How to Make a Homemade Water Filtration System

In a previous post I discussed in depth about how to maintain a safe water supply and the importance of doing so. In that post I discussed various options such as water filtration systems, methods for disinfection, as well as how to purify water. I also revealed what we do at the homestead and how we produce purified water for less than 3 cents a gallon. In this post, I want to show just how easy it is to make a homemade water filtration system.

List of components

-Two Black Berkey® water filters
-Two 5 gallon food grade buckets with lids
-One water spigot
-Drill

Set up

Once finished, this system is essentially two 5 gallon buckets stacked on top of one another like this:

It is essential to have food grade buckets. DO NOT use buckets from your local hardware store as these ARE NOT SAFE for food and water storage due to the chemicals used in the manufacturing process. Food grade buckets can easily be found online from multiple sources. They can also be obtained FOR FREE from the...

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Rain Water Collection

water supply Nov 10, 2020

Being in control of your water supply is imperative. There are multiple ways that this can be accomplished. For some great examples, read some of my other posts.  In addition,  rain water collection is a fantastic way to accomplish this even if you live in the the city.  As you will learn from the information below, there is a lot more to this than simply putting out a rain barrel, that is if you are serious about collecting water.  There is a lot of information here to digest.  Enjoy!

Table of Contents

1) A SHORT HISTORY OF RAIN WATER COLLECTION
2) WHAT IS RAIN WATER COLLECTION?
3) BENEFITS OF RAIN WATER COLLECTION
4) DISADVANTAGES OF RAIN WATER COLLECTION
5) HOW TO CALCULATE YOUR RAIN WATER COLLECTION
6) LEGALITIES OF RAIN WATER COLLECTION
7) METHODS OF RAIN WATER COLLECTION
8) GENERAL TIPS FOR SETTING UP A RAIN WATER COLLECTION SYSTEM
9) COMPONENTS OF A RAIN WATER COLLECTION SYSTEM
10) FINAL WORDS ON RAIN WATER COLLECTION

A Short History of Rain Water...

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How to Choose the Best Water Filter

survival water supply Nov 10, 2020
Having pure drinking water is critical whether you live off the grid or not.   In fact, having an available water source will be a critical factor in choosing an off grid property. In some cases, you may be able to connect to city water. If you can drill a well then you have an independent water source. Whatever your availability of water may be, there is always the possibility of that water source becoming contaminated. This is why it is important to have a backup system in place. That back up system is as simple as having an alternative means of producing potable water. This is where choosing a water filter becomes important. But how do you choose the best water filter for your particular situation? 
 

With so many products on the market, how can you possibly know which one is the best water filter? How do you choose a water filter that suits your situation?  In this post, I will outline the primary factors involved in evaluating the different products on the...

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Off Grid Water Systems: Five Realistic Options

When it comes to living off the grid, water should be one of your major priorities. In fact, much of your off grid lifestyle will be dictated by the availability of water.  Additionally, you may find the perfect piece of property for the homestead except for access to water. Since water is such an important resource, the point of this post is to explore several options for off grid water systems.  

City Water: Not really an off grid water system

There are numerous rural properties that I’ve seen that are perfect for a homestead and those properties include access to city water.  Now I do understand that one of the biggest reasons that most of us homestead or live off the grid is that we value our personal freedom. Consequently, hooking up the local infrastructure may be the last thing on your mind. Besides, you may feel as if this is not even being off the grid at all.

However, if you choose to take advantage of this option, I strongly recommend having another...

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How to Maintain a Safe Water Supply

Because water is a basic need you simply cannot live without, maintaining a safe water supply is essential. It is one of the most important elements for being self sufficient. Most healthy adults can survive about three to four weeks without food. However, you can only last 3 to 4 days without water.

Besides, in order to be properly prepared for an emergency situation, you must always have access to a safe water supply.  For example,  during a major flood event, well water, rivers, streams, lakes and ponds can become contaminated. That contamination can be in the form of chemicals, human sewage, livestock waste, as well as many other potential toxins. Consequently, best practice dictates being completely independent of any sort of infrastructure.

Furthermore, even if you are connected to the public infrastructure, this is no guarantee of a safe water supply.  The reason is that during a natural disaster it is common for the public infrastructure to be...

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