How much liquid bleach is needed to treat 1000 gallons of water for drinking?

To determine the amount of liquid bleach needed to treat water for drinking, the correct answer reflects standard guidelines for chlorination in emergency water disinfection. For disinfecting water, a common recommendation is to add liquid bleach (usually containing around 5-6% sodium hypochlorite) at a concentration of about 2 drops per quart of water, which can be extrapolated for larger volumes.

In the case of treating 1000 gallons of water, converting gallons to quarts is necessary, as there are 4 quarts in a gallon. Thus, 1000 gallons equates to 4000 quarts. Following the guideline, approximately 2 drops of bleach per quart translates to a need of 8000 drops for the entire volume, which corresponds to about 1 pint of bleach when considering that 1 pint is approximately equal to 480 drops.

Using this method, the estimate of 1 pint aligns closely with the standard practice for disinfecting large volumes of water for safe drinking, which is why this choice is the most appropriate. This guidance ensures that the water is treated effectively against potential pathogens, making it safer for consumption.