Making a water filter?

[Socalman]

We keep enough stored water to get us through about 3 weeks. Longer than that, we will be having to find a source. I have been thinking about how to make a homemade filter that we could employ to filter about 10 gallons a day for an extended period of time. There is a small river about 1/2 mile from home but the water is not clean; Giardia and Cryptosporidium abound and I assume that there is probably a good deal of e coli present. I would easily get to the river and bring back up to 40 gallons of water at a time.

The following is my general idea:

I would have a 5 gallon bucket filled with sand atop another 5 gallon bucket filled with crushed charcoal. It would NOT be charcoal that was the "match Light" kind. At the very top would be a small screen to filter out larger items like bugs, leaves, etc. A small tap at the bottom.

After water went through this filter it would be treated with chlorine bleach.

Your thoughts on this contraption?

[Sniper-T]

KISS.

I'm sure you know what that means...

Start with a simple rag/t-shirt, filter all your water through that before you even fill your 'clean' jugs, in fact use that to go pail to pail... that will rid all the 'chunkies'. next get some fine mesh cheese cloth, and pre filter again. Nothing is worse for a charcoal filter than chunkies.

your filter design sounds good, but if you have a brew doctor near you, go in and ask about filters... why re-invent the cart?

next... what about buying an actual water filter? Even a britta jug, with cartridges, would be a good next step...
then through one of these:
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QmoEgdHG6J...-purifiers.jpg

and you're good to drink!

The pre-filtering isn't necessary, but will make it last exponentially longer. A half dozen filters for that will easily last you a year, even with the nastiest of nasty water!

Imo

[bacpacker]

A pack of coffee filters make good pre filters and go a long way.

[Sniper-T]

^n true that! buy a billion pack at Costco, and you're stylin'!!

[Domeguy]

I like the way you are starting...but I've gotta ask, if it's bad enough you have to go get water, how are you going to get 40 gal per trip home. I may be pre-judging you living in CA...I was born there by the way, but how are you going to get the gasoline, and then keep your water...won't there be others just waiting to take it? I just think it would all go bad...real bad, real fast once it comes to a point you have to get water. I don't mean to rain on your parade, because we all have to think about this...even me!

[ElevenBravo]

5 gallon bucket, small holes in the bottom with a t-shirt for a bottom filter... bottom layer has activated charcoal (get it at a pet store for fish filters), Id say about 2 or 3 inches. Fill the bucket to half way with play sand. Tie a t-shirt to the top and allow it to droop into the bucket.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/AquaTech-C...-Pets/10313138



Top t-shirt is the first layer of filtration, sand is the next, charcoal is the last.


The above filter is for particulates and aroma, it does not stop bacteria or virus.




Once the water is filtered, boil it for five minutes. This kills bacteria and virus.




End part 1, nonsense picture limit

[ElevenBravo]

Start part 2

Once the water cools, add bleach to the amount of water you just processed for long term storage,
or... immediate consumption. Let set for 1 hour before consuming. Colder temps (freezing or so...), wait 2 hours.





For storage, put in a light proof container and store in the darkest, coolest location possible.


(The two pictured above are my only two personal options)


Anything short of this, and your gambling.

HTH,
EB

[Sniper-T]

^ Well done EB!

[bacpacker]

IMO, if you have filtered and boiled, the bleach is really not needed. Anything the charcoal don't get will be killed by boiling. At least from my expereince. If you use good filters, that should take care of it.

[Socalman]

Boiling is always a great way to kill the bad stuff in the water. However it uses a fuel source that in this area may be rather scarce. Therefor I would add bleach.

Getting to/from the river water may not be difficult, no bridges or underpasses with which to deal in case of earthquake. Dealing with others might be a problem, but if I am simply hauling "dirty water" they may not have that big of an interest in taking it. I do have a fair amount of gasoline stored that would fuel my vehicles, at least for a short time period.

ElevenBravo, the Reliance aquatainers are what I have, though the design is a bit different than your picture. I rotate my water out of them every 4 to 6 months and try to add one every few months too.