Family Home Evening Activity #4 Water Storage

Summary

FHE Water Supply Acitivity

Storing Safe Water

Your family’s health and well being will certainly depend on having a safe, clean supply of water in the event of an emergency. Water supplies can quickly be compromised in numerous ways, so make sure you have plenty on hand.

• Prior to Family Home Evening

Parents and adult family members should be familiar with all lesson information. Purchase or gather plastic containers to store water. Refer to lesson specifications and pick up any other supplies you might need to have on hand.

• Activity
1. Explain to the family the vital need for clean, safe drinking water and brainstorm other water needs.
2. Prepare and clean used containers and lids with hot, soapy water. Sanitize using the process described in the lesson.
3. Give children a math problem to figure out how much drinking water will be required by the family for two weeks.
4. Label all the water containers “drinking water” and include the current date. Fill the containers and find a cool, dry storage place away from harmful chemicals and fuels. Water can also be stored in the freezer, if you have space available. Be sure to add the recommended amount of chlorine bleach per gallon of water.
5. Talk about additional sources of water that might be available. Demonstrate ways to disinfect water.

• Follow Up

Stored water should be rotated 3-4 times a year. Enlist the aid of the family to accomplish this process. Water you are replacing could be used on plants or gardens, or simply work out a rotation schedule.

Storing Safe Water

Preparation: Consider short-term and long-term water storage

· Short-term: water needs for up to 72 hours. PORTABLE. Small water containers easily used and replaced. Swap every 6 months.

· Long-term: Large barrels for 72+ hours- several months. Swap every 6-12 months

Purchase or gather plastic containers to store water. Food-grade plastic containers are suitable for storing water. One-, three- and five-gallon water containers can be purchased from most outdoor or hardware stores. Any plastic container that previously held food or beverages such as 2-liter soda bottles or water, juice, or punch containers may also be used.

Activity:

Clean used containers and lids with hot soapy water. Once the containers have been thoroughly cleaned, rinse them with water and sanitize the containers and lids by rinsing them with a solution of 1 tablespoon chlorine bleach per gallon of water. Leave the containers wet for two minutes, then rinse them again with water. Remember to remove the paper or plastic lid liners before washing the lids. It is very difficult to effectively remove all residue from many containers, so carefully clean hard-to-reach places like the handles. Never use containers that previously held chemicals.

Calculate how much water you/your family needs for a two week period (1 gallon per person per day). Fill the needed number of containers with clean water and, as an additional precaution, add 5-7 drops, about 1/8 teaspoon, of chlorine bleach per gallon of water. This precaution protects you against any lingering organisms in storage containers that may have been inadvertently missed during the cleaning process. *Use liquid household bleach that contains 5.25 percent hypochlorite. Do not use bleaches with fresheners or scents as they may not be safe to consume.

Clearly label all water containers "drinking water" with the current date. Store the water in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight and heat sources like clothes dryers and chimneys. Do not store it near gasoline, kerosene, pesticides or similar substances.

NOTE: When water is properly stored, it should have an indefinite shelf life; however, it's a good idea to use and replace the stored water every 6 - 12 months. Rotating water this way provides you with an opportunity to experiment and check the amount of stored water against what you require. It also serves as an additional precaution against bacteria or viruses growing in containers which may not have been thoroughly or properly cleaned and sanitized.

If you have freezer space, storing some water in the freezer is a good idea. If you lose electricity, the frozen water will help keep foods in your freezer frozen until the power is restored. Make sure you leave 2 to 3 inches of space in containers because water expands as it freezes.

Additional information: Sources of water within your home include your water heater, toilet tank (not toilet bowl), and plumbing (you can drain your pipes). It is also a good idea to have a rain barrel as an additional method of water collection for use in emergencies.

Safe Water in Emergencies

In addition to having a bad odor and taste, contaminated water can contain microorganisms that cause diseases such as dysentery, typhoid and hepatitis. You should purify all water before using it for drinking, food preparation or hygiene. There are many ways to purify water. None is perfect. Often the best solution is a combination of methods.

1. Clarify cloudy water by adding a small amount of powdered kitchen alum—about 1/4 level teaspoon per gallon. Larger amounts are not more effective! Crystals take much longer to dissolve than does powder. The alum reacts with the water, producing a precipitate which slowly settles and absorbs impurities. After settling is complete (fifteen minutes to an hour or two, depending on the water) pour the water into another container, being careful not to stir up the sludge at the bottom. Discard the sludge, and the water is ready to be disinfected. If you don’t have any alum, filter the water through a tightly woven cloth. Clarification is important; clear water can be purified using less chlorine or iodine than you need for cloudy water. When the water is clear, you are ready to disinfect it.

2. Disinfect the water by one of the following methods:

Boiling. Boiling is the safest method of purifying water. Bring water to a rolling boil and boil for 3-5 minutes, keeping in mind that some water will evaporate. Let water cool before drinking. This is the best method if fuel is available. (At elevations of ten thousand feet or more, water should be boiled for 15 minutes because it boils at a lower temperature at higher elevations.)

Chlorine. Add 4-5 drops of chlorine bleach solution (4 to 6 percent hypochlorite solutions such as Clorox or Purex work well) per quart of water (16 drops per gallon of water). Let the water stand for 30 minutes. If the water does not have a slight bleach odor, repeat the treatment and let it stand another 15 minutes. A small plastic bottle of bleach solution will purify a lot of water, but the chlorine solution deteriorates with time, so replace your bottle on a yearly basis. Halazone tablets release chlorine slowly, but they are expensive, have a relatively short shelf life, and are less effective.

Iodine. Add 8 drops of a 2% tincture of iodine solution (obtainable at most pharmacies) to a quart of water, and let stand for 30 minutes. (Note: persons who are sensitive to

iodine or who have hyperthyroidism should not use this method.) Check products carefully and do not use them unless they contain 5.25% sodium hypochlorite as the only active ingredient.

3. Distillation. Distillation involves boiling water and then collecting the vapor that condenses back to water. The condensed vapor will not include salt and other impurities. To distill, fill a pot halfway with water. Tie a cup to the handle on the pot’s lid so that the cup will hang right-side-up when the lid is upside down (make sure the cup is not dangling into the water) and boil the water for 20 minutes. The water that drips from the lid into the cup is distilled.

NOTE: While boiling or disinfecting will kill most microbes in water, distillation will remove microbes that resist these methods, heavy metals, salts, and other chemicals.

As a reminder, put labels on the alum, bleach and iodine containers:

Kitchen Alum 1/4 teaspoon per gallon of cloudy water. Let stand until clear

Chlorine Bleach 4-5 drops = 1/8 teaspoon per quart of clear water.

Iodine Solution 3 Tablespoon per gallon of clear water. Let stand approximately 30 minutes.

Additional Hint -

Nursing mothers and persons with special dietary needs or medical conditions may require more than 1 gallon/day. They should plan accordingly.