Originally Posted by The Reaper
The pool shock was the correct answer.
Get the kind without algecides, mildecides, brighteners, scents, etc.
Make a stock solution and use it to treat all tap water in the contaminated area before consumption, to include bathing or washing.
Do not use the tub (or trashbags) unless you are out of suitable containers. A five gallon bucket can work well, especially with a lid and a spigot. Probably $5 or less at the big box store.
I saw a great tip the other night.
Someone calculated how much shock was required to make a 1:1600 solution and then poured it into drinking straws before heat sealing the ends of the straw.
In an emergency, you cut the end off the straw and dumped the contents into a 16 ounce bottle of water to make the 1:1600 solution required to purify 200 gallons of water.
The really neat part was that he used an entire bag of shock to fill straws, and had a fistfull of straws to hand out to anyone he met who needed them.
As noted, do not drink the solution, use the recommended amount to purify the water, wait the required time for the chlorine to take effect, clean the threads of the canteen or bottle you plan to drink from with the purified contents, and shake up the container and leave it open for a little while after purifying to let some of the chlorine smell escape.
Watch the calcium chloride, it is very nasty stuff, especially dangerous near ammonia or products containing glycerine.
Iodine can work as well, but not povidone iodine, as I understand it. Bleach will work too, but it must be pure bleach with no additives, brightners, whiteners, etc., and it is only good for six months or so.
Gray water can be captured and used for watering plants, etc.
When you come back home, open the lowest water faucet in your house (normally the outdoor hose bib) and let the water run for a while. Then turn off the water heater breaker and dump the hot water supply as well, or drain it with a hose. They normally use extra chlorine when service is restored, so be aware and I would recommend letting the restored fresh water sit in the pipes for a little while after flushing the lines and before resuming using it again.
If you were on a well, no worries, you would be GTG.
Best of luck.
TR
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