A Homemade Water Filter for Better, Cleaner Water

We are all cautious about what we eat and drink and this is no different when it comes to our homes’ drinking water. If you, like so many other people feel that your drinking water is not clean enough, due to its taste or actual water test results, you will want (or need) to invest in a water filtration system.

Alternatively, you can make your very own homemade water filter in your home by using simple materials. This is a good route to take if you are on a budget, feeling particularly resourceful or simply want to experiment with a DIY water filter.

One way to drink pure-tasting water is with a homemade water filter.

Here is just one way you can make a water filter at home. Plenty of other designs exist. (Write in if you have a favorite).

Here is what you will need:

  1. A two litre plastic bottle
  2. A straw
  3. Cotton batting
  4. Sand-fine grain
  5. Large particles of sand-fine grain
  6. Gravel-fine grain
  7. Larger particles of gravel-fine grain
  8. Charcoal granules
  9. A coffee filter
  10. A cup

The first thing you will want to do is to cut the bottom of the two liter bottle off. Once you have done this, cut a hole in the bottle’s cap and insert the straw. The filtered water will flow through this straw. Make sure that the straw is short as it only needs to reach the cotton batting.

Turn the bottle around so that the cap is at the bottom. Now you will add your cotton batting. This batting is basically packed into the neck of the bottle.

After adding your cotton batting, add a layer of your charcoal granules. The next layer is your sand-fine grain. Layer this on top of the charcoal layer.

Next you will have to add a layer of the larger sand-fine grain. Followed by this layer, is a layer of the gravel-fine grain. In total you will now have four layers including the charcoal layer.

Next, add your layer of larger gravel-fine grain. Essentially, these are your filtration layers. Alternate these levels until you fill the two liter bottle.

Now you will add the coffee filter on top of all the layers. This coffee filter will catch the larger particles caught inside the water, while the cotton batting catches the last of the particles in the water.

The layers of finer grain, will catch the smaller particles while the levels of rougher grain will catch bigger particles.

Your water filter is now ready to use. Place the bottle in a cup or vase – do not let the bottom of the filter touch the bottom of the cup or vase. Pour water into the top of your water filter and wait for the water to start filtering through the system.

Cleaner water will be produced, however it will not be larger quantities. A homemade water filter is a cost-effective, natural way of filtering your own water. -ANNABEL SCHOEMAN

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