Whether you’re traveling through remote areas, or dealing with the hardships of a natural disaster during which drinkable water is scarcely available, water purification tablets can really help you out. These tablets are used to kill off bacteria and purify water obtained from freshwater sources such as streams, rivers and certain lakes, as well as other surface and ground water sources.
What Can Water Purification Tablets Be Used for Effectively?
Water purification products, such as these tablets, make use of chlorine, iodine or chlorine dioxide in order to remove any contaminants from the water you wish to use. The chemicals act by eliminating mainly bacteria and parasites such as protozoans. Purification tablets can be used to safely purify contaminants such as campylobacter jejuni and giardia lamblia, as well as other common parasites that could cause disease.
Every type of water purification tablet has its own specific usage considerations and guidelines, and each has to be used according to its particular instructions to avoid contamination and disease. The most important requirements have to do with closely following the instructions related to dosage and the time you need to wait before the tablets can take effect.
Water purification tablets are typically easy to use and highly portable. They can last for months or even years, as long as they are properly stored, and they don’t need you to buy any special or expensive equipment in order to function properly. Because of their portability, they can be used as part of survival and medical kits, and you can take them with you on vacation trips, long travel journeys by foot, camping trips and trekking adventures. Most importantly, they are one of the best products to have with you when you’re trying to survive an attack or natural catastrophe.
The Most Important Usage Considerations
If you’re thinking of buying purification tablets for the first time, it’s important to know some of the most basic and essential usage requirements and considerations associated with these products. The following tips should help you out in that respect:
- Sediments, salt and chemical compounds will not be removed by water purification tablets. If you suspect the water you want to use has been contaminated by harmful chemicals or toxins, it’s better to look for an alternative water source instead of gambling with your life.
- Most of the time you will need to use several tablets for a single container of water – depending on the size and type of tablets you have. The containers should be closed and left to sit at least 30 minutes before the water can be deemed safe enough to drink.
- Make sure the water has a temperature of about 75 Fahrenheit. Cooler water will typically require longer purification times, so if the water is below 50 Fahrenheit, leave the container closed for about an hour.
- In many cases, tablets can leave behind a chlorine or iodine flavor. To eliminate iodine flavor you can use iodine neutralizer tablets, but to remove chlorine flavor it’s enough to just let the treated water to sit uncovered for some time so that the chlorine can evaporate.
Some of these simple tips could save your life one day, and it can be extremely important to follow them, if you want your tablets to work properly. In most cases, you’ll find that water purification tablets are well worth the cost when compared to other alternatives.
