(Natural News)
When you find yourself out in the wild without water, you have a serious problem. You have to find a source of water somewhere. A portable water filter may save you lots of time and effort, but not everyone has one. It is important then to learn various water filtering techniques, using materials found in the wild. Equipped with this knowledge, you will be more prepared and at ease in case of an emergency.
Here are four ways to filter water without a commercial filter. (h/t to TheSimplePrepper.com)
Sand and charcoal water filter
This filter does not completely purify water, but it can turn cloudy water clear. For this filter, you need:
If you have a plastic bottle, cut the bottom cover and take the cap off. Invert it afterward. If you are using a plastic bag, cut a small hole at the bottom of the bag.
The setup begins at the bottom. Follow these steps:
Evaporation trap
Evaporation traps collect the ground water that has evaporated from the soil into a container. This filter is suitable if you will be staying in the area for a long time. It takes a while to collect water, but it will provide you with a semi-continuous supply.
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Here are the materials you need:
To set an evaporation trap, you need put it in an area that has direct or indirect sunlight. It also needs a lot of space and should be left undisturbed.
Follow these steps to make an evaporation trap:
The plastic sheet will collect the evaporated ground water, dripping it down to the container.
Solar still
A solar still works similarly to an evaporation trap. Solar stills are easier to set up because you can carry the items needed to set it up anywhere. However, like evaporation traps, they also take a while before you can collect the water.
The items you need for a solar still are:
To set up your solar still:
Household chemicals
Common household items can be used to clean dirty water. Aside from purification tablets and drops, you can use something as common as bleach and iodine. If you decide to use this method, strain the water first through a shirt or any other fabric. It must be relatively free of particles before applying the chemicals.
If you decided to use bleach, do the following:
Iodine works as a short-term solution, but it is inadvisable for pregnant women and people with thyroid problems. If you decide to use iodine, follow the instructions below:
Practice these filtering techniques at home to prepare you for any scenario. Read more water purification tips and tricks at WaterPurifiers.news.
This content was originally published here.