Make it step by step
- Step 01
Secure the funnel above the receiving container and line its outlet with cloth. Shield any cut bottle edges.
- Step 02
Add supporting gravel at the bottom, sand above, then a thin gravel layer to spread incoming water. Do not compact until flow stops.
- Step 03
Retain a before sample. Pour the rest slowly through the layers. Do not taste or improvise chemical disinfection.
- Step 04
Compare both containers on a white background. Record colour, cloudiness and flow time: invisible microbes or chemicals may remain.
Check before use
Flow passes through the material rather than around it, and both containers retain do-not-drink labels.
Limits of this project
Never drink this experiment's output. Use safe supplies or standard treatment following CDC guidance for actual drinking water; clarity is not a safety test.
Take down and restore
Separate solids before permitted disposal. Pack out sand and gravel instead of pouring them down drains.
All lashings and racks here are for light objects, never people, climbing or rescue.
Further reading
- CDC Museum — Making Water Safe: STEM lesson
- CDC — How to Make Water Safe in an Emergency
- Leave No Trace — Leave What You Find
References support relevant principles, not certification of these projects or their dimensions. These original practice designs and diagrams have not been field-tested by this website.
