Building A Water Filter
Survival skills are vitally important if you spend a lot of time in the wilderness and risk becoming lost or stranded. Even when you do manage to find a water source you still need to know how to make that water safe for consumption. Filtering water is an important skill to master. It is also important to know that filtering water is not the same as purifying water making it safe for drinking, but in an emergency, this outdoor survival skill can be extremely useful.
When the best water available is muddy water, you will need a filter to clean the water. Filtering the water simply means removing all visible dirt and debris which will help make it safer for drinking. Take note that this does not kill harmful bacteria and microbes but it will often make the water taste better.
Firstly you will need some sort of container. A bottle will do the job admirably. By cutting the bottom of the bottle off you will be able to use the top as a makeshift funnel. To trap small debris and particles put some cloth material into the funnel. A can is not as effective as a bottle but it will do the job. For the water to be able to run through you will need to punch a few holes into the bottom of the can with your pocket knife. Catch the water in a seperate container by running it through the holes in the can.
This is not the only means to filter water in the wilderness. Consider this method as an option during an emergency. Put a piece of clothing or cloth material directly over the container as a filter. This should remove the majority of the particles.
Look and around and use what nature has supplied you. If you have rocks and sand, alternate these in layers to make a filter. The more layers you have, the better.
If you have no bottles or cans use some bark and twist it into a cone shape. Put alternating layers of rocks and sand inside the cone of bark. Put small rocks as the last layer in the bottom of the cone. This will help hold it all together when you tie the bottom of the cone with a piece of string.
Make sure you use both fine and coarse layers in the filter and alternate between each. You will need to stop the sand from pouring out of the bottom of the cone. This isn't difficult. Use a non-poisonous grass, small pebbles or some cotton material.
When you have finished building your filter you now need to pour your collected water into it. Catch the water in a container after it has gone through the filter. If the water is not clear, pass it through the filter again. Repeat until the water runs clear.
Even though you now have clear water there are still little nasties in there that need to be gotten rid of. Any water found in the wilderness will need purification. The water may contain tiny bacteria that can pass through the filter. To purify your water use a purification tablet or boil it for five minutes over a fire.
The ability to filter water with at hand materials is an important life saving skill. You can keep yourself alive by knowing how to make your water fit for drinking. This will keep you hydrated while you wait for the rescue party. Make sure you can filter water by practicing when you don't need it. Dehydration is a killer when lost in the wilderness so this skill could easily be the difference between life and death.
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