Analysis of the Three Methods of Water Purification
Recommended by FEMA and the Red Cross in the Event of an Emergency.
Method #1: Boiling Water |
Method #2: Chemical Disinfection |
Method #3: Steam-Distillation |
|
Kills live micro-organisms? ((Boiling, chemical disinfection and steam-distillation kills micro-organisms.)) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Kills cysts & spores? ((Chemical disinfection does not necessarily kill spores or cysts. Prolonged boiling and steam-distillation will kill cysts and spores.)) | With Prolonged Boiling | Maybe | Yes |
Removes dead microorganisms? (( Disinfection and boiling don’t remove dead microorganisms or endotoxins created by dead microorganisms. Steam-distillation does remove these.)) | No | No | Yes |
Removes toxins from the water? ((Disinfection does not remove toxins. Boiling actually concentrates toxins that are present. Steam-distillation is extremely effective at removing virtually all toxins.)) | No | No | Yes |
Removes radiological contaminants? ((Disinfection and boiling does not remove radiological contaminants. Steam-distillation is extremely effective at removing radioactive contaminants.)) | No | No | Yes |
Purifies sea water? ((A properly designed steam-distillation machine can purify highly-concentrated sea water into high-purity drinking water.)) | No | No | Yes |
Creates hiqh-purity drinking water? ((Steam-distillation produces high-purity drinking water. Boiling and chemical disinfection do not.)) | No | No | Yes |
Incorporates a phase change? ((Steam-distillation changes water from a liquid to a gas and then back to liquid, thus leaving contaminants behind.)) | No | No | Yes |
Improved Taste? ((Chemical disinfection adds chemicals to the already contaminated water. Boiling concentrates the contaminants. Steam-distillation produces great-tasting water.)) | No | No | Yes |
Does it produce safe drinking water? ((Disinfection and boiling probably kill the most deadly contaminants, but both processes have major flaws that make prolonged consumption risky. Steam-distillation consistently produces extremely safe water.)) | No | No | Very Safe |
SOURCE: FEMA and the Red Cross.