In rainwater collection systems and well systems there is always the need to purify the water before cooking or consumption. Off-grid systems carry the chance of carrying dangerous pollutants in the water such as bacteria, spores, viruses, fungus, and hazardous metals. There are different ways to purify the water in off-grid systems, but which one is best for your needs?
Ozone is an unstable triatomic molecule created by natural processes to clean water, enhance food, purify air, and protect the earth from electromagnetic radiation. Low level ozone is said to be a threat to human respiratory function, but is starting to see medical acceptance in Europe during spinal surgeries. Low level ozone is also known to breakdown smog and respiratory diseases. Ozone is one of the most effective ways to treat water. It works very quickly by separating its third unstable oxygen molecule, transferring it to the water pollutants neutralizing them and sometimes turning them into filterable sediment.
Pros: Ozone works extremely fast
Ozonated water will purify the entire system
Ozone is very effective
Ozone treats hard water
Ozone removes odors and strange tastes
Cons: Does not purify when the power goes out
Germicidal lamps works by destroying thymine nucleotide in a DNA sequence causing the organism to break down. The destruction of bonds with thymine from UV light cause the organisms to lose reproduction capabilities and functions that sustain life. This type of purification handles spores, mold, fungus, viruses, and bacteria but does not purify metals or minerals in the water that can be hazardous. UV lamps come either has a medium or lower pressure lamp. A medium pressure UV lamp gives off less photons to destroy proteins than low pressure but they travel a longer distance, while a low pressure UV lamp gives off more photons and travels a shorter distance.
Pros:
No pump required
Low Cost
Cons: Mercury filled bulbs can be an environmental and health hazard
Only the air or water inches away from the bulb is treated
Doesn't treat the water from metals
Displaces alot of the storage area
Chemical water treatment usually involves Halazone tablets, chlorine, iodine, and peroxide. Halazone tablets are short term tablets that quickly become ineffective for water purification due to warm temperatures and high required quantity. Iodine like halazone tablets are short term water treatment as well and can cause complications in people with iodine allergies. Chlorine and peroxide are used together to create long term water treatment. Chlorine is added to the water in high quantity to destroy the pollutants, then the peroxide is added to remove the chlorine.
Pros: Water can be purified without power
Cheap water treatment
Cons: Use of hazardous chemicals
Chlorine taste remains in treated water
Treatment must be done manually
Does not remove all metals during treatment
Solar water treatment collects the heat from the sun and redirects it onto collected water, as the water is heated it evaporates and rises into a condenser. Once in the condenser that water drips into a clean containment area for storage. Solar water treatment is effective at removing all types of pollutants but requires a lot of maintenance and only purifies water for a short time.
Pros: Purifies water without power
Effective against removing pollutants
Cons: Slow purification
Does not continuously purify water
Short term purification system
The type of purification system depends heavily on the situation. Treatment of water when there is no electricity can be done using solar and chemical purification, while treatment of water in an urban setting can be done with ozone and germicidal lamps. The best overall treatment for rainwater collection systems is ozone, because it purifies it of metals, kills spores, bacteria, fungus, and viruses. Ozone also oxygenates the water and continues to purify as long as there is concentrations under pressure in a storage tank.
Ozone is an unstable triatomic molecule created by natural processes to clean water, enhance food, purify air, and protect the earth from electromagnetic radiation. Low level ozone is said to be a threat to human respiratory function, but is starting to see medical acceptance in Europe during spinal surgeries. Low level ozone is also known to breakdown smog and respiratory diseases. Ozone is one of the most effective ways to treat water. It works very quickly by separating its third unstable oxygen molecule, transferring it to the water pollutants neutralizing them and sometimes turning them into filterable sediment.
Pros: Ozone works extremely fast
Ozonated water will purify the entire system
Ozone is very effective
Ozone treats hard water
Ozone removes odors and strange tastes
Cons: Does not purify when the power goes out
Germicidal lamps works by destroying thymine nucleotide in a DNA sequence causing the organism to break down. The destruction of bonds with thymine from UV light cause the organisms to lose reproduction capabilities and functions that sustain life. This type of purification handles spores, mold, fungus, viruses, and bacteria but does not purify metals or minerals in the water that can be hazardous. UV lamps come either has a medium or lower pressure lamp. A medium pressure UV lamp gives off less photons to destroy proteins than low pressure but they travel a longer distance, while a low pressure UV lamp gives off more photons and travels a shorter distance.
Pros:
No pump required
Low Cost
Cons: Mercury filled bulbs can be an environmental and health hazard
Only the air or water inches away from the bulb is treated
Doesn't treat the water from metals
Displaces alot of the storage area
Chemical water treatment usually involves Halazone tablets, chlorine, iodine, and peroxide. Halazone tablets are short term tablets that quickly become ineffective for water purification due to warm temperatures and high required quantity. Iodine like halazone tablets are short term water treatment as well and can cause complications in people with iodine allergies. Chlorine and peroxide are used together to create long term water treatment. Chlorine is added to the water in high quantity to destroy the pollutants, then the peroxide is added to remove the chlorine.
Pros: Water can be purified without power
Cheap water treatment
Cons: Use of hazardous chemicals
Chlorine taste remains in treated water
Treatment must be done manually
Does not remove all metals during treatment
Solar water treatment collects the heat from the sun and redirects it onto collected water, as the water is heated it evaporates and rises into a condenser. Once in the condenser that water drips into a clean containment area for storage. Solar water treatment is effective at removing all types of pollutants but requires a lot of maintenance and only purifies water for a short time.
Pros: Purifies water without power
Effective against removing pollutants
Cons: Slow purification
Does not continuously purify water
Short term purification system
The type of purification system depends heavily on the situation. Treatment of water when there is no electricity can be done using solar and chemical purification, while treatment of water in an urban setting can be done with ozone and germicidal lamps. The best overall treatment for rainwater collection systems is ozone, because it purifies it of metals, kills spores, bacteria, fungus, and viruses. Ozone also oxygenates the water and continues to purify as long as there is concentrations under pressure in a storage tank.
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