If you live far from the beaten path, then chances are you have problematic water. H2O, in its natural state, is generally unfit for human or animal consumption, as it typically contains a wide variety of contaminants, from microbial threats, to heavy metals, to human-made synthetics. Bacteria and viruses are of particular concern for people on well water, as such water often isn’t treated with chlorine or any other disinfectant. As long as you understand the threats that may be in your water, and you take the necessary precautions, however, then you can enjoy safe, potable water no matter where you are.
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Importance of Clean Water for Rural and Off-Grid Living
Having constant reliable access to clean, potable water is important for everyone, no matter where they live. Urban centers are a sort of mixed bag when it comes to water quality, as a high concentration of people in one area naturally leads to a lot of contamination entering the water, but in developed countries, such cities tend to have the water treatment infrastructure necessary to handle the waste. Very big cities, such as New York City, and parts of Los Angeles have a difficult time keeping up with all of the created waste, leading many to rely on home filters or bottled water even in the heart of a metropolitan area.
If you live off-grid, however, the problems you face are different. In one sense, the water you have access to will be “cleaner,” in that your water is coming from a source far removed from dense population centers. That water is likely untreated, however, and may have any number of naturally-occurring contaminants in it, such as giardia, cryptosporidium, or other parasites, bacteria, viruses, dissolved mineral content, lead, arsenic, and other heavy metals, volatile organic compounds, tannins, iron, and sediment. You likely won’t be facing all of those threat concurrently, but you have no way of knowing what is in your water until you have it professionally tested. Send a sample of your water to a laboratory for a full chemical analysis–such tests are only around a hundred dollars, and will give you crucially important information for your next steps.
Understanding Water Contaminants
Water contaminants come in a variety of broad types, or classes: first there is any physical particulate matter suspended in the water, such as dirt, dust, clay, organic debris, plant matter, sand, and so on. Such “sediment” is best removed with a sediment filter, which is a dense matrix of polypropylene or polyester that mechanically filters out the particulate.
The next broad type of contaminant we can expect to find in water are dissolved chemical contaminants, which can take many forms. Volatile organic compounds are gasses (such as chloroform) that dissolve into water, and off-gas from sitting or flowing water, and can be inhaled. VOCs are commonly found in paints, solvents, fuel additives, glues, and other industrial chemicals. Chlorine is another chemical often found, especially in city-treated water, as it is used as a disinfectant. Chemicals from flushed pharmaceuticals, pesticides, and herbicides can also get into water.
Another class of contaminants are heavy metals such as lead, chromium, copper, and arsenic. These can be found in some well water, as the minerals can lie deep within the earth, and leach into surrounding water. Perhaps the class of contaminants that is of greatest concern to those on well water is microorganisms. Cysts, protozoa, bacteria, viruses, and helminths can enter water through human or animal waste, and thrive there. To treat microbiological threats requires advanced filtration techniques and systems, such as a localized chlorination system, or a multi-stage filter that employs ultraviolet light filters. Speak with a local water professional about specific options.
Types of Water Sources
Understanding the source of your water will help you to identify likely problematic elements, as well as to anticipate general trends you can expect from your water, given geographical and regional considerations.
Surface Water (Rivers, Lakes)
Rivers, lakes, ponds, creeks, and other small surface waterways and bodies of water can be of good general quality, though they are also often burdened by industrial pollution, loose sediment because of local construction or mining activities, blue-green algae, or VOCs like chloroform, which arises out of an interaction between chlorine and organic matter in water.
Groundwater (Wells, Springs)
Groundwater sources are typically less likely to have industrial pollution issues, but they could have water that is very high in sediment, tannins, microbial life, or heavy metals. It is imperative to regularly test well water for things like E. Coli and coliform bacteria, as well as lead and arsenic.
Rainwater Harvesting
Rainwater harvesting is a very viable option for those in rainier climes, but you shouldn’t drink that water without thorough filtration. Rainwater is often full of smoke and ash from the burning of fossil fuels, roofing materials such as asbestos, lead, and copper, sulfur, PFAS, and more.
Water Filtration Methods
Many of the problematic elements in water can be treated with a simple combination of carbon and sediment filters, though some of the contaminants we can expect to find in off-grid water will require something more robust.
Mechanical Filtration
Mechanical filters work on the same principle as a sieve or a screendoor; they block the passage of physical particulate while allowing water to pass freely through. Made from durable polypropylene or polyester, sediment filters are highly flexible filters that can handle just about anything physically suspended in water, down to perhaps 1 or 0.5 microns. For comparison, a human hair is around 70 microns in width.
Activated Carbon Filters
The best dance partner for a sediment filter is an activated carbon filter. Made by burning carbonaceous materials like wood, bamboo, or coconut husks into charcoal, and then subjecting them to super-heated steam, activated carbon filters water chemically, through a process called adsorption. Dissolved chemicals in water are attracted to the carbon matrix, and stick to the surface, rather than ending up in your glass.
Reverse Osmosis
The most robust form of mechanical filtration available is reverse osmosis. Originally developed as a way to desalinate seawater, reverse osmosis membranes boast an incredibly small pore size–water is forced through individual channels as small as 0.0001 microns. This process is able to remove nearly all dissolved solids from water, though the systems produce waste water as a byproduct of the aggressive filtration process, and they strip out most of the beneficial mineral content from water as well, so much so that many modern RO systems offer a post-membrane remineralizing cartridge to add back in healthful calcium and magnesium.
UV Purification
As mentioned above, a UV filter may be a necessity if you are on well water. These filters require the use of electricity, as they quite literally contain a UV lamp inside of a stainless steel cartridge. The light kills microorganisms on contact, obviating the need, in some cases at least, for a chlorination or ozonation system. Speak to a professional about the specific threats in your water to determine if a UV filter is sufficient for your needs.
Ceramic Filters
A ceramic is anything made of clay and hardened by heat, such as in a kiln, or under the sun. Depending on the elements used in their creation, ceramics can have very dense pore structures, and can contain a variety of different mineral elements. Ceramic filters can help to reduce sediment and microbial threats, and can be a good addition to a home water system, or used for travel.
Distillation
Distilling water is boiling it and condensing the evaporated water in a collection system. This can be an effective way to kill microorganisms, as well as removing sediment, minerals, and heavy metals. Note that simply boiling water will also kill microorganisms, but will not remove minerals or heavy metals. The water must be evaporated and collected, which leaves the mineral deposits behind in the pan.
How to Choose the Right Filtration System
The right filtration system is the one that addresses the needs in your water. There simply is no such thing as “the best overall filter,” because water is different all over, and the best filter is only and always the one that does the job at hand. The best first step is to figure out what is in your water, and go from there.
DIY Water Filtration Solutions
With online shopping and the amazing number of options available in home water filtration today, the sky is the limit when it comes to setting things up the way you want. If you are handy with a wrench, and know your way around pipework, then you can do much of it yourself, but don’t bite off more than you can chew–you don’t want to be paying for pricey water damage. If you’re not exactly a handyman or woman, don’t force it–pay a pro to do it right.
The Bottom Line
As long as you take the time to figure out what is in your water, research what you need to do in order to remove it, and bring the plan to fruition with a reliable plumber or water dealer, there is no reason you can’t enjoy great water wherever you are. It may take a few more steps, but being out in nature is worth it to many.
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