How to Make a Water Filter From Natural Materials

Although it can involve some effort, it's easy to make a water filter from natural materials with only a knife and nature's bounty. You can make this water filter from the bark of a birch tree and some wild vines. Layered with sand and grasses on the inside, this water filter will clean impure water of particles. You may have to filter the water two or three times, depending upon how full of particles it is.

Things You'll Need

  • Strong knife
  • Sturdy vines
  • Birch trees
  • Small rocks
  • Grasses
  • Sand
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Instructions

    • 1

      Use a strong, sharp knife to etch a horizontal cut into the bark of a birch tree. Extend the cut completely around the trunk of the tree. Etch a parallel cut into the bark about 16 to 18 inches below or above the first cut, also all the way around the trunk. Etch a single vertical cut in the trunk to join the two horizontal cuts.

    • 2

      Slide the knife blade's tip sideways slightly into the vertical cut and under the bark. Gently lift the blade and wiggle the knife a little bit, but be careful not to puncture the bark. This will loosen enough of an edge to allow you to grab onto it tightly. Pry and pull the cut bark panel from the birch tree, taking care to keep it in a single piece.

    • 3

      Form a cone from the birch bark panel by rolling one of the ends inward, just like you would roll up a newspaper. The inside of the bark should form the inside of the cone. Tighten the tip of the cone so that it's about the size of a dime. Fashion a container from it by tying it into shape with some strong vines.

    • 4

      Hold the cone container vertically, and put a few small rocks into it. The rocks will help to keep your filtering materials from washing out of the filter when you pour water into it.

    • 5

      Add a 1-inch layer of wild grasses to the filter. Pack them firmly into place. Follow with about an inch of sand. Alternate grass and sand layers until the filter is almost full. Leave about an inch or two empty at the top.

    • 6

      Hold a collection container under the tip of your water filter, and slowly pour the impure water into the top of it. The more slowly you pour the water, the more particles you will remove from it. Repeat this step if the filtered water still appears to be unclear and contains particles.