Can a water purifier purify pee?

Yes, pee is about 95% sterile water, but that other 5% is a noxious brew of waste material that your body is trying to expel.

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Question:

Can a water purifier purify pee?

Submitted by – Nick, Oceanside, CA

Answer:

No!!! Gross!! Though I once saw a Man vs. Wild episode where that crazy cat, Bear Grylls, drank his own fresh pee, straight from the bottle (See the video below), this is definitely not something you should do.

Yes, pee is about 95% sterile water, but that other 5% is a noxious brew of waste material that your body is trying to expel. Putting it back inside is, well, just wrong. And your water purifier, though designed to remove bacteria, viruses, and protozoans, it won’t remove the concentrated nitrogen, potassium, and calcium that exists in pee.

I found a military document that lists 5 other liquids you should never drink: fish juices, blood, sea water, alcohol, or melted water from sea ice. I can only speak for myself, but I’ll take the booze any day over the rest of them.

But pee is good for something. You can use it to make a solar still. It’s not easy or fast, but it’s a far better option. Though I can’t personally vouch for this particular technique, it should work, based on the principals of traditional solar stills.

Yeeeechk. Enough on this distasteful topic. I’m taking a break, and I plan to chug about a gallon of tap water. You should, too. –KRISTIN