Probably you are already aware of this – in any extreme situation resulting from a man-made or natural disaster, you are unlikely to survive more than: 1) 3 weeks without food; 2) 3 days without water; and 3) 3 minutes without air. We call it the rule of 3’s.
So, quite obviously it needs no saying that apart from the air you breathe, water is definitely the most important item that you can’t do without in any survival situation. But unfortunately, during any large-scale calamity, you are less likely to get unrestricted access to clean (read: drinkable) water; and therefore, knowing how to build a water purifier using common household stuffs is probably as important as having an emergency stock of water itself.
How to Make a Water Purifier
A ) Items you’ll need to make your own water purifier:
You will require two 5-gallon (approximate 18.9 liters) food grade plastic bucket with proper lids and a food-grade spigot. Apart from that, you will also need a couple of water filtration elements.
Here’s a couple of thing to remember:
- Make it a point to purchase only NSF certified filter elements;
- You’ll also need a drill with 0.5 inch and 0.75 inch drill bits.
B) Here’s how you are supposed to do it
Step#1 Drill matching holes: You will require stacking the buckets one atop the other so gravity can pull the water through the filters. First drill a couple of 0.5-inch holes in the bottom of the upper bucket. Make sure that the holes make a straight line across the diameter of the bottom surface of the bucket.
Once done, make two matching holes (try and make them similar in size) at the lid of the second basket (the one that will be underneath). It’s extremely important that the holes line up when the buckets are stacked.
Step#2 Drill a 0.75-inch hole into the bottom bucket: This is to facilitate proper installation of the spigot. The spigot must be properly sealed so that water cannot escape.
Step#3 Install the filter elements: The filter elements are to be installed in the upper basket. Make use of the holes at the bottom surface of the bucket to secure the nozzle for the filter. You would want both filters to be securely installed – or else the entire setup will end up as a massive failure. To mitigate room for error, make sure that the nozzles are protruded from the bottom of the upper bucket.
Step#4 Stack the buckets one atop the other: While stacking the buckets, the nozzles of the filter elements should have unrestricted access through the holes at the lid of the bottom bucket.
If you do not intend to move the set up too often, it is strongly recommended that you properly seal the space between the two buckets. This will help prevent contamination of the clean water in the bottom bucket in the long run.
Step#5 The system is ready for use: Congratulation, your home-made water purifier system is now up and running. Just fill the upper bucket with water and wait. Remember though, the process may take little longer than usual initially. However, it is bound to expedite after a few usage.
So, that was it – How to Make a Water Purifier – a simple, easy-to-use, safe and highly effective home-made water purifier. While there are many methods by which a DIY enthusiasts like you can make their own water filtration system, we believe this is the easiest of them all. And last but not the least; do make it a point to clean the filter elements as well as the buckets with a plastic scouring pad from time to time to prevent the filtration process from slowing down.
What is your favorite survival water purifier? Share it with us.
