DIY Water Filter / Purifier

Well, a very nice reader left a comment on my blog, he gave me a website that has a water filter/purifier that can be made at home it' s easy, no difficult instructions, no impossible parts to purchase, it is a very simple system using only 4 parts, yes, 4 parts! I'll post the instructions here, and I'll give the link to the site where you can get the PDF download, I highly recommend it!

http://pottersforpeace.org/wp-content/uploads/ide-filter-user-guide.pdf

I love my Berkey water purifier, and if I had it to do over again today, I would still buy it, but I do plan on using one (or more!) of these homemade water filters too.



RABBIT WATER PURIFIER

By carefully following these instructions you will be able to

· Drink clear, safe, good-tasting water,
· Improve your family’s health,
· Reduce expenses, and
· Save time.

1. Parts of the Filter

(added by Wretha-I assume they are talking about an unglazed ceramic pot, glazed pots are water proof and the water would not flow through)


2. Take Care to Avoid Cracks

Handle the ceramic pot carefully to avoid breakage or cracking. Small invisible cracks may allow microorganisms to pass through the filter, making the water unsafe to drink.
If a ceramic pot full of water takes less than 3 hours to empty, the flow rate is too fast and the ceramic pot should be replaced.

3. Before Using the Filter for the First Time

Soak the ceramic pot in clear water (rain or tubewell water) for 12 hours

OR

Fill the ceramic pot three times, allow the water to seep through, and discard the filtered water.

Doing one of the above two steps will flush the clay smell and color from the ceramic pot. You only need to do one of the above steps, it is not necessary to do both.


Lastly, clean the receptacle tank and spigot with soapy water. DO NOT use soap to clean the ceramic vessel.



4. Daily Use

Put the filter in a safe place where it will not get knocked over and secure it to the wall or a post.



If the water source is very dirty, tie a piece of cloth over the top of the filter to strain out the dirt and debris.



The filter will flow faster when the ceramic pot is full, so fill it often.



Keep the lid closed to prevent dust and mosquitoes from entering.




5. Cleaning the Filter

The ceramic pot should be cleaned once per month or when the flow rate begins to slow down.

– Clean the inside surface of the lid with soapy water and let it dry.
Place the lid on a level surface with the clean side facing up.



– Carefully lift the ceramic pot out of the receptacle and set it on the lid. Touch only the rim when lifting the ceramic pot.



Do not touch the outside of the ceramic pot with dirty hands and do not set it on an unclean surface.

– Scrub the inside of the ceramic pot with a cloth or soft brush and rinse with clear water.
Do not use soap to clean the ceramic pot.



– Clean the receptacle tank and spigot with soapy water. Put the ceramic pot back into the receptacle tank immediately after cleaning to prevent recontamination. The pot does not have to be dried after cleaning.



6. Good Hygiene

It is important to practice good hygiene to ensure that the water that leaves the filter clean stays clean.

– Do not touch the outside of the ceramic pot, the inside of the receptacle, or the spigot opening with dirty hands.



– Place the filter up off the ground in a clean and tidy place.



– Wash hands and drinking glasses often with soap and water.



7. Effective Life of the Filter The ceramic filter pot should be replaced when any of the following occurs:

· The filter becomes cracked
· The filter flow rate is too slow and scrubbing no longer causes it to increase, or
· The filter has been used for three years.




House 22, Street 592, Toul Kork, Phnom Penh
Tel: 023 880 604 Fax: 023 880 059
ide@online.com.kh
www.ide-international.org

Water from the Rabbit Water Purifier has been tested by the Ministry of Health and meets World Health Organization guidelines for clean drinking water

Got the Berkey!

I got the Berkey water purifier in today, it got delivered to the country store, so that was a good excuse to go to the store. There were lots of people at the store, hanging around the porch, chatting. I showed everyone the filter, they were suitably impressed. Anyhoo, we brought it home, I took it to my neighbor's house to clean it, it requires that you prep the filters, you backwash the filters to get out any loose carbon and such. When the water first came through the filter, it had an exothermic reaction, it got hot! Not too hot to hold, but it was definately hot, it immediately cooled down, I just wasn't expecting it. :)

I packed it back in it's box, took it to my house and set it up, it went together pretty easy, the only mistake I made was not making the nut tight enough on the spigot. That was easy enough to fix, I noticed a little water dripping from it, so I tightened it.

Next I poured a gallon of water in it, then I put a half a packet of grape flavored Koolaid in it, I didn't have food coloring, I figured the Koolaid was the next best thing. It turned the water in the top a nice shade of grape scented purple water. The water immediately started dripping out of the filters, and it was clear, and non-scented. Once half of the water had gone through, I was satisfied both filters were working, so I poured the grape water out, and filled the top container with water. Since I had primed the filters, the water poured through pretty well at first, as the water level went down, the pressure dropped and the water slowed down, that is OK, it's supposed to work that way.

I am very happy with my Berkey water purifier. It is money well spent! I give it 2 thumbs up.

.
.
.
.
.
.

4 Comments

Anonymous said...

We got our Berkey a few years ago and I love it!! It goes down in history as one of the best things I have spent money on. Congratulations!
Karen

May 9, 2008 9:03 AM

Wretha said...

Thanks Karen, I really love mine, one of the hardest parts about it was deciding where to put it, we have VERY LIMITED space, every square inch has something sitting there already, we finally found a good place. We appreciate the fresh tasting, clean water we get out of it, my hubby has even been drinking PLAIN water, that has been nearly impossible before. :)

Wretha

May 9, 2008 10:22 AM

Anonymous said...

