6 of the Best Water Filtration Techniques

Written By Jaron Pak

It doesn’t matter if you’re a homesteader, a prepper, or the Queen of Sheba, everyone needs to drink water. It’s part of life. Period.


That said, we got to thinking, “Hey, what happens if that precious H2O stops flowing through our pipes? Or, say, what if the power goes out and that well-pump stops ...well, pumping.”


To remedy the situation, we set our top minds on the task and came up with this nifty list of water purification techniques — exclusively hand-delivered (okay, digitally sent, but still with plenty of TLC, we promise!) right to our email subscribers. 


So, without further ado, here are some of the best ways that you can filter water when you’re in a pinch.

Kickoff: The Basic Filter

Before we get into the nitty-gritty — or rather the removal of the nitty-gritty — let’s break down one universal water cleaning technique that is important to have down pat before you go about purifying things. We’re talking about a basic filter. 


This is a technique that can be utilized any time you’re dealing with a significant amount of debris — e.g. you have filthy water.


For instance, say you’re out in the woods, thirsting to death, and you find a muddy creek. Even if you have the means to boil the water, add a chemical purifier, or utilize the SODIS method. you’re still going to want to get that pound and a half of mud out of the liquid before you start chugging it. 


Here are the steps to create a basic filter in order to remove larger debris like dirt from your water:


  1. Use a filter (a cheesecloth, a bit of your t-shirt, a sturdy paper towel, a bandana) and stretch it over the top of an empty container.

  2. Use a separate container to collect the water.

  3. Pour the dirty water through your filter.

  4. Repeat step 3 multiple times if necessary until the water looks clean.


At this point, you’ve got clean, unpurified water. Can it still be filled with germs and bacteria? You bet. But at least you won’t have to chew it on the way down.


Alright, now let’s move on to the actual filtration techniques themselves.

1. The bottle filter

This is a simple, kickass filter that the folks over at OmegaGear.com lovingly call a “hillbilly” water filter. It utilizes raw materials found out in the woods. So while it may not be quite as fool-proof as a commercial filter, it can get you some darn clean water in a pinch.


All you need to do is:


  1. Find a bottle, can, or some other cylindrical container that can have an opening on the top and bottom. We recommend cutting the bottom off of a plastic water bottle.

  2. Tie a piece of filter cloth (a piece of a t-shirt, a bandana, etc.) over the top spout and flip the bottle over. 

  3. Fill the container from the bottom to the top with the following items: charcoal, sand, larger pebbles.

  4. Start to pour water through the filter. It should initially come out a bit dirty, but eventually, you’ll get nice, clean filtered water.


You can see this method in action here. It’s great for genuine emergency situations, as the most challenging thing to find is the charcoal, making it a great trick to have up your sleeve when you’re out in the wilderness.

2: This option sucks

If building a makeshift filter doesn’t appeal to you, you can always purchase one ready-made. There are a variety of different straw-shaped products on the market that can literally be used to safely suck water right out of a dirty stream. 


Filters like LifeStraw and Aquastiq manufacture extremely easy to use filtration straws, and they’re typically under twenty bucks a pop. While there are cheaper options on this list, this one is about as convenient as it gets.

3. Boil it, Baby!

If you’re searching for the “old faithful” of water filtration technique, you need look no further. Boiling water is one of the best ways to ensure that you’re not ingesting something nasty.


The best part is, boiling water is quick and easy. All you need is a heat-resistant container and a heat source. (Remember to keep that basic filter handy too if you want to skim any junk out of the liquid before you boil it).


The important thing to remember is that you need to boil the water for at least one minute in order to kill off all of the pathogens present. Realistically, most of them will be dead before it hits that rolling boil point, but waiting for that extra minute or two ensures that nothing survives long enough to get inside of you.

4. Let’s get chemical, chemical

Next up, we’ve got a twofer. Both iodine and bleach can be used to filter water when you need to. You can:


  1. Add around 5 drops of iodine per quart of water (or roughly a 2% iodine to water ratio), shake it up, and then let it sit for at least half an hour.

  2. Add five drops of unscented chlorine bleach per quart of water, shake it up, and then leave it for a full hour.


Now, we need to include the caveat here that you should always be careful when purifying with chemicals, as they can have strong negative side effects. In fact, as a rule, it’s best to save these two options for worst-case scenarios.

5. Pining for that sweet, sweet H20

Next up, we’ve got a really cool method that is as simple as it is awe-inspiring. Research has shown that you can create a simple xylem filter from nothing less than a pine tree. That’s right, a pine tree. All you have to do is:


  1. Take a plastic tube and fasten a filter like a bandana or cheesecloth across one end.

  2. Peel back the bark on a small pine branch and then slip it into the plastic tube.

  3. Run water through the tube, allowing it to make contact with the branch before it passes through the cloth filter.


And that’s it! This method is supposed to be able to remove as much as 99% of the bacteria in the water, all by utilizing the natural filtering properties of the xylem tissue in the natural wood.

6. SODIS

Finally, there’s the SODIS method — e.g. the “solar disinfection” method.


This one’s about as easy as it gets. All you need is a smooth plastic bottle and some good ol’ sunlight.


  1. Filter the water you need to purify really well using your cloth filter.

  2. Make sure your bottle is smooth and both transparent and very clean. Also, try to avoid using one that is larger than two quarts.

  3. Fill the container and screw the lid on tight.

  4. Leave it in strong sunlight for at least six hours.


After that, the water should be purified and good to go!


Now, before you start emailing in questions, the answer is yes, this does mean you’re going to have to deal with the plastic leaching into the water. And that isn’t a great thing. However, dying of dehydration isn’t great either. So we’re including this one in the “desperate and dying” category, in which case it can literally be a lifesaver.

Keeping the Water Flowing

And there you have it. Six methods to keep that precious H20 clean and flowing, even when you’re isolated, alone, or dealing with an apocalypse. So pick the ones that are most useful for your particular scenario, gather up the required equipment, and save them for a rainy day.

Jaron Pak