How To Naturally Filter Tap Water

Is the tap water coming out in poor condition? Then maybe we should start applying our own natural filtering methods to purify the water. Sure, there is plenty of equipment capable of doing that in a few seconds, but where is the fun in that?

No. In our article, we’ll go over the different methods we can follow to filter the tap water naturally. Of course, we’ll skip using the filtering devices, and we won’t use chemical pills either.

Learning the following information ensures that we’ll be able to get purified water even during natural disasters. These filtering methods work well when we’re out there in the wilderness too! It is always better to be ready, am I right?
Let’s get into it, then!

Boil the Water

An extremely easy and effective method to kill contaminants in the water is boiling. You’ll need to boil the water for one minute, approximately. If you’re out there in the open, on a location high above ground level, the boiling should take around three minutes instead of just one.

A Quick Filtering System

Our second method to filter water is quite popular, and you’ve probably seen it in movies and TV. Sure, it is more suitable for emergency cases, but considering this method works well, we’ll add it to our list either way. What will you need?

For this method, you’ll be straining water through apparel, which could be a bandana or a shirt.

Use the bandana to cover the top of a container, use a small rope to tie it, and then pour the water over it. Then, allow the water to sit for a couple of minutes and proceed to move it into another container. If possible, boil the water.

A Gravity Filter

Surprisingly enough, the gravity filters are quite efficient at filtering water. To create your own, you’ll need nothing more than a pair of bags that you’ll connect using a hose. Once you put water in one, place it at an elevated location to get the water to drain to the clean bag.

This method will not require that you carry around uncomfortable filters or tablets to purify the water. Even then, you should know that it is not perfect; Using these gravity filters gets rid of bacteria, but it doesn’t guarantee virus-free water.

UV Treatment

If you weren’t aware, ultraviolet lamps are capable of killing bacteria and viruses. However, you’ll need the water to be clear, and you also would have to apply the light treatment for a long time to completely purify the water.

Straight from the Source

If you don’t have a proper filtration system, using the water from the tap is not entirely that crazy of an idea. In most cases, the tap is a safe water source from where you can drink directly.

Of course, you have to keep some things in mind. For example, drinking directly from the water source is not always a good decision. Be completely sure it won’t make you sick before attempting it. If you’re not sure, it would be better to leave it be instead of putting yourself at risk.

Filtering Water Using Charcoal

The next filtering system is more elaborate and requires more effort than the previous ones. Also, with the next steps, you’ll be able to filter water in case of an emergency if there’s no electricity in the house. Let’s get into it then.

1. Preparing the Charcoal

First, you’ll need some charcoal. Surprisingly enough, charcoal works as an outstanding water filter. To get it, you need to build a wood fire, and then leave it alone until it burns out entirely. Throw ashes and dirt to cover it, and wait a couple of hours before getting it out.

Once the charred wood cools off, proceed to break it into smaller pieces. After you finish, you’ll have successfully created charcoal.

Observation: Creating charcoal through this method is very primitive. You could get the charcoal from the store to save the time you’d spend doing all of these steps.

2. Setting up the Containers

You’ll need to prepare two containers, one for the top, and another one for the bottom. On the top container, create a small hole in its base to work as a filter. Then, place a cloth in the top container to cover the filtration hole.

After covering the hole with the cloth, place the charcoal over the cloth and tie it.

The idea is that the water should drip through the charcoal, slowly. If the water comes through too fast, you’ll have to repeat the process adding more charcoal.
Also, you could use another cloth with pebbles and sand to cover the first layer with the charcoal. This new layer will prevent the charcoal from mixing with the water. Grass and leaves would do the trick too.

Finish up by placing the top container with the charcoal and other items over the bottom container, which will receive the filtered water.

3. Filter the Water

When the two containers are set up, proceed to pour the water into the top container. You’ll see it drip through the filtering system slowly as it falls into the bottom container.

If you’re filtering a large amount of water, make sure to replace the top materials periodically. Sand will often retain microbes that aren’t safe to drink.

You’ll have to repeat these steps a couple more times before it completely removes the particles. Do it as many times as possible until you’re sure the water is good to go.

Final Words

Even though some of the methods described above may not seem necessary, you never know when you may need them. Water is an essential element for our body, meaning that you should have access to it regardless of the circumstances.
Make sure to follow the steps carefully, and you should be able to turn that odd-looking water coming from the tap into a purified element that you could use for drinks, food, and other activities.

Last update on 2023-09-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API. WaterFilterly is user-supported. We might receive a commission on any purchase you make through clicking links on this page.