Low-Cost Water Purification Packets

I wonder if it makes the water taste funny. I didn't use those water purification tablets they gave us when I was a Boy Scout just because they make for some nasty tasting water.

Nope, Still going to taste like chlorine, but it beats death. I'm impressed.

For years, I've used a Pur water filter while hiking. It does use iodine in the filtration process to kill off some of the nasty bacteria and parasites, but the amount in the water is far less than the tablets release, so the flavor isn't heavily tainted.

I have a Pur water filter in my fridge; I'm really getting used to it. I grew up on unfiltered well water so I'm not to worried about getting sick from drinking anything (I try to forget that the well is located next to a dairy farm). We keep a Brita filter and pitcher with our emergency provisions in the basement just in case. Maybe getting some of these packets to throw in might not be a bad idea either.

Those packets or similar technologies should be part of all standard emergency kits. Heck, in the past year my town has gone through three "boil water" advisories due to heavy rains and pipes bursting. They certainly would have come in handy in a non-emergency situation.

We had a boil water advisory here at work and we had a hard time convincing people that the coffee maker didn't get hot enough to kill bacteria.
But your right about the emergency kits. I'm a big believer in every house hold having 2 weeks food and water stored in case of emergency. I'd rather have it and not use it than need it and not have it.

Agreed, but its often not practical to store 2 weeks worth of water. There are five people in my home, plus 2 dogs and 2 cats. for drinking only, we'd probably need 2 55 gallon drums of water just for drinking and if you're storing these, you'd have to swap them out every so often as even the best stored water goes bad after a time. Assuming any situation I'm going to deal with wouldn't leave my neighborhood devoid of water (there is a large pond at the end of my street if the taps aren't working), it would be more practical to have water purifying pills than trying to store drums af drinkable water.

I'll admit we are a little light in the water department. We are only storing 20 gallons of water (4 five gallon containers). However it's just my wife, myself and small dog and cat. We did store food for the animals though. We are in an urban center so if there is no water there is no place to really get any more if we need it.
But the pills are probably a better bet.

Where can you buy these? Ron Wagner

I'd like to know as well.

I've contacted the ACS to see if they can provide any purchasing information.

The ACS says that they're available from Proctor & Gamble.

A company I deal with in Brisbane (Australia) manufacture a purification system which used silver electrodes to kill harmful organisms. They provided several after the Asian Tsunami messed up a lot of the water supplies. There are several types, some with pumps and filters and even a pencil like device to sterilise small quantities like a glass or cup. The company is called Control Technologies Pty Ltd. 07 32773399. As for water storage, plastic rainwater tanks are becoming increasingly popular here and are being strongly supported by various various levels of government (finally).