Build a single-basin style solar water distiller yourself to purify water without electricity or water pressure. Beware using potentially poisonous materials in your solar still--even 100% silicone is toxic unless it is food-grade. This book covers how stills work, the easy, better, and best solar stills, commercial stills, kits and plans that are available, and how to build your own cheap and easy for simple water purification using just the sun's energy.TABLE OF CONTENTS (chapters, page numbers): INTRODUCTION 2SOLAR DISTILLER BASICS 5What is a Solar Distiller/Still?How Does it Work?Solar Distiller PlansWhere do I Place it?Finding Solar SouthHOW SOLAR STILLS WORK 15How Good is the Water?Storing Distilled WaterBeware of Bottled WaterThe Superior Solar StillWHERE STILLS ARE USED 24EPSEA Solar Still ProjectsColonias and Developing NationsIS CITY WATER SAFE? 37SOLAR WATER DISINFECTION 43Solar Ovens for Solar Water PasteurizationMATERIALS & TIPS 51MaterialsMaterials to AvoidMistakes People MakeTHE CHEAP SOLAR STILL 58Emergency Solar StillCondensation Trap Solar StillTHE BETTER SOLAR STILL 63The Multi-Level/Troughed StillThe Wicking StillTHE BEST SOLAR STILL 68Single Basin StillImportant Rules for Making a StillCOMMERCIAL STILLS 80Multi-Trough or Array Style StillsSingle Basin Passive Solar StillsHybrid Family or Industrial-Sized Solar DistillersHill Kemp Solar Still Interview NotesBEYOND DISTILLATION 100Fog CollectionGeographical Considerations for Fog CollectorsMimicking Nature for Fog Collectors and DistillersDew CollectionABOUT SOLAR WATER DISTILLER CONSTRUCTION PLANS 109PROBLEMS IN TEXAS COLONIAS 112Sharon Buydens first served on the Board of Directors as Secretary and newsletter editor for the El Paso Solar Energy Association (www.espea.org) starting in 1989 (under her previous name). After learning about passive solar home design, and teaching workshops, attending events, promoting solar on Earth Day committees, she designed and built a passive solar straw bale house in Nebraska. Upon returning to El Paso in 1999 she became EPSEA's Project Manager for three bi-national and EPA grants to install solar water distillers in border colonias; she was first female EPSEA President in 2001. Today Sharon writes books and teaches others about the many practical aspects of solar energy.