How to Filter Water in an Emergency

If you’re in an emergency situation, you’re going to need water. Hopefully, you can find access to a water source, but how are you going to make sure it’s safe to drink?

Water filters are inexpensive and lightweight and can help ensure you always have access to clean drinking water. Read on for a few of the different kinds.

Pump Filters

Pump filters are a popular method of filtering water. They typically consist of a small unit that goes into the water, connected via a flexible hose to the main filtration unit and pump.

Many also have a built-in pre-filter to help get rid of sediment prior to running water through the filter, thus helping to extend its usable life.

To use a pump filter, place the submersible end of the filter in the water and the other end inside the bottle or reservoir you want to fill.

Then, start pumping. Some pumps are easier to operate than others, so your experience may vary here. Pump until you have filled up your water receptacle, then seal the water up.

Remove the submersible end of the filter from the water, and allow the individual filter elements to dry out before packing it back up.

Pumps are a great option for water filter because they can siphon water from shallow sources.

Chemicals

Chemicals are another easy way to treat water. In fact, they take the least amount of effort overall.

Simply fill up a water bottle or reservoir, insert a tablet or two, and wait.

The waiting is the hardest part, however– depending on the size of your receptacle and the type of water used, this could take anywhere from 30 minutes to four hours or more.

Chemicals are an easy method of water purification, however, they are not particularly useful in situations where you need water quickly.

These are best used as a back up to another method of filtering.

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Gravity Filters

Gravity filters are an efficient way of filtering water– you literally let gravity do its job and it filters the water for you.

These filters consist of a water reservoir on either end, connected by a hose with a filter usually in the middle or at the base of one of the reservoirs.

To use a gravity filter, all you need to do is find a body of water big enough to fill your reservoir in.

A puddle won’t work, but any lake or stream will. Fill the reservoir using a sweeping motion underwater, and then seal it up.

You’ll need to find a tree branch or somewhere else that you can secure the water reservoir.

As the water drains from the top reservoir to the bottom reservoir, the water will have to pass through the water filter.

The process can take around 30 minutes, but it’s relatively effort free.

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Bottle Filters

Bottle filters are extremely fast and easy to use. They consist of a water bottle, and a lid.

Connected to the inside of the lid is a water filter. Fill the bottle with water from any source, and it will pass through the filter as you drink.

These can be heavier and you can’t gather as much water as you can with other types of filters, but these are great for a quick drink.

>> See a great selection of Water Bottle Filters on Amazon

Boiling

Boiling is an old school method of water filtration that just works. All you do is take water from any source and boil it for one minute.

The advantages of boiling are that it’s easy to do and it doesn’t take long.

The drawbacks are that you probably don’t want to drink boiling hot water, so you need to give it time to cool down.

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Conclusion

There are many ways to filter water. Learning more about each method can help you decide which way is right for you.