Emergency Water Purification: Using Bleach to Disinfect Water

During a natural disaster or other emergency, the drinking water in your area may become contaminated with dirt, debris and disease-causing germs. If you don't have access to facilities to boil your water, you will need to disinfect it with bleach before drinking it or using it for cooking. Bleach kills most disease-causing bacteria and other germs that may have gotten into the water. Failure to disinfect drinking water properly may lead to potentially serious infectious diseases.

Things You'll Need

• Strainer
• Clean shirt or large rag
• 2 large pots
• Measuring spoons
• Household bleach
• Large spoon
• Clean storage containers with lids

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Instructions

• 1

  Place a strainer over a clean large pot. Line the strainer with a large rag or clean shirt. If you do not have a strainer, secure the cloth over the top of the pot with string or duct tape.

• 2

  Fill another large pot with a gallon of water to be disinfected. Let the water stand in the pot until dirt and debris settle to the bottom.

• 3

  Slowly pour the contaminated water through the cloth lining the strainer or covering the pot to filter out residual dirt and debris.

• 4

  Remove the strainer or cloth covering from the pot. Examine the filtered water to determine if it is cloudy or clear.

• 5

  For clear water, add 1/8 tsp. of household bleach to the pot. If the water is cloudy, add 1/4 tsp. of bleach. Stir the water with a large spoon.

• 6

  Let the water stand for 30 minutes or longer before using or drinking it. Store the disinfected water in clean, covered containers.