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WATER
FILTRATION
As the saying goes, "water is life" and as every good prepper knows, water is the first consideration when planning a survival
strategy in the face of a disaster. A human being won't last more than three days without water, so it's crucial to make sure an
adequate supply of drinkable water is at hand in the case of an emergency in which normal water supplies are no longer
available. But what if you're in a situation where your stockpiles have run out or if you're on the move and can't carry enough water
to survive on? In most cases, finding a source of water is not too difficult, but finding clean, safe drinking water is another matter. As
mentioned before, t here are several ways to purify water enough to make it safe to drink - using chemicals or filtration systems or
by simply boiling it. The problem with boiling or chemically treating water, however, is that doing so will not remove sediment or
other particles and will do nothing to improve the taste. And if you are in a situation where no chemicals for purification are
available, or if you can't build a fire for some reason, you may find it necessary to create a simple water filter with whatever
materials are on hand.
Making a simple water purification filter is actually quite easy, using items which can be found virtually anywhere.
The first thing you will need is some sort of cylinder to act as the body of your
makeshift filter. A discarded plastic soda bottle is perfect, and rather unfortunately,
they seem to be found everywhere these days, even in the deep woods.
If you're using a standard plastic bottle, make the small end the bottom of your filter.
First, cut off the bottom of the bottle and turn it upside down, adding the following
materials in layers:
First Layer - At the bottom of the filter, add a layer of clean fabric, if possible. If you
don't have any cloth handy, use some dried grass or pebbles to line the bottom of the
filter.
Second Layer - This is the most crucial layer of your filter. You'll need some charcoal,
which is very effective at removing impurities and also will improve the taste of your
drinking water. Make your own by starting a wood fire and collecting the charcoal
after it has cooled. or use charcoal from an old campfire or tree that has been struck
by lightning. Make a tightly packed layer at least a couple of centimeters deep, if
possible.
Third Layer - On top of the charcoal layer, add a layer of sand. If possible, insert
another layer of cloth between the sand and charcoal layers.
If you've done a good job of constructing your "hillbilly water filter" it should take some time for the water to drip through. If it runs
out quickly, your layers aren't thick enough or packed tightly enough. Keep in mind that the charcoal won't filter out all the bacteria
and other organisms that could make you sick. This filtration system should be used along with other purification methods, such as
chemical treatment or boiling. If you filter your water in this manner before treating it, it will greatly improve its taste and
appearance. And in a situation where you can't boil or treat the water otherwise, it's a lot better than nothing, but it should only be
used by itself as a last resort when no other methods are available.