The Unexpected by Rev. Brett Connell

There have been a few stories in the last several years about natural or man-made disasters that have directly affected the every day citizens here in America. We’re not talking about terrible events such as hurricanes or earthquakes here, although those are equally catastrophic and devastating to individuals and families. Here, we are talking about subtle disasters that affect the very things we take for granted – such as turning on your faucet and having access to clean drinking water.

One such story that comes to mind is the debacle that took place in Flint, Michigan back in 2014. In this case, the budget was tight and a state of emergency was declared – and during this time, they tried to cut costs and switch where the local water supply came from. They didn’t use corrosion inhibitors in the water (to cut costs) and in effect, the water degraded the lead pipes and caused lead contamination which permanently damaged or disabled thousands of children. Even now, in 2022, litigation is still being drawn out to make those accountable who were responsible for these endeavors.

A similar event has now taken place in Jackson, Mississippi where thousands of residents are without water, there are no backups in place, and even the national guard can’t fulfill the need. Social unrest is beginning and violence is beginning to creep in the door.

Something as basic as drinking water is virtually the first thing every human being will need in time of an unplanned crisis in which there is no time to prepare. What if we can’t run to the store and get bottled water? I want to show you a simple way to create your own distilled water, right from home. Distillation is one of the best methods of filtering and purification. It involves boiling water, capturing the steam, and condensing it back into a liquid. The finished product is free of virii, bacteria, and microorganisms.

1) Take a regular pot and fill it half or three-quarters of the way full.
2) Place a microwave-safe bowl on top of the water so it floats there. (a deeper bowl is better)
3) Put the lid on the entire pit upside-down so the handle is facing down, above the floating bowl.
4) Ensure the bowl is under the upside-down lid handle.
5) Bring the water to a light boil, not a raging boil.

The steam collects on the lid, and condensates down the handle into the floating bowl. The contents of the bowl is your distilled water. Carefully empty the contents of the bowl into a container safe for hot liquids. Careful, all objects will be hot and you might get burned if you touch them directly. Use oven mitts or gloves that protect against heat.

If you want the water to condense faster, you can place ice cubes on top of the upside-down lid. The law of thermodynamics will increase the speed of condensation when placing cold objects near hot objects. If you have no electricity during an emergency, you can also do this over a woodstove, campfire, or gas-powered stovetop.

Clean drinking water is critical as the human body can only scientifically survive for a general period of 3 days without any fluids at all.