	PURIFYING URINE TO POTABLE WATER QUALITY


Subject: Re: purifying urine to potable water quality
Date: 14 Dec 1996 04:41:58 GMT

shannon wrote:

I was wondering if it is possible to purify human urine to the 
point  of good water . . .

To which pturner replied:

The only hard part is getting the people to drink the water :-).

Urine is normaly sterile, but makes a great medium for growth.

In a survival situation that doesn't involve a spacecraft or Biosphere II,
I would be inclined to direct piddle to the groundcover surrounding
my retreat to do the fertilizing job P. Turner noted and Nature
intended ("Where Survivor goes, everything grows!").  I would then
spend my limited time and energies on issues that The Natural Course of
Things doesn't deal with.  (Or, for you grammar purists, "the issues
with which TNCOT doesn't deal."  Sigh.)

On the one hand, I think it is important that Survivors acquire as many
skills as possible, some of which may be regarded as arcane.  On the
other hand, I would like to see Time and Effort regarded as
nonrenewable resources that must be expended prudently.

Desert survivalists are taught that, under certain circumstances, they
will lose more body water BUILDING a vapor condenser than they will
gain from the condenser itself.  The Time and the Effort expended don't
support the ultimate goal of survival.  Keeping that goal in mind is
crucial as you order your priorities.  When things go to Hell, I doubt
many of us will have the time or the energy to do everything the hard way.

Just a thought.  All best, 


Subject: Re: purifying urine to potable water quality

shannon wagoner  wrote:

I was wondering if it is possible to purify human urine to the point
 of good water, i have done some experiments, i know if you let the
 urine sit in a closed container, many of the impurities will for on
 the top as a solid, i also have a water distiller (basically takes
 water to about 212f/100c and collects the water vapor and condensates it.

I doubt it is truely distilled water-ie electronically neutral,
 but it does get most of the impurities out for sure) if after setting
 for a week or so, taking most of the harden deposits out by a
 strainer, would running it thru this distiller once or twice make it
 healthy to drink (pure) it takes like 24 hous per gallon, so it
 certainly is a slow process, but with 2 or 3 i should be able to
 produce enough to extend a modest water supply over 2-3 times as long
 as it normally would.

I attended a seminar in college where this was discussed by a Ag Engineer 
with Boeing working of bioregenerative systems for space stations.  The 
only hard part is getting the people to drink the water :-).

The solids you saw where probally the results of mold and bacteria.  
Urine is normaly sterile, but makes a great medium for growth.

As long as nothing is in the urine with a boling point lower than 212 deg 
F, the distiller will clean it up nicely, as will a solar still.  It will 
leave a lot of deposits in a still though.  Pat


Subject: Re: purifying urine to potable water quality
Date: Sat, 07 Dec 1996 01:31:48 GMT

A solar still will do the trick. Never tried it myself. Something
about drinking.......ah never mind. Distillation would work. 
Note, solar stills are slow, but they will give you potable water. 
You could also try putting green vegatation in the solar still since
that works too.  Regards,Tom



Subject: Re: purifying urine to potable water quality
Date: Fri, 06 Dec 1996 21:26:39 -0500

Even if you could purify with 100% efficiency, and with no power used, 
you still would run out soon.  Only a relatively small percentage of your 
water intake ends up as urine. Most disappears in sweat, breath, feces, 
etc.  You would still need a good supply of water after only a short time. 

I am wondering why you want to purify urine, as you probably know that 
you would need to supplement this recycled water with another source, and 
the recycling process is very inefficient, in terms of time and/or 
energy. (compared to other ways of obtaining clean water.)

