The Desalination Process

Portable handheld desalination systems use reverse osmosis to remove the majority of salt from seawater to render it drinkable. First successfully used in the early 1970’s, reverse osmosis desalination forces saltwater through a selective membrane filter. The membrane filters out large molecules and ions, retaining the salt ions and allowing the water to pass through and come out as potable fresh water. Manual, portable desalinators are relatively compact and can be easily and quickly used to render seawater drinkable in an emergency or disaster survival situation.

Who Needs A Desalination System?

When a disaster or emergency situation strikes many things that we normally take for granted can be compromised – water and power systems are often some of the first to go. Water supply is a major concern in an emergency situation. Humans are unable to survive for very long without fresh drinking water. So if your water supply is cut off or compromised in any way you’ll need to be prepared with an alternative. For some people this means storing large quantities of water along with their emergency food stock but for others, storing this amount of water may not be an option. If you live in a coastal region or plan to spend any significant amount of time on a boat, you can use a reverse osmosis desalination system (also known as a watermaker or water maker) to render the abundant seawater drinkable.

Desalinator Features

Portable

Since an emergency situation can take on many forms and we can never be sure exactly what we will face; portability is an important survival feature. Unlike large water storage containers, a handheld desalination system can go anywhere with you whenever you need to move.

Manual

Manual desalination systems do not require a power source. They work simply by being pumped by hand so you don’t have to worry about sourcing power or wasting precious fuel to ensure you have safe drinking water.

Compact

The relatively small size of a handheld desalinator makes it easy to pack up and store. Taking up very little space in your pack, bug out bag, car kit, or emergency preparedness storage area, a portable desalination system is size smart.

Easy To Operate

Despite the complexity of the reverse osmosis process, manual watermakers are very easy to use in the field. The long, flexible intake tube and hand-action pump allow you to effectively pump water from any source into the filtration chamber at your own speed – as much or as little as you want.

Reliable

Whereas large barrels and containers of storage water need to be replaced regularly and can be compromised by a contaminant or damaged (by an impact, for example). A portable water maker is durable and reliable and ready to go when you need water.

Convenient

With a portable, manual desalinator there’s no need to worry about stocking up on water or figuring out how you’ll move it, transfer it, etc. The system is ready to go when you are and can be used to fill bottles or canteens or you can drink right from the output as you process the water.

A must-have item on any boat or watercraft as well as in a coastal-dweller’s emergency kit, a watermaker desalination system is the most reliable way to ensure fresh drinking water in an emergency or disaster situation.