Natural Water Purification Methods

In the event of an emergency it may become necessary to purify the water that you drink to avoid getting sick. Though many people think purifying water is difficult, there are a number of simple, natural means of purifying water that can easily be used in an emergency.

Sand

• One of the most common ways that water is purified is by passing it through sand and soil. If contaminated water (say urine) is poured onto fine sand, the water is going to travel down until it reaches the saturation level. The other chemicals that are mixed with the water, though, will be held back by the sand until only the water is left. This is the same method of water purification used in many sewage treatment facilities as a big part of separating water out of the waste that goes through the plant.

Boiling

• Water can be boiled to make it more pure. Boiling water kills bacteria and other germs in the water, which makes it safer to drink. Or, build a water still that functions off boiling. Water is poured into a sealed pot, with a tube leading out of it. The water turns into steam, and the steam escapes through the tube. The tube transports the steam to another container, where the steam condenses back into water. This process can eliminate more contaminants from water (such as salt), but it's also more complicated.

Cloth Filtration

• Cloth filters can be used to help keep larger contaminants out of water. This process is very simple; pour the water through a cloth, or through several layers of cloth, and the cloths' weave will strain the water and hold back impurities. This is the same process that happens when a coffee filter is used, except that the filter is paper rather than cloth. Paper can work as well, and if you have coffee filters or similar devices you can easily use those instead of a clean cloth to strain your water.