We often take for granted that with just the flip of a handle clean drinking water is dispensed straight into most homes. But how many of us actually know what is coming through the tap?
A
chemical spill polluted water supplies in West Virginia on Thursday. Schools and restaurants closed, grocery stores sold out of bottled water, and thousands had to go without drinking, bathing, cooking, or washing their clothes with municipal water.
According to Tom Aluise, a state Department of Environmental Protection spokesman, the tank that leaked holds at least 40,000 gallons, but they’re “confident that no more than 5,000 gallons escaped.”
Although not lethal, the chemical in question is harmful if swallowed or inhaled, according to a fact sheet from Fisher Scientific. It can cause eye and skin irritation, along with other symptoms.
To read more about the chemical spill, check out the article
here.
Even if you don’t live near one of the nine affected counties in West Virginia, it’s important to prepare against the chance of water pollution. When you’re prepared, an emergency can seem less like a crisis to you and your family.
Having a
water storage supply and a means to
filter and purify your water are useful during a variety of emergencies. In cases such as this, however, typical microfilters and purifiers won’t be able to cleanse the water from the chemicals. But the Hydropack
will.
The Hydropack has .05 micron (5 angstrom) sized holes for water to pass through when dropped into a water source. The spilled chemical (4-methylcyclohexane methanol) is larger than 5 angstroms; the cyclohexane molecule itself is 5.3 angstroms. That means the chemical molecules are too large to pass through the Hydropack’s forward-osmosis filtration membrane.
Simply drop the Hydropack into your water source and let it absorb the water, filtering out chemicals and other contaminants to create an electrolyte drink much like a sports drink.
Although the Hydropack can help in a situation like this, storing clean water is important so that you can rely on yourself in times of emergency without having to wait for a filter or relief groups to get set up. There could also be situations when the pollutant in the water is small enough that the Hydropack won’t solve the issue.
Start building your water storage supply today so you have clean drinking water tomorrow. These articles have great tips to get you started:
Water Storage Overview
5 Myths about Water Storage
Water, Water, Everywhere: The Importance of Water Storage
Water Storage Options
