Make Your Water Safe to Drink

A best way to drink safe water is install a water filter. Water filter allows your family to drink safe and healthy water.

The following tips can help you ensure your drinking water is safe.

Do not use water you suspect is contaminated. Contaminated water can lead to illness.

Do not use suspected or contaminated water to wash dishes, brush your teeth, wash and prepare food, make ice, or make baby formula.

Do not use water from the following:

Radiators

Hot water boilers (part of your home heating system)

Water beds (fungicides added to the water and/or chemicals in the vinyl may make water unsafe for use)

Do not try to boil or disinfect water contaminated with fuel or toxic chemicals. If you suspect your water has fuel or chemical contamination, contact your local health department for specific advice.

Do not drink alcohol, as it dehydrates the body, which increases the need for drinking water.

Make Your Water Safe by:

Boiling

If water is cloudy, allow to settle, then skim the clean water above the sediment. You can also filter through clean cloth, paper towel, or coffee filter before boiling.

Store the boiled water in clean sanitized containers with tight covers.

Disinfect by using:

Unscented household chlorine bleach or iodine (useful against most, but not all, harmful viruses or bacteria.

When using bleach, read the label carefully to ensure you use the proper concentration.

Chlorine dioxide tablets (useful against organisms resistant to bleach or iodine)

Filtering

Filter water through a clean cloth, paper towel, or coffee filter or allow it to settle, then draw off the clear water.

Use a portable water filter.

Ensure the filter’s pore size is small enough to remove bacteria and parasites.

Carefully read and follow the manufacturer’s instructions. After filtering, add a disinfectant such as iodine, chlorine, or chlorine dioxide to the filtered water to kill any viruses and remaining bacteria.

Finding Emergency Water Sources

Alternative sources of clean water can be found inside and outside the home. The following are possible sources of water:

Water from your home's water heater tank (part of your drinking water system, not your home heating system)

Melted ice cubes made with water that was not contaminated

Water from your home's toilet tank (not from the bowl), if it is clear and has not been chemically treated with toilet cleaners such as those that change the color of the water

Liquid from canned fruit and vegetables

Water from swimming pools, spas, and collected rain water can be used for personal hygiene and cleaning, but not for drinking.

In fact, the best way to get safe and healthy water is to install a water filter, and you can own it for a small cost. You can easily install it on the main water pipe in your home or under the kitchen sink. The water filter can deliver safe water for your home for at least 6 months; after 6 months, you only need to replace the water filter cartridge. Then you get more than 6 months of safe water.