This simple water filter will enable you to create clean drinking water in case of an emergency. This simple design uses a plastic bottle although it is not really recommend in your day to day life but today you can put an old one to good use. The design also uses a coffee filter and charcoal to remove impurities from flood or rain water and make the H2O safe to drink.

1) Use a craft knife to cut the bottom inch (2.54 centimeters) or so off of the plastic bottle. Stick the knife into the side of the bottle, and start cutting it slowly.

 

2)Use a hammer and nail to punch a hole in the cap. The hole will help slow down the flow of water and make the filter more effective. If you don’t have a hammer or nail, use a craft knife to stab an X shape into the bottle cap.

 

3) Put the coffee filter over the mouth of the bottle and tighten the cap over it. The coffee filter will keep the activated charcoal inside the bottle and keep it from falling out. The cap will hold the coffee filter in place.

 

4) Put the bottle cap-side-down into a mug or cup. This will help keep the bottle steady while you fill it. If you don’t have a cup or mug, then you can place the bottle down on a table. You will need to hold it steady with one hand.

 

5) Fill the bottom third of the bottle with activated charcoal. If the charcoal comes in large pieces, you will need to break them down into smaller pieces.

 

6) Fill the middle of bottle with sand and gravel. Try to make the layers about as thick as the charcoal layer. Leave an inch or so of empty space between the sand and gravel and the cut part of the bottle. Do not fill the bottle all the way or the water may spill over if it does not drain fast enough.

 

7) You can use a bowl, jar, cup, pot, or a mug to catch the filtered water. Make sure that the utensil is clean and large enough to hold the water you plan on filtering.

 

8) Hold the filter over the container. The cap should be pointing towards the bottom of the container.

 

9) Pour water into the filter. Make sure that you pour slowly. This way, the water will not overflow. If the water starts to reach the top of the filter, stop and wait for the water level to go down. Once you can see the gravel again, pour some more water.

 

10) Wait for the water to flow into the jar. This will take about seven to ten minutes. As the water passes through the different layers, it will become cleaner.

 

11) Pour the water back through the filter if it is not clear. You may need to repeat the filtering process two or three times before the water runs clear.

 

12) Boil the water for at least one minute to make it safe to drink. The water will also still contain dangerous bacteria, chemicals, and microorganisms. You can get rid of all these by boiling the water for at least one minute.

 

13) Let the water cool before storing it in a clean, air-tight container/bottle. Do not leave the water standing for long, or new bacteria may form inside it.