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Environmental Quality:

Drinking Water Quality

Current Situation

  • Abandoned wells are potential sources of direct contamination of the groundwater that supplies drinking water.
  • Unplugged wells may be a safety hazard to children and animals.
  • Mississippi law makes the landowner responsible for plugging wells and test holes.

Shock chlorination is a way to protect a private well from coliform, iron, and sulfur bacteria. "Shock" involves putting a chlorine solution directly into the well. If someone in your family becomes ill and you suspect bacteria in your well water is the problem, contact your county health department to have your water tested.

Underserved Audiences

The Mississippi Underserved Forestry Landowner Program

Situation

Of Mississippi's 175,000 forestry landowners, an estimated 10 to 20 percent are minority farmers. These minority farmers are among the most underserved audiences in Mississippi.

A primary consideration in working with these and other limited resource farmers is reaching them through traditional Extension programs. Historically, limited resource farmers are not as likely to take part in Extension educational programs.

Special programs and delivery systems are needed to help these landowners more fully utilize their resources. Through new programs, these citizens can move from a position of underserved to one more characteristic of traditional Extension audiences.

Extension's Response

As a result of a successful pilot effort in 1998, Extension developed the Mississippi Underserved Forestry Landowner Program in 1999. The effort involved landowners and support groups in 16 counties and was targeted to minority and female audiences.

An important aspect of the planning process involved church groups and other support groups to attract minority and female landowners. Educational programs were specially tailored for these audiences, and included topics such as wills and contracts, timber marketing, environmental issues, and best management practices.

Results and Impact

Significant impacts of the program include:

  • Of the 1,546 landowners who attended the 16 county workshops, 60 to 70 percent were "new" clients who had never attended Extension meetings.
  • An average of 85 percent of participants said they expected the workshop to help them financially.
  • Based on participant responses, the economic impact of the overall program was more than $9.75 million, or an average of $6,300 per participant.
  • More than 95 percent of participants said they planned to use a professional forester in their operations, compared to 33 percent before the program.
  • In some counties, up to 30 participants joined their county forestry association following the workshop.

Summary

An important result of the Mississippi Underserved Forestry Landowner Program is that these forestry landowners now know who to look to for educational help. Perhaps most important, the program shows that targeted programs can help citizens move from a position of underserved to served.

Emergency Drinking Water Information

Safe Drinking Water in an Emergency

Many kinds of emergencies can affect the safety of your drinking water. Natural disasters such as floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, ice storms, and other emergencies may cut off your drinking water supply with no warning. Planning for this possibility in advance will assure you have safe drinking water in such an emergency.

Why Do I Need An Emergency Plan?

A person can survive several days, or even weeks, without food, but only a short time without water. In a natural disaster or other unforeseen situation, your drinking water can quickly and without notice become contaminated and unsafe to drink. By planning before the disaster, you can be sure you will have safe drinking water in an emergency. Remember: after the emergency, it's too late to make plans!

How Much Water Should I Store?

To plan emergency water needs, keep in mind that you may be without electrical power and other basic services for several days. In normal weather, a typically active person needs at least one-half gallon of water a day just for drinking and cooking. That doesn't count the extra water needed for washing, brushing teeth, and washing clothes. To be safe, store at least six gallons of water per person per week. Some of the body's need for liquids can be met by using juices from canned fruits and vegetables. As a rule, store at least one week's emergency water supply for each member of your family.

What Containers Should I Use?

You can use food-grade plastic or glass containers for storing water. Make sure containers are cleaned and sanitized as described below. Food-grade containers are store-bought plastic or glass containers that have held food or beverages, such as soda, water, juice or punch. You can buy new plastic water storage containers at sporting goods stores.

It's best not to use milk jugs to store water, because there may be harmful bacteria in the dried milk. Also, don't use empty bleach containers. They aren't food-grade and, more important, a child may not understand why some bleach bottles contain safe drinking water while others are hazardous. Don't take a chance; the results could be tragic.

How Do I Clean and Sanitize Containers?

Whether containers are new or used, they must be cleaned and sanitized before storing water in them. Otherwise, you run the risk of contaminating clean water with a dirty container. Make sure your hands are clean as well.

Begin by cleaning with hot, soapy water. Completely clean inside and outside the container, including the handle, the lid, and where the lid fits. Next, rinse well with plain water. Then, sanitize by rinsing with a solution of one-half teaspoon of household bleach per pint of water. Last, rinse with clean water.

Once the container is clean and sanitized, fill it with water you know is safe and screw the cap on tightly. For safety reasons, clearly mark all containers "drinking water" with the current date. This will make sure every family member knows which containers are for drinking and which aren't.

Where Should I Store the Water?

Store the containers upright in a cool, dry place. Since direct sunlight and heat gradually weaken plastic containers, store them away from heat and light to prevent possible leaking. Water is heavy, so store the containers on a strong shelf or in a cabinet. To improve the taste of water stored for a long time, pour it back and forth from one clean container to another before drinking.

A freezer is also a good place to store water for a long period. Freeze water in plastic bottles only; glass will likely break. You probably won't have enough freezer space to store all the water you will need in an emergency, but storing at least some is a good idea. If you lose electricity, the frozen water will help keep foods in your freezer frozen until power is restored. Don't completely fill the container with water; leave two to three inches of space at the top to prevent bursting as the water freezes.

Do I Need to Add Chemicals to the Water?

