Portable Water Purification Systems Come in Many Types

Before you can decide on the portable water purification system that’s right for you, you first have to know what kinds of contaminants you are trying to remove from the water. You can do this by having laboratory tests done on water samples. These tests will determine which contaminants are in your water and how much of each one of them is present. Once you’ve figured out what you need to get rid of, it will become a much easier job to find the portable water purification system that will work best in your application.

The most common types of contaminants found in water include bacteria, sulfur, iron, manganese, low pH, and nitrates. In addition, your lab tests might show the presence of heavy metals, such as lead, chromium, or mercury, chlorine, fluoride, and sediment. These findings will help you isolate the materials that are present in sufficient quantities to need to be removed.

There are a number of different types of portable water purification systems which you can buy. Basic portable pump filters are available that will remove particulates down to approximately 0.2 micrometers, and micro water filters will remove even smaller particles. Bacteria, however, cannot be removed using portable pump filters. Instead, ultraviolet light must be used which will destroy the DNA in the microorganisms, thereby killing them. There are portable UV filters which, used in addition to a portable pump filter, will rid the water of most dangerous contaminants.

Solar water distillation is done using a portable still. As the name implies, a solar still uses the energy from the sun to evaporate water leaving the contaminants in the original container. The water vapor collects on a grid and then drips the now-purified water into another container.

Although chemicals can be used to purify water, a portable water purifier does not require that any be used. These devices are compact, lightweight, and field-serviceable. Some models can be purchased that have 4-step water purification processes: pre-filtration, sediment filtration, carbon block filtration, and UV treatment. By having one of these units available, you’ll be all set to purify water anywhere.