Chlorine Bleach

Common household bleach may be used to disinfect water for drinking.

Common household bleach may be used to disinfect water for drinking. Check the label for instructions, as you will want to add the right amount of bleach to the quantity of water to be treated. Follow the instructions on the label.

To a quart or liter of water, add 2 drops of 4-5 percent bleach; add 10 drops of 1 percent bleach; and add 1 drop of 7-10 percent bleach. Thoroughly mix the water and the bleach. Cover the container and let it sit for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Then uncover it to release the chlorine gas. You should be able to faintly smell the chlorine; if you can’t, repeat the dosage and let it sit 15 minutes longer. Once the water has been disinfected, you can reduce the smell and taste of chlorine by letting the water sit with the top off for several hours or by pouring it from one container to another several times.

Double the amount of chlorine to disinfect cloudy, murky, or very cold water.

If the strength of the bleach is not known, add 10 drops of bleach per quart.

Granular calcium hypochlorite: To make stock chlorine for disinfecting water, dissolve one heaping teaspoon (about a quarter of an ounce) of high-test granular calcium hypochlorite in two gallons of water. This will produce a solution of 500 mg per liter or quart, as calcium hypochlorite provides available chlorine equal to 70 percent of its weight. To disinfect water, add 1 pint of stock chlorine to each 12.5 gallons of water to be treated. The ratio is one part of chlorine solution to each 100 parts of water.

Chlorine tablets: Chlorine tablets with the correct dosage for disinfecting drinking water can be purchased at drugstores and sporting goods stores. Be sure to follow the directions for their use. When directions are not available, use one tablet per quart of water.

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