I'm sure you already know this link, but just in case you (or someone else reading this) doesn't, the 'rabbit' water filter does a pretty good job as well.

http://pottersforpeace.org/wp-content/uploads/ide-filter-user-guide.pdf

I learned this one from Jim Dakin's blog - thought it worth passing around for others to know about.

Like the blogsite - I'm a fellow Texan as well, but faaaaaar to the south of you, about 60 miles upriver of the mouth of the Rio Grande.

May 29, 2008 7:42 AM

Wretha said...

Hey fellow Texan! No, I didn't know about this filter, I am impressed! While I am very happy with my Berkey, and would buy it again, I do plan on using one of these rabbit filters too, thanks so much for the link!

What is it like where you live? Climate, weather, landscape...

Wretha

May 29, 2008 1:08 PM

Windows, Wind and Water

Well, things have been pretty quiet around here, Bob is still working on the bedroom, it has a roof now, and he is installing windows, it's going to have lots of windows, he is planning on extending a deck beyond the bedroom so he is also making a door to the outside. It's been pretty windy the past couple of days, yesterday and last night, we were worried about the new addition, there are no walls to speak of, we were worried the wind might damage the roof or the windows, but everything held up just fine. :)

I just ordered a water purifier system, it's called a Berkey Water Purifier. These are touted to be one of the best there are, it uses no electricity, needs no water pressure, you basically pour the water in the top, it filters down through 2 filters and is stored in the base.

• 
  
The shatter resistant and virtually unbreakable Berkey Light™ system is made of high impact strength Lexan® which, ounce for ounce, is stronger than steel. In fact, this is the same material used for making bulletproof glass.

The Berkey Light™ system does not leach foul tasting plasticizers into your water and will not retain foul tastes and odors from waterborne contaminants. As the system purifies water, it produces the delightful and relaxing sound of falling raindrops.

The revolutionary Berkey Light™ self-sterilizing and re-cleanable purification elements purify water by removing pathogenic bacteria, cysts and parasites entirely and by extracting harmful chemicals such as herbicides, pesticides, VOCs, organic solvents, radon 222 and trihalomethanes. They also reduce nitrates, nitrites, sediment and unhealthy minerals such as lead and mercury.

I have read (and seen on line) that it can remove food coloring without removing minerals and such that your body needs. I can't wait to get it, I should be able to get water from any source and this purifier will make it safe to drink. In this ever more dangerous world, with no guarantee of being able to get safe water, it's nice to know that I don't have to worry about it now.

I was able to get a good deal on a blemished unit, it's still fully functional, the holes where the filters go were drilled off center, I could care less about that, but the nearly $40 in savings is a big deal! With shipping and tax it came to just under $200.00.

Do a search for Berkey water and you can learn all about them. Oh, they are also all over YouTube.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

6 Comments

seth said...

Hi Wretha, my name is Seth and i recently purchased land in west texas. First, i have to say i'm glad to have found your blog and enjoy your posts, secondly, i appluade you guys for what you are doing. has been a dream of mine for a long time, but with four kids and, yatta yatta yah, the time has come to carry out that dream. i hope you won't mind if i email you sometime with questions about your systems and so on.
Thanks, Seth

May 2, 2008 2:53 PM

Wretha said...

Hi Seth, thanks for your comment, sure, I don't mind answering questions, we learned a lot of this by trial and error, and got a lot of info online too. Contact me anytime! Where did you purchase you land? You can answer privately via email if you want.

Wretha
wretha @ gmail . com (remove the spaces)

May 2, 2008 3:06 PM

judyofthewoods said...

I have been using a Berkefeld filter (the metal version, same filter elements) for about 7-8 years. Absolutely love it. Although I get water from a spring on my own land, it is high in manganese, which is not too healthy in that quantity, and also makes the water taste bitter and harsh (always used to cough when drinking a few gulps of that water). Filtered the water is delicious, and I can down a glas in one go without coughing, and need less sugar in my coffee. My neighbours have one too, and they gather rain water from the roof and store it in a rubber-lined cistern. The rubber made the water taste and smell very rubbery, but the filter has even managed to stop that chemical contamination. Aid organisations use them in tropical countries, so they are very good. If you have one of those and a supply of spare filters, you never have to worry about bad water. One of the best survival investments. You can also use many different containers to improvise, and just drill a hole, put in the filter and put container over another one, e.g. use a couple of saucepans or s/s storage bins. You won't regret your purchase.

May 3, 2008 4:35 PM

Wretha said...

Thanks Judy, I appreciate the vote of confidence for this product. :) We are going to be collecting rain water, we just have to wait for the rainy season to hit, and we have to get more water storage, it will be nice to know we will be able to drink the water we catch and not worry about it.

Wretha

May 3, 2008 5:58 PM

GW said...

I recently found out about the Berkey water filter a couple of days ago and am looking forward to purchasing one myself. We live in the backwoods and the well water has a funny taste to it. The well is within 100' of a shallow lake. I don't know if that has anything to do with it, but I look forward to good tasting well water like I was used to before I moved here in December.

Love the blog.

-GW

May 5, 2008 2:44 PM

Wretha said...

Thanks GW, be sure to let me know how it works for you! :)

Wretha

May 5, 2008 2:53 PM