Having access to clean water is vital for people, animals and plants. Water can be contaminated with pathogens, chemicals or other impurities that can cause illnesses and health problems. If you find yourself out in the wild without access to clean water or you don’t have a safe source of water at home, there are many different ways you can purify water to remove sediment and contaminants. Keep reading to find out.
1Strain the water. For water that’s contaminated with large particles like pebbles, insects, plant matter, or dirt, you can strain out the contaminants.[1] Line a fine-mesh strainer with muslin, cheesecloth, a clean dish towel, or even a clean cotton shirt. Place the strainer over a bowl, and pour the water through the strainer to remove the particles.
Note that straining the water like this will only remove large particulates, not pathogens, heavy metals or other contaminants
2 Make your own filter. You can also make your own water filter to remove large sediment from water. You will need some supplies, but you can also use alternatives if necessary, including:
Use birch bark curled into a cone in place of the bottle and cap
Use a shirt or towel in place of the coffee filter
Use nuts, roots, or grass in place of the filtration materials[2]
3 Use sedimentation. When you don’t have access to anything that you can use to filter the water, you can remove large particulate from water by letting it settle. Collect the water in a bowl or jar. Leave the water to settle for one to two hours. During this time, heavier particles will sink to the bottom, and lighter material will float to the top.[3]
To remove lightweight particles, skim them from the surface of the water.
To remove heavier sediment, gently and slowly pour the water into a clean bowl or jar. Stop pouring before you get to the bottom, as this will leave the heavier sediment behind in the original container.