If you're living off the grid or homesteading, you may not have access to public drinking water, so you'll need to purify yours to make sure it's safe to drink. Here are 20 ways to purify water when you're living off-grid. 

Clean Water Basics 

Water for drinking needs to be clean and safe, but so does water for brushing your teeth, cooking, washing food, or even making ice. There are a variety of ways to make water safe for drinking. The CDC has provided an infographic to give you a quick overview of water purification basics. 

But in this article, we'll take a look at different methods of making water safe to drink. Ultimately, you need to know your water source and what contaminants it might contain and then choose the correct method of purifying it. Here, then, are the best off-grid methods of water purification.

Boiling Water

One of the safest methods to kill viruses, bacteria, and parasites in your water is to boil it. You need to bring your water up to a full, rolling boil for at least one minute (higher elevations require 3 minutes). Of course, this water will be hot! So allow it to cool before use.