Emma Miller
How to conserve water for a long time – consider your needs
Before you fill up all of your containers, calculate your family’s water consumption. We recommend using common standards:
- for drinking – 3 liters per day;
- for hygiene – 4 liters per day;
- The toilet, hand washing, showering, and other hygienic procedures – 15-25 liters a day;
- for the care of pets – situationally.
There is no exact figure in the last point because it all depends on the needs of your pet, its size, and lifestyle. In addition, the above figures are true for a single adult, but if your family has pregnant women, the elderly, and infants, it is worth doubling the figure, and better – focusing on the needs of a particular person.
What is the best way to store water – options?
First, you should understand that you need to fill water containers of different sizes and volumes – if you live with the elderly or young children, then a huge barrel of water, they will not pick up, then you need a smaller container.
Second, when storing water, keep in mind a number of important rules:
- Choose containers made of food-grade plastic or those designed to store rainwater;
- It is better to use transparent containers;
- keep water away from light and any chemical sources of contamination;
- In no case choose the street for storage (if it freezes there in winter, and there is no heat in the house, you will not be able to melt it).
It is also important to understand that if you are going to store water for longer than 6 months, then purify it. In case you can not do this, then consider that after the specified time, you will have to change it.
How to Purify Drinking Water – Safe Methods
Not all of the water you draw will be drinkable, especially if it has been stored long enough. In order to purify water and then use it for drinking or cooking, there are two effectively methods.
Activated Charcoal
Being familiar to everyone will help to neutralize the unpleasant smell and taste of tap water and remove all harmful chemical additives. The cleaning technology is as follows:
- Take gauze and wrap several tablets of activated charcoal in it;
- put this roll at the bottom of a container of water;
- Wait 8-10 hours and take out the gauze.
After the specified time you will see that the water will be completely clean, neutral in taste, and safe for drinking.
Silver
Sterling silver or silver jewelry is also a great water purifier. This metal has wonderful bactericidal properties, so this method can be used without a doubt.
To purify water with silver, you need to throw any silver object such as a spoon, ring, or another thing on the bottom of the container and leave it for the night. During this time, the silver ions will provide a complete purification of the water.
