How to Filter Water With Sand for Purifying

Having clean drinking water is essential for human survival. Sadly, with all the pollution and water contamination in the world, it's becoming more and more difficult to find purified water. For a cheap, environmentally friendly way to remove impurities from water, try a sand filtering technique. For your own safety, never drink rain, river, lake or ocean water, even if you filter it. A sand filter will remove some of the chlorine found in the tap water.

Things You'll Need

• 2 large, clean, stackable cans or jugs
• Large nail
• Hammer
• Pebbles
• Sand

Instructions

1. Remove any tops that may be on your two large stackable cans. Make eight holes in the bottom of one of the cans with a nail and hammer.

2. Place the pebbles at the bottom of the can with holes in it. Add enough pebbles so that they are stacked around 3 inches high.

3. Cover the pebbles in the can with the sand so there's about 3 inches worth of sand covering the pebbles.

4. Stack the can with pebbles and sand on top of the empty can. Fill the sand-filled can the rest of the way up with tap water. The water will become purified as it drips through the sand and pebbles and into the empty can.

References

• University of Chicago: Sand Water Filter
• Planet Green: Sand Filter