Articles · Topic
Articles about Water Treatment
20 articles across 4 sections
Section
Self-Reliance
Home Water Filtration: Understanding Your Options
How carbon, reverse osmosis, ceramic, hollow fiber, UV, and distillation technologies work. What each removes and misses, how to read NSF/ANSI certifications, and how to match treatment to your water source.
How Reverse Osmosis Works and When You Need It
How reverse osmosis membranes work, the five stages of a residential RO system, what RO removes and what it misses, wastewater ratios and the EPA WaterSense specification, and when RO is the right choice versus simpler carbon filtration.
Public Health Basics, Respond, Skills
Public health basics for household preparedness, correct handwashing technique and timing, household illness isolation, food safety during power outages, oral rehydration solution, wound care and inf
Section
Preparedness
The 90-Day Household Preparedness Guide
A printable 90-day household preparedness guide in 22 short modules with worksheets and a one-page master checklist: the first 72 hours, what each layer costs, a household profile, water storage, sources and treatment with CDC bleach measurements, meal-based food planning and rotation, energy priorities, generator and carbon monoxide safety, cooking and heating without grid power, heat and cold warning signs, medicine and medical devices, sanitation, alerts, staying or evacuating, documents and cash, children, older adults and pets, a daily routine, and a 13-week build schedule and tracker. Opens with the October 2026 Pentagon 90-day base planning news and what official household guidance actually says.
The Evacuation Bag You Can Actually Carry
The evacuation bag: what to pack, what to skip, and budget and better versions, sourced to Ready.gov, Red Cross, and CDC.
Grid Down: What to Do When You Have Done Nothing to Prepare
Running a household when the power will be out for days or weeks: generator carbon monoxide safety, food safety timelines, emergency water treatment, heat and light, with no preparation. A complete action plan for an extended grid-down.
The 16 Top Water Readiness Items
Sixteen water readiness items ranked in acquisition order: store, treat, test and collect, then manage wastewater, to the two-week benchmark.
Section
Gear and Buying Guides
Aquatabs Water Purification Tablets
Aquatabs NaDCC tablets: NSF/ANSI 60 certified, kills bacteria, viruses, and Giardia in 30 minutes, does not cover Cryptosporidium, 3–5 year shelf life, and when to pair with chlorine dioxide for complete coverage.
Chlorine Dioxide Water Treatment Drops
Aquamira and chlorine dioxide drops explained: 7+7 drop mixing protocol, 5-minute activation, 30-minute wait for bacteria and viruses, 4-hour wait for Cryptosporidium, and how drops compare to tablets for home storage vs. field use.
Chlorine Residual Test Strips
Chlorine residual test strips for stored water verification: target range of 2–4 ppm, how to read results, when to re-treat, and why pool strips are an adequate and cheaper alternative to drinking-water specific strips.
Sodium Hypochlorite Water Treatment Drops
Pre-measured sodium hypochlorite drops for emergency water treatment: what the retail market actually offers, EPA-verified dosing by concentration, Cryptosporidium limitation, and when bleach is the better answer.
Two-Part Chemical Water Treatment Kits
Two-part water treatment kits compared: chlorine dioxide (Aquamira) vs. iodine formats, chemistry differences, pathogen coverage including Cryptosporidium, iodine thyroid contraindications, and which format to buy.
Water Purification Powder Packets
P&G PUR powder packets combine flocculation and chlorine disinfection for turbid water treatment. When they have an advantage over tablets, the 30–40 minute multi-step process, and why most US households are better served by filter-then-treat.
Best Portable Water Filter for Emergency Preparedness (2026)
Five portable water filters tested and compared for emergency preparedness. Clear recommendations by use case, with the Sawyer Squeeze as the default pick for most households.
Emergency Water Safety Field Kits
All-in-one kits that combine water testing and treatment in a single package. Useful for 72-hour bags, not a substitute for dedicated supplies at home.
Household Bleach for Water Treatment: Dosing, Storage, and Safety
How to use unscented household bleach to disinfect emergency water. EPA-verified dosing tables for 6% and 8.25% bleach, shelf life, storage, and what bleach cannot do.
Measuring Droppers for Emergency Disinfection
Accurate dosing matters when treating water with bleach or liquid disinfectant. A simple measuring dropper keeps your treatment effective and your water safe.
Pool Shock (Calcium Hypochlorite) for Emergency Water Treatment
Pool shock stores for 10+ years and treats thousands of gallons. EPA-verified stock solution method, what to buy, and the one safety rule that cannot be skipped.
Water Purification Tablets: What to Stock, How to Use Them Safely
Compare chlorine dioxide, NaDCC, and iodine water purification tablets. CDC-verified dosing, shelf life, storage, and which chemistry covers Cryptosporidium.