How to Convert Salt Water to Drinking Water Using Solar Energy

Water distillation is the process of heating a water source, condensing and collecting the pure water vapor. Distillation draws pure, drinkable water from any water source, whether it is contaminated by salt, waterborne pathogens (disease-carrying organisms) or even sewage.

Things You'll Need

• White plastic pan (30 inches in diameter with side walls at least 6 inches high) with tight-fitting clear plastic dome-shaped lid
• Black plastic pan (20-26 inches in diameter with side walls no higher than 5 inches).
• Salt water
• Soap
• Clean water

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Instructions

• 1

  Wash the inside of the white pan and lid, the black plastic pan (inside and outside); rinse thoroughly and air dry.

• 2

  Center the black pan inside the larger white pan. The white pan should be outdoors, exposed to full sunlight for as much of the day as is practical.

• 3

  Carefully pour the salt water into the black pan, filling the pan but not overflowing or splashing salt water into the surrounding white pan.

• 4

  Place the clear dome lid onto the white plastic pan, being careful not to spill the salt water into the white outer pan.

• 5

  Leave the solar still exposed to the Sun through the day and the first hour after sundown.

• 6

  Remove the clear dome lid and the black plastic pan with the remains of your salt water source.
  The water collected in the white pan is pure, solar-distilled water.