This depends on the source of your drinking water, which will probably come from a public water supply, bottled water, or an untested source such as a private well or spring. Any untested source, or any source you're unsure about, should be purified as described later in this publication to make sure it is safe to drink.

Public Water Supplies - If your drinking water comes from a public supply (city or rural water system), you won't need to add a chemical disinfectant. Public water supplies are already "treated" with necessary disinfectants and should be safe. An exception to this would be if the system has issued an emergency "boil water" notice, in which case you would need to disinfect the water before drinking. You would need to sanitize the container itself, as described earlier. Although properly stored public water should have an indefinite shelf life, replace it with a fresh supply every 6 to 12 months for the best taste.

Bottled Water - Before water can be sold as bottled water, it must pass tests to make sure it is free of harmful contaminants. In Mississippi, bottled water also must be tested each week for bacteria and once a year for a broad range of chemicals. Unopened bottled water should be safe to store without added chemicals.

While bottled water isn't necessarily "better" or "worse" than public water supplies, it's convenience makes it attractive as a source of stored water. If you do plan to store it for emergency use, get it before a natural disaster; you may not be able to get to a store afterward.

Private Wells and Other Untested Sources - If the water you plan to store comes from a private well, spring or any other untested source, it should be purified or disinfected before storage to kill bacteria that may be in the water. It is not necessary to purify water from a proven source such as a city water system or bottled water. Several methods to purify untested water are available.

How Do I Purify Untreated Water?

Any one of the methods listed below will purify water if done properly. Regardless of the method you choose, it's recommended to boil the water first as an added precaution. Then choose one (and only one) of the treatment options. Some methods, particularly purification tablets containing iodine, may give the water an off-taste and color. If you plan to use tablets, get them before any emergency since you may be unable to do so afterward. Iodine and bleach also are poisonous, so keep them out of children's reach.

Boiling - Bring water to a rolling boil for one minute. Pour into a clean container as soon as the water cools and store in a safe place.

Bleach - Liquid household bleach that contains sodium hypochlorite (chlorine) will purify water. But it's important to know that not all bleaches are the same for purifying water. To be safe and most effective, use "regular" full-strength bleach containing 5.25 percent sodium hypochlorite (read the label). Do not use scented bleach; it isn't 5.25 percent strength, plus it's more likely to have an off-taste. Use the following table as a guide for adding bleach. Stir to completely mix.

Amount of 5.25 % bleach to add to treat different amounts of clear and cloudy water.

Amount of bleach

Amount of water

Clear water

Cloudy water

2 liters

4 drops

1/8 teaspoon

1 gallon

1/8 teaspoon

1/4 teaspoon

5 gallons

1/2 teaspoon

1 teaspoon

Let the water stand for 30 minutes. The water should have a slight chlorine odor. If it does not, add the same amount of bleach again and let the water stand for 15 more minutes.

A special note about chlorine: Due to recent publicity, some people may be concerned about potentially harmful effects of chlorine in drinking water. However, many water quality professionals agree that the benefits of chlorine in eliminating life-threatening drinking water problems far outweigh these shortcomings, in emergency as well as non-emergency situations.

Purification tablets - These tablets are iodine-based and are specifically made to purify water. They're available at camping and sporting goods stores, military surplus stores, and some large department or drug stores. Carefully follow directions on the package. Purification tablets are for emergency use only, not everyday use. Unopened tablets have a shelf life of several years. Some tablet kits have additives to help the off-taste and color caused by iodine.

Iodine - In an emergency, iodine in a medicine kit will purify water. The iodine should be 2 percent U.S.P. strength (read the label). Using a medicine dropper, add 20 drops per gallon to clear water and 40 drops per gallon to cloudy water. Mix completely by stirring or shaking in a clean container. Allow the water to stand at least 30 minutes before using. Iodine is an antiseptic and poisonous, so use and store it safely.

Will I Ever Need to Re-Treat Stored Water?

Stored water should be safe unless it comes in contact with flood water or other contaminant sources. Any container that comes in contact with contaminants must be cleaned and sanitized with household bleach as described earlier. If the water itself is or might be contaminated, you will need to purify it again before using for drinking, cooking, brushing teeth, or washing dishes. If your private well goes under water during a flood, you will need to disinfect the well itself to protect against bacteria and other contaminants. For information on disinfecting a well, see Extension Publication 1865, Protecting Your Well by Shock Chlorination.

Emergency Sources of Water

Although not likely, it is possible in an extreme emergency that drinking water might not be available at all. If drinking water is not available from other sources, you can get emergency water from ice cubes, frozen containers of water, a hot water heater, or even the toilet tank (the tank on back of the toilet, not the bowl) provided a chemical disinfectant has not been added to the tank. Until the emergency is passed, keep the water coming into your home shut off to keep out contaminants.

To get a free flow of water from the hot water tank, you may need to open the valve at the top of the tank as well as the faucet at the bottom of the tank. The water flow can be increased by turning on any hot water faucet before draining water from the hot water tank. Be sure to turn off gas or electricity to the tank before draining water for emergency use.

Planning is the Key

Remember, planning for a possible emergency will assure you have drinking water in a real emergency.

By Dr. Jimmy A. Bonner, Assistant Specialist and Water Quality Coordinator. This information is adapted in part from publications by the University of Idaho and the University of Missouri.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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Publications

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Other Drinking Water Quality Information

Water Quality Facts (Student Study Guide)
Water Words Newsletter
Beneficial Reuse Waste Exchange

Farm-A-Syst Fact Sheets:

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