DIY Ceramic Water Filter

Water is the most essential preparedness item.  You can only survive a couple days without it.  However, as essential as it is, in our society we can sometimes overlook it in our planning.  As a bare minimum, you need to have at least 1 gallon of water per day per person.  This amount is drinking/cooking only, it is not enough for personal hygiene or comfort.  But even this small amount rapidly becomes a logistical nightmare if you attempt to store enough water for a long period of time.  While you should store at least a 72 hour supply (or more), you also need some method of water purification.  I chose to showcase this one method as it is cost effective, easy to create, and cost effective.  I ordered this ceramic filter from a company called monolithic for under $30.00, installed it in in under 30 minutes, and now have filtered water for about 6 months.

Comments

[keithjk1]

One of the things people are overlooking, is LEAD. My family for years was in the Ceramics industry, and one of the key components in Ceramics is Lead, used in the process. When you have Ceramic Cookware, the lead is not used, (but then it becomes more brittle) and is safe. When Ceramic is used in making cups and plates, it has a Clear Glaze applied to the item, which encapsulates the ceramic item and traps the lead within it. The Clear Glaze finish is what is touching your food or liquid and does not allow the lead component to leak though and poison you. back in the 90s. China was sending ceramic dishware into the U.S. where the Clear Glaze was also a lead based product. This brought about a lot of attention to Lead being in food grade products and Jewelry and Toys.

So, when using Ceramics as a filter, it is best to know what the make up is, or you may poison yourself. Back in the 80's in a T.V. Show called Trapper John M.D., there was an episode that show cased a girl who was lead poisoned from a ceramic cup, she used and was given to her and was a favorite item to drink from.

With that said, if you look at your coffee cup and see a crack and there is a stain in the crack, then the Clear Glaze is no longer doing its job. If Coffee can get to the ceramic via the crack, the lead within can get out, and into your food. Hence it is best to dispose of chipped or cracked plates of cups and replace them.

Also, with that said, not all ceramic eating ware uses Ceramic with lead in it, but there is almost no telling what is and what is not, unless you pay an independent lab to test the item/s.

I for one years later from seeing the MSDS sheet on ceramic clay (used in making Ceramic cups, plates, tiles, ect.) I use a Glass Coffee Cup and Plates, ect. Glass does not leach out lead of harmful elements. Lead crystal is fine, but ceramics is not the same.

As a filter, check the source of the Ceramic, and the make up. If its not for use with food, you got a small chance it is o.k., but is it is not intended for food grade use, then you are at a great risk.

Be safe.

[noahw]

tngun - you've got some great info in your videos that you're posting to the site, and I really do like your projects (I was one of the judges in the Off the Grid Contest). I'm writing just to encourage you to post your projects as a full on step by step Instructable in your format. While embedding your videos is great, I think your projects will reach many more people if you document work with more then just video. Still include the videos, just provide the step by step process as well in pictures and text. Anywho, good work.

[pole1214]

i think ur right noahw

[Javin007]

Have to agree with this one, particularly since I can't watch videos at work! (shhhh)

[Daves Homestead]

Noted, next time I do a project I will take that into consideration

[noahw]

Thank you for considering.

[audreyobscura]

All of your posts have been pretty interesting. I checked out your website too. Thank you for sharing them on Instructables.