Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Choosing Portable Water Purifiers For Survival

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By Imelda Reid


A human can go for more than three weeks without food, but water is a different story. More than half of the body is made up of it and every living cell needs it to keep functioning properly. After three days of not drinking, the body starts to shut down. This is why when they have no access to an uncontaminated supply, they need portable water purifiers for survival.

Drinking from sources that could be contaminated without purifying can make the difference between life and death. Most of the lakes and rivers of the world suffer from some form of contamination, even small streams that may look clear. Sewage effluent, parasitic worms, animal waste and industrial pollutants are just some of the contaminants. Serious illnesses can be contracted when drinking from a contaminated source. Particularly if an individual is in a remote area, far away from any medical help, this can prove fatal.

Purification of water can be attempted in various different ways. Boiling is often used and this does kill viruses, cysts and bacteria. It does not deal with noxious chemicals and dirt, often having a foul taste. Filtration is often used too and this can be more or less successful, depending upon the efficacy of the filter or filters used. Using chemicals or UV lights are other options.

When buying a device, it is very important to read any information given about it to see how effective it will be. There are those that not only eliminate viruses, bacteria and protozoa but noxious chemicals and most of the dirt particles and foul taste too. One that offers the most comprehensive contaminant removal is obviously best.

The size and weight of such a unit is another important consideration. This is particularly important when covering long distances. In such a situation, one must look for the most compact, easy to store unit. Big is not always best and some of the most compact units on the market today are perfectly capable of offering comprehensive contaminant removal and supplying the quantity required.

Some of these units may take a considerable amount of time for purification. This has to be born in mind in survival situations when the individual may have to be able to drink while on the move. Of course if one is able to stay in one spot for a considerable period, this is not a problem.

Some filtration units consist of as many as three different filters with a carbon filter at the core. This ensures that as many contaminants as possible are dealt with and the end product is not only safe but pleasant to drink. There are those that are easily operated with a manual pump. Ease of use can be vital in an emergency situation.

These units are widely available, including from many online sources. Making a choice can be difficult but bear in mind that this decision may be a life or death one. Do not compromise on effectiveness for the sake of price. As long as you take all the factors into consideration such as effectiveness, size, weight and ease of use, you can choose a unit you feel does the job properly and suits your budget.




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