Inline Silt and Particulate Water Filter

This is not a water purifier and should not be expected to make unsafe water drinkable.

I like to backpack into the wilderness. As any nature lovers know, probably your most important resource is water. All back-country campers and hikers carry some sort of water treatment system. For a long time I used a pump. When my last pump filter finally gave up the ghost, I looked for something different and decided to try a gravity system. I will never to back to pumping. I use the Platypus brand GravityWorks system and I love it.

That being said, the nature of the system means that is not uncommon to pick up a considerable amount of silt, moss, and other particulate matter in the raw water reservoir. While not a problem from a safely perspective, the large particulates tend to gum up the works and drastically reduce the life of the primary filter.

So, I came up with a very simple, in-line sediment filter in an effort to preserve the life-sustaining water filter as long as possible.

Supplies

Female-to-Female PVC pipe coupling, 3/4"

Barbed nylon hose nipple, 1/4" x2

Faucet aerating screen, 3/4"

Tubing, 1/4" ID, 3 inches

Cotton or other filter medium.

Step 1: Supplies

Pretty basic stuff, available at any home supply store.

Step 2: Insert the Screens.

I used 2. That is probably not necessary but, in the bush, 2-is-one-and-1-is-none. Meaning, it is always good to have a spare.

Step 3: Cap the End With the Screens

Step 4: Filter Material

My wife had these little polyester balls in her craft supplies that fit perfectly in the tube. Alternatively, you could use cotton, a piece of a coffee filter, some fabric, sponge, etc. Basically, a little media to catch the big pieces so they do not end up clogging your filter.

I personally love the cotton option as it weighs nothing and it is organic. So, when the cotton gets gunked up, just chuck it and shove in a new piece.

Worst case scenario is you have no filter medium and just rely on the screens. So be it. It is better than nothing.

Step 5: Close It Up

Just finger tighten the ends. You will want to do field maintenance, change the cotton, etc. without having to pack a wrench.

Step 6: Done

The thing is stupidly simple, really. The hardest part was finding the pieces. With a thin cotton filter the flow rate is not effected at all and the whole thing comes it at about 1.1 oz.