallon.

Everything in my how to post was derived from this paragraph on the EPA site:

"You can use granular calcium hypochlorite to disinfect water.
Add and dissolve one heaping teaspoon of high-test granular calcium hypochlorite (approximately ¼ ounce) for each two gallons of water, or 5 milliliters (approximately 7 grams) per 7.5 liters of water. The mixture will produce a stock chlorine solution of approximately 500 milligrams per liter, since the calcium hypochlorite has available chlorine equal to 70 percent of its weight. To disinfect water, add the chlorine solution in the ratio of one part of chlorine solution to each 100 parts of water to be treated. This is roughly equal to adding 1 pint (16 ounces) of stock chlorine to each 12.5 gallons of water or (approximately ½ liter to 50 liters of water) to be disinfected. To remove any objectionable chlorine odor, aerate the disinfected water by pouring it back and forth from one clean container to another."

ETA - Another link for a cost efective and adaptable ceremic based filter discussed several times in SF.

Ok guys, I saw this at the pool store and was told it is chlorine bleach. it is 99% active ingredient Sodium dichloro-s-triazinetrione dihydrate. Would the mix ratios be the same as mentioned earlier?
I found this link:

water purification

Text of link.

A better method of water purification would be using a chlorinating concentrate manufactured for spas and hot tubs. The best one contains Sodium dichloro-s-triazinetrione dihydrate . . . . 99%, and 1% inert ingredients, and is available from some pool and spa supply stores. I have recently also found this formulation at a local Home Depot center.

Its advantages:

-only 1/4 teaspoon is used to treat a 55 gallon drum of water.
-the shelf life of a container of this concentrate is 15 to 25 years + (if kept dry and not stored hot)
-you can buy it and forget about it. My experience with Clorox is that it is usually getting old and may be ineffective for treating water adequately when we need it.

Instructions for use:

Add 1/4 teaspoon of the chlorinating concentrate to your 50 or 55 gal. drum. Place the cap on the container and close it, and allow it to sit for 24 hours. After 24 hours, remove the lid and test for the presence of free chlorine in the water. This can be done by smelling (careful), or by using test strips for free chlorine, available at many stores (Wal-mart or pool and spa stores or other stores). These test strips cost about $10.00 for 50 strips. If the chlorine can be detected after 24 hours, then the water has been purified. At that point, remove the lid from the water container and allow it to sit open for another 24 hours. The free chlorine will come out of the water, and the water is then fit for drinking. If no chlorine is present after the first 24 hours with the container closed, repeat the process, as organic matter (bacteria, cysts, etc.) are still present. Until free chlorine can be detected after 24 hours, there are probably organisms still present.

That is a great find man! Really nice writeup as well!

Thanks this could be extremely useful