Water is the most important element of life. All life is based on water. Water is essential for the sustainability of life on earth. But sadly the water available in some parts is not pure and is thus unfit for drinking. You obviously can not rely on purchasing water from the market for your everyday needs. Moreover the idea of drinking tap water is beyond consideration for obvious reasons. The only option left with you is to purify the tap water using water purifiers or distillers. You could make your very own water distiller using some simple products. Before that you need to understand what distillation is. Distillation is a process of purifying water by heating it so that it attains its boiling point and starts to form vapors. The water thus attains its purest form, free of any chemicals, bacteria or toxins. Read on to learn how you could make your very own water distiller and ensure your health and that of your family.
Difficulty- Moderate
Time required: 1 hour
Resources required:
- Metal pot
- Stainless steel feed-through fitting
- Plastic hose
- Glass jug
- Water
- Detergent
- Stove
Procedure:
1. Drill holes in the pot
Make a hole in the lid of the metal pot. You may use a drill machine. After you have made the hole, insert a feed-through fitting into it. The fitting should be made up of stainless steel. Keep the barbed end of this stainless steel fitting on the outside of the metal pot.
2. Clean the metal pot
Make sure that all the component of the distiller are properly cleaned. Use warm water and detergent for washing the components. Clean the metal pot along with its lid, the plastic hose and also the glass jug. Let these dry after you have washed them
3. Place the pot on stove
Turn on the stove and place the clean pot on the stove carefully. Fill the pot with water, ideally to 3/4 th of the pot’s capacity. Let the pot heat up. Vapours form when the temperature reaches about 200 degrees Fahrenheit. The vapours travel through the stainless steel pipe inserted through the hole on the lid. Let the steam escape for about 5 minutes from the feed-through fitting.
4. Attach the Plastic Hose
After the steam has escaped for about 5 minutes attach the feed-through fitting with a clean plastic hose. This is done to get rid of the remaining contaminants, if any. This will also ensure that you get pure distilled water in the end. Now you can start collecting distilled water in the glass jug by simply placing the free end of the plastic hose inside the jug. The steam condenses and turns into water once again. This water will be very pure. Once you are done with collecting water as per your requirement turn the burner off and let the metal pot cool down in isolation.
Frequently asked questions:
Q. What are other method of purifying water?
You can use a water purifier to get clean water, or you could simply boil the water over a stove and use it. Though this water will not be as pure as distilled water it will still be much safer than the tap water.
Quick Tips:
- Use a cloth to remove the metal pot from the stove.
- Wash the components with a good quality detergent and make sure they are completely clean.
- Store the water in bottles. Avoid letting it stay outside without lid.
Things to watch out for:
- Use a good quality plastic hose which is resistant to high temperatures.
- Do not touch the hot metal pot.
- Keep an eye on the metal pot to prevent it from burning dry.
