Unsurprisingly, the state of water purification has changed quite dramatically since its introduction as a viable technology. Whether we’re talking about a whole house water filter on the small end all the way up to city-wide water filtration systems on the large end, we’re a far cry from the earliest human attempts at clean water generation in 2000 B.C.E; this certainly doesn’t mean things are perfect since there’s still quite a lot of room for improvement, especially considering the declining quality of water across the world and the introduction of new chemicals that were never identified as a threat in the past.
I only mention the above to reinforce the point that there’s no silver bullet for attaining pure water. The “ideal” solution will have a different definition depending on geographical location, rural vs. urban environments, and the health needs of those who are consuming the water. Last, a portable system should be extremely rugged in its construction. Again, consider the type of situation where you would need a portable system in the first place; chances are, the environment is going to be hard to traverse. Be sure that your equipment can weather the trip!
Ok, enough disclaimer, let’s get to the good stuff!
Portable Water Purification
There are a number of things you should look for with portable water purification equipment. First, be sure to find something that is truly portable, not just small. Many of these systems are quite heavy despite the amount of surface area that they take up, so do yourself a favor and find something with wheels.
You will also have to consider the issue of power: Are you going to rely on a standard battery system or go for something more sophisticated? Batteries have a finite charge, so you will need to have access to a power source in order to recharge them. Obviously that’s not going to be practical in many situations that necessitate a portable system, so consider getting a solar powered setup (similar to how a solar fountain works, but on a much larger scale). Companies such as Aqua Sun provide solar powered products for just this reason.
Stationary Water Purification
Of course, the other side of the coin is a water purification system that does not need to be moved from one static location. Unlike their portable counterparts, these systems tend to be capable of processing a lot of water at once, perfect for applications where a tainted water supply is feeding a large number of people in a village environment, for instance. Some of the more advanced stationary units will allow the user to choose between mains power and solar power. Going back to the village example, you can imagine how unlikely it is that there will be access to electrical power. As a result, having the option to switch between different types of power will give maximum flexibility.
Another consideration is the length of the inlet and outlet hoses connected to the stationary system. If you can, go with a product that has enough slack in the hose to cover a number of different situations. For example, you might have to move the entire unit in an emergency situation, and longer hoses will cut down on the need to break down and reassemble system.
While there are many more considerations that go into deciding on water purification equipment, the above is meant to serve as a basic introduction. From here, I recommend looking into the exact requirements of your situation and matching them up as accurately as possible to the products currently available on the market. This technology is advancing all the time as a result of declining water quality all over the world, so who knows what options each new month will bring!
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If you’d like more information on water filtration options, check out this post on big blue water filters.
