What are the two general methods for disinfecting small quantities of water?
A. (1) Boiling: Vigorous boiling for one minute. The flat taste of boiled water can be improved by pouring it back and forth from one container to another (called aeration), by allowing it to stand for a few hours, or by adding a small pinch of salt for each quart of water boiled. (2) Chemical treatment: When boiling is not practical, chemical disinfection should be used. The two chemicals commonly used are chlorine and iodine. For more details, see EPA’s Emergency Disinfection of Drinking Water Web site.
