Friend just asked me about using chlorine for water purification VS. using the purification tablets , drops, or filters.  Any comments?

Tate

Try 1/8th to 1/4 of a teaspoon of bleach per gallon of water, depending on the clarity of the water.  Good for about 6 months.  Just a couple of sources....

As for pure chlorine.... I don't know.  

[url]http://extension.usu.edu/publica/foodpubs/watersto.htm[/url]

[url]http://www.majorsurplusnsurvival.com/tip%20water%20storage.htm[/url]

In water world Kevin Costner peed into coffee filters.

Yeah I'm sure that works.

Thanks, Stealth.  If bleach can be used (in my earlier message, I meant bleach but said chlorine) then are there any advantages to using purification drops or tablets??

Tate

Just as a side not, if you were to use chlorine, like from a pool supply place, it is a 10% solution where bleach is somewhat just under 5%. In other words, use less than half the ammount you wouild when using bleach. Oh yeah, also remember bleach contains carcenagens(sp?).

556mm

I forget why, but Iodine (the water purification tablets) is suposed to work better than bleach, but in a pinch bleach does work.

If you go to a camping/outdoors store, like EMS or REI you can find water purifiers that are rated to filter out bacteria, viri and even nuclear waste.

I have a MSR Miniworks ceramic water filter I've used backpacking for 3 years. This is the same water purifier issued to the USMC. This thing works GREAT! You can put even put the tube in beer or soda and get straight H2o when you use it. No impurities. If you're worried about contaminated (meaning in a chem/bio war scenario) water, I'm not too sure what it would do, but the Marines are told to only drink bottled water, or in an emergency, filtered, boiled, and iodined water. You can see the website here:

[url]http://www.msrcorp.com/[/url]

   It cost me about $65 a few years ago. Easy to clean too!

yes, the current types of backpacking water filters made by PUR and others can filter all the way up to virus level.  that and some extra filters will get you a long way. (80+ gallons per filter cartridge)

i have no idea why some of you insist on talking about purifying water in all kinds of ridiculous ways from back in the caveman days.  have y'all tried drinking water after you've poured that noxious stuff into it???

i prefer to use technology created in the last 30 years to filter my water, thank you.

i can tell who does and doesn't ever actually get out into Mother Nature to do some real camping.  heh heh.

scott out