We're pleased to announce that while upgrading and improving our second generation ClearDome Solar Pure Water Still/Pasteurizer to a more efficient, more portable third generation solar still, our new design Cleardome Stovetop Distiller and Pasteurizer water purifier, shown in the photo, is now available to order. Use the PayPal order link below to place your order.

Solar stills rely on sunshine, which means reduced performance at night or on cloudy days, so having other fuel sources like gas or electric stoves at home, or outside with portable stoves makes purifying most types of water possible any time, in most locations using our simple Stovetop Still. It's ideal for major emergencies or disasters when drinkable water is often unvailable.

The portable ClearDome Stovetop Water Still/Pasteurizer, shown in the photos, can work two ways to make bad water safe to drink in only a few hours.

First, as a distiller it quickly evaporates nearly any type of foul water, including sea water, into delicious, sweet tasting drinking water (tastes as good as solar distilled water) but much faster and in larger quantities than the solar still. Solar distillation takes longer because the heat levels are normally lower on the evaporative water surface, so evaporation takes longer. Sea water is one of the most difficult water sources to purifiy because it has over 35,000 parts per million (PPM) of total dissovled solids, or TDS.

Foul water is boiled in a durable 3 quart stainless steel and copper bottom kettle on your gas or electric stove shown in the top photo, a propane gas camp stove or a portable electric hotplate, both shown on the right.

It only takes about 2.5 hours of boiling with most medium-high gas flame or electric stoves to distill over 5 cups, or about 1-1/4 liters (or quarts) of ultra pure drinking water containing only 0-4 parts per million of impurities. That compares to what our 2nd generation solar still makes in 24 hours after a full sunny summer day. Most highly filtered bottled water contains at least 25-50 ppm, fresh rainwater about 3-20 ppm, and tap water has 250-600 ppm or more of impurities, often including small quantities of untested dangerous chemicals and drugs.

Once the foul water boils, it vaporizes into steam and all harmful impurities are left behind. Then it flows through a short, removable food-safe copper steam transport tube into the heat resistant, unbreakable three gallon storage container where it cools and condenses into delicious fresh drinking water, shown in the photo. We've added an additional water cooling basin below the still to improve efficiency. It's the same natural process as lake or ocean water evaporating into clouds, then rain, which is what we all drink. No filters are needed and all parts of the the still are made of NSF certified food-safe, non-toxic copper and BPA free heat-resistant plastic.

Unlike most other stills that use metal surfaces to condense the water vapor, our ClearDome Stovetop Still condenses water on the inside of a 3 gallon plastic condensing and cooling container that will not add any additional taste or smell. It's fresh and sweet tasting just like our solar distilled water. The ultra pure distilled water never has a metallic taste like most steam stills where water condenses inside a coiled cooling metal pipe. That also means no carbon filters are needed to improve the taste. Undesired low VOC gasses like chlorine are vented out the top of the cooling container through a small opening.

Since some people prefer to use glass for condensing, cooling and storing distilled drinking water, our break resistant plastic three gallon container can be subtituted with a customer provided large glass container but it needs be at least 1-3 gallons or the pure water production will be reduced considerably. We've found that the ideal size of the cooling container for our still design is about three gallons.

The other way to make fresh lake, stream or standing water safe to drink (if not chemically contaminated) when it contains harmful pathogens, is to kill the harmful mircrobes by heat treating, or Pastuerizing, by boiling up to three quarts (or liters) of water in only 20-30 minutes without the still attachment. When the safe water whistle blows, the water is safe to drink. Boiling water kills all harmful microbes but does not remove solids like salt, chemicals or minerals, so it will taste about the same as before it was treated. You can also Pasteurize water in any tea pot or large pan with a lid. It is scientifically proven that Pasteurization starts at 160 degrees F, so by the time water boils at 212 degrees F, or 100C, any harmful pathogens are long dead.

Our Stovetop Still design incorporates a number of unique proven concepts we developed and used in our solar stills made during the last ten years that adds efficiency and simplicity. In fact, we're planning to eventually integrate the conventional and solar still designs into one hybrid still for even greater efficiency and pure water production.

The ClearDome Stovetop Still/Pasteurizer is very easy to use and costs only $179. Please check for availability before placing your order.

Click to order Stovetop Still and Water Pasteurizer using PayPal