Let's face it, 2020 wasn't a great year for most of us. And we want to save money where we can. But we also want to make sure that we do not endanger our health. And most people underestimate the importance of a good home water filtration system. It is literally the most important thing for our survival. You cannot go without drinking water for more than three weeks. Heck, the world we live in right now, try walking without water for a week. You will find that it is not a good feeling.
Now keyboard warriors will argue that there are other ways of bringing water into our bodies, such as juices, foods like lettuce, etc. that contain a very high percentage of water. This is a great way to do it. But drinking plain water is still the best way to meet your daily needs for this H20.
The first thing that comes to your power would be, "I don't want to drink tap water or well water. Who knows what kinds of chemicals they put in?" And you would be right now. This is why most people turn to bottled water. The problem, however, is that there are so many companies out there who will mislead you about the purity of their bottled water, there have been multiple studies showing that some bottled water actually comes from the same place as city water.
In addition, the unimaginable amount of plastic waste created by bottled water is harmful to the environment. The best way to get some of that sweet filtered water and not spend a boatload of money is to make this thing yourself. That's what this article is about.
How to make a DIY water filter
There isn't a laundry list of things you need to create a high-performance water filter. In fact, once you see the materials you need, it's quite easy. You will find that people who pay so much money to filter their water are actually getting ripped off. Either that or it would tempt you to start a water filtration business yourself because you will see how easy it is.
Materials you will need
- gravel
- sand
- Activated charcoal (Activated charcoal is the key word here. If it's not activated charcoal, don't filter your water).
These three things create a three layer water filtration system. The gravel catches all the big things, the sand catches the particles, and the activated carbon takes care of the rest. Note that this filter system doesn't remove any pathogens. All you have to do is buy a water purifier. Or, if you're particularly practical, you may be able to build yourself a little UV light that you can run water through. That will kill all pathogens. But even with pathogens in the water, it's clean enough for everyone to drink.
All other materials depend on the size of the filter you want to create. If you're looking for something portable, a plastic bottle might just be the thing. Or you can get 2 large food-grade plastic buckets. I recommend either glass or ceramic, but that's just a personal preference. Both are fine.
Create filters
If you are an inexperienced handyman, you will be amazed how easy it is to make a water filter. For the purposes of this article, I'll be assuming that you are not looking for a portable water filter. But if you are, the method is still the same. Let's say you're walking down the bucket path because you want to filter large amounts of water for your home.
Step 1: Drill a hole in the bottom of one bucket and another hole in the lid of the other bucket. Make sure the holes are properly aligned. The idea here is to stack these two buckets so that the water can flow through the holes in the bucket.
Step 2: cut another hole in the bottom of the bucket that sits below. This is the hole where you will install a faucet. Now connect the lid of the lower bucket to the bottom of the upper one. Both buckets should be stacked. Also, be sure to cover these faucets with a strainer to make sure the unfiltered water doesn't drip through them when you top up your water bottles.
Step 3: create 3 sections in the top area. These sections are the different stages of water filtration. The activated carbon is located in the lower stage. You will cover that with a piece of sand and then top it off with gravel. There should be space for water above the gravel. So make sure you create these sections properly. Once you've done that, from now on it will be gravity-dependent. If you pour water into the top of your bucket, the water will seep through these 3 stages and you will end up with safe, clean drinking water.
Summarize something
You want to make sure that you follow the steps exactly as outlined or this will not work. If you live in an area where water quality is an issue, it may be best to use a pre-made water filter for well water or tap water like the one available from watermasterz.com. Or at least heat the water even after it has passed through the DIY filter you just built.
This is just one more precaution you should take as there are certain pathogens and bacteria that these filters will not be able to protect you from. The best way to be 100% sure that the water you are drinking is safe is to run it through RO (Reverse Osmosis). This method ensures that everything is filtered out, including helpful minerals. However, this is the best way to ensure total security. Hope this guide has helped.
