Aye Up,
Some great info being posted about source selection, filtration and purification - but no one has mentioned the first elements of water treatment - capture and sedimentation!
How you go about 'capturing' - e.g. collecting or drawing raw water off from the source can have an impact on what it contains:
Using a (silicone protected) tarp as a rainwater gatherer - potential chemicals; (yes I know it's tiny, its just an example)
Using a mug in a woodland pool visited by wildlife - potential debris disturbance; Using a Camelback hose less so.
How much contamination/debris you collect in the raw H20 from source will have an impact on filters and later processes.
Sedimentation, if you can allow the time for it to take place, should see the settling down of the heavier (visible) debris and the floating up of the lighter, leaving you the better choice somewhere in between. It is also most likely that the 'heavy metals' will be at their highest concentration in the sediment - another plus to the process. Again - how you gather that 'clearer' settled H20 is relevant - pour scoop or syphon? (We used to use Alum powder to quicken the process!).
I preach carrying a litre of 'potable' H20 to a site and one of the earlier actions after arriving being the collection of H20 from a local source and allowing it to sediment overnight.
I've just prep'd a natural water source for a training demo including -
1. Capture - (as above)
2. Sedimentation - 2 x 1.5 litre soft drinks bottles (x 1 left 24hrs - the other for immediate collection to be checked each hour);
3. Filtration - Millbank bag - timed - first 500ml = 15mins, 1 litre at just short of 60mins.
4. Purification - Boiling and tablets.
And remembering to keep your raw water items separate from treated ones or processing them too after use.
Central Birmingham eh Petro? - Bartley reservoir (Severn Trent) supply then - until they need a boost from South Staffs water - (which could include River Severn water!).
Some great info being posted about source selection, filtration and purification - but no one has mentioned the first elements of water treatment - capture and sedimentation!
How you go about 'capturing' - e.g. collecting or drawing raw water off from the source can have an impact on what it contains:
Using a (silicone protected) tarp as a rainwater gatherer - potential chemicals; (yes I know it's tiny, its just an example)
Using a mug in a woodland pool visited by wildlife - potential debris disturbance; Using a Camelback hose less so.
How much contamination/debris you collect in the raw H20 from source will have an impact on filters and later processes.
Sedimentation, if you can allow the time for it to take place, should see the settling down of the heavier (visible) debris and the floating up of the lighter, leaving you the better choice somewhere in between. It is also most likely that the 'heavy metals' will be at their highest concentration in the sediment - another plus to the process. Again - how you gather that 'clearer' settled H20 is relevant - pour scoop or syphon? (We used to use Alum powder to quicken the process!).
I preach carrying a litre of 'potable' H20 to a site and one of the earlier actions after arriving being the collection of H20 from a local source and allowing it to sediment overnight.
I've just prep'd a natural water source for a training demo including -
1. Capture - (as above)
2. Sedimentation - 2 x 1.5 litre soft drinks bottles (x 1 left 24hrs - the other for immediate collection to be checked each hour);
3. Filtration - Millbank bag - timed - first 500ml = 15mins, 1 litre at just short of 60mins.
4. Purification - Boiling and tablets.
And remembering to keep your raw water items separate from treated ones or processing them too after use.
Central Birmingham eh Petro? - Bartley reservoir (Severn Trent) supply then - until they need a boost from South Staffs water - (which could include River Severn water!).
