Re: Long term bulk water storage

[Guest guest]

Hello Mflynn44,

To store water that has already been purified you target 5 PPM available

chlorine dioxide. In a 55 gallon drum you would add 7.8 ml of MMS to the 55

gallons of water. A teaspoon is 5 ml, so you can go from there.

If you think your lake water is pure, you would simply use the same amounts as

you would for tap water.

If you don't think your lake water is pure, you would first have to purify it,

then add the sodium chlorite to preserve it from further bacteria growth during

storage. To purify wilderness water the standard concentration is 4 PPM free

chlorine dioxide and a hold time of 4 hours.

This is difficult to do following the MMS protocol, but it works great if you

dilute the concentration of MMS and use hydrochloric acid to activate. If you

use MMS and add full strength hydrochloric acid you can experience explosive

results, because of the high concentrations of the chemicals used. When I

purify wilderness water, I use 5% sodium chlorite and 6% hydrochloric acid.

The shelf life depends upon the storage conditions. If you can store the water

in a cool place away from UV light, it will be good for at least 5 years.

Tom

--- In , " mflynn44 " <mflynn44@...>

wrote:

>

> I have some 55 gallon food grade plastic drums and want to store water for

emergency use. I seem to remember Tom advising a certain amount of MMS but not

activated. How much MMS should I use with tap water (city water) and how much

with lake water per 55 gallons? Our lake is clean with many fish. How long can

the water be stored before changing it?

>

[Guest guest]

Tom...

Thanks for the information.

>

>

> Hello Mflynn44,

>

> To store water that has already been purified you target 5 PPM available

chlorine dioxide. In a 55 gallon drum you would add 7.8 ml of MMS to the 55

gallons of water. A teaspoon is 5 ml, so you can go from there.

>

> If you think your lake water is pure, you would simply use the same amounts as

you would for tap water.

>

> If you don't think your lake water is pure, you would first have to purify it,

then add the sodium chlorite to preserve it from further bacteria growth during

storage. To purify wilderness water the standard concentration is 4 PPM free

chlorine dioxide and a hold time of 4 hours.

>

> This is difficult to do following the MMS protocol, but it works great if you

dilute the concentration of MMS and use hydrochloric acid to activate. If you

use MMS and add full strength hydrochloric acid you can experience explosive

results, because of the high concentrations of the chemicals used. When I

purify wilderness water, I use 5% sodium chlorite and 6% hydrochloric acid.

>

> The shelf life depends upon the storage conditions. If you can store the

water in a cool place away from UV light, it will be good for at least 5 years.

>

> Tom

>

>

> --- In , " mflynn44 " <mflynn44@>

wrote:

> >

> > I have some 55 gallon food grade plastic drums and want to store water for

emergency use. I seem to remember Tom advising a certain amount of MMS but not

activated. How much MMS should I use with tap water (city water) and how much

with lake water per 55 gallons? Our lake is clean with many fish. How long can

the water be stored before changing it?

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Hello

First you need to filter out the " big chunks. " I pour wilderness water through

a coffee filter to do that.

Next you need to determine the " oxidant demand " of the water. Most of the time

you can mix up a 4 PPM free chlorine dioxide solution and you should be OK, but

I have run into several cases where there was more demand in the water and it

took a stronger concentration to purify it. This is done by mixing up the

disinfectant, adding it to the water, letting it sit for around 10 minutes, then

testing the water to see if any of the disinfectant is still left in the water.

Finally you need to let the water sit for the proper amount of time needed to

kill the pathogens in the water. The better job you do at filtering, the

quicker the pathogens are killed off.

For example, the CT of 1000 used for wilderness water assumes cold water

temperatures and the presence of cysts like giardia and cryptosporidium. These

" large " cysts take a long time to kill and is the reason you wait the 4 hours

before drinking the water. If you do a better job of filtering and filter down

to 1 micron, you remove these large cysts and the CT drops to 4. This means

that using 4 PPM free chlorine dioxide your water is ready to drink in 60

seconds.

When I go into the wilderness I carry 30 ml (1 ounce) of 5% sodium chlorite, 30

ml (1 ounce) of 6% hydrochloric acid, and 2 syringes that have a maximum

capacity of 1 cc (1 cc = 1 ml). You don't want to cross contaminate the sodium

chlorite and the HCl, so you use a separate syringe for each chemical. To

purify 1 gallon of water you put 0.5 ml of 5% sodium chlorite into the gallon

container and add 0.5 ml of 6% HCl, then you fill the container up with water.

Let it sit for 10 minutes and check to make sure the " oxidation demand " hasn't

used up all the chlorine dioxide, then let it sit for 4 hours and it is ready to

drink.

You can also go to a camping store and pick up some chlorine dioxide water

purification tablets. With those you use 1 tablet per liter of water ( 1 gallon

= 3.8 liters).

In general the " oxidation demand " is higher in water that is stagnant, smelly,

discolored, and turbid. Also, be on the look out for dead things decomposing in

the water.

Tom

--- In , " oldglory@... " <oldglory@...>

wrote:

>

> Hi Tom,

>

> Most interesting letter!

>

> For a person who is not mathematically inclined, could you possibly break

> down how to purify a gallon of water that is unknown in quality, as in

> perhaps, river water, or well water?

>

> Thank you,

>

> Jean

>