HOME IMPROVEMENT

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.

To begin filtering water you will need to have container to keep it in. 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. By stuffing some cloth material into the funnel you will be able to trap particles in the water. A can is not as effective as a bottle but it will do the job. Poke several holes in the bottom of the can with your pocket knife for best results. Then let the water fall through the holes and into a separate clean container.

This is not the only means to filter water in the wilderness. Without a bottle or a can you can consider this method in an emergency. You can place an item of clothing or cloth material directly over the container as a filter. You should be able to get rid of some particles with this method.

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.

Fine and coarse layers need to be alternated inside the filter. At the bottom of the cone, you will need to stop the sand from pouring through. This is pretty easy. 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. Pass the filtered water through the filter again if it's not clear on the first pass through. Keep doing this until you have some clear water.

Again, it is important to know that just because the water is clear, does not make the water completely safe to drink. The water still needs to be purified. The filtered water will still probably contain bacteria that could make you sick. Purifying water is simple. Boil it over a fire for five minutes or use a water purification tablet.

Knowing how to filter water is a vital outdoor survival skill. If you can keep yourself alive by staying hydrated you have a better chance of survival while you wait for help to arrive. 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.