# Survival > Primitive Skills & Technology >  Muddy water filtering

## Carlo QC

In my woods there is no stream, etc. only very, very muddy pools, so if I wanted to get water I would have to get it from these pools. I know I would have to boil it to get rid of the bacteria, etc. But I heard that to get rid of the mud you have to filter it through charcoal, etc, and could you please tell me how to make this filter, and how to make the charcoal for it? Thanks.

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## kyratshooter

If you have a means of boiling the water do not worry about charcoal.  

Filter the water through a tee shirt or anything you can find.  You can cut the bottom out of a 2 liter bottle, stuff the tee shirt in the bottle and pour the muddy water into the bottle letting it run out the mouth.

Then boil it.

If the water is real muddy use some kind of fabric that you can rinse out and get the mud out of it.  Muddy water will clog a filter real quick.

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## Rick

Your other option is to collect the water and let the silt settle out of the water. Once the silt has settled carefully pour the water into another contain trying not to disturb the silt. Then strain if necessary and treat to make potable.

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## Ken

> If the water is real muddy use some kind of fabric that you can rinse out and get the mud out of it. Muddy water will clog a filter real quick.


 :Blink:   Umm, if he had water to rinse the fabric out with, why would he be filtering really muddy water to begin with?   :Confused1:

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## Delta 5168

Not trying to hijack the thread C'man, but a secondary question.  Will charcoal filtering or Chlor Floc remove dissolved indusrial products that contain nasties like lead, copper,mercury or arsenic?

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## Ken

> Not trying to hijack the thread C'man, but a secondary question. Will charcoal filtering or Chlor Floc remove dissolved indusrial products that contain nasties like lead, copper,mercury or arsenic?


Here's what ACTIVATED charcoal will remove:

_"AC filtration is effective for some contaminants and not effective for others. AC filtration does not remove microbes, sodium, nitrates, fluoride, and hardness. Lead and other heavy metals are removed only by a very specific type of AC filter."

_Water Filters with Activated Carbon Cartridges - what they _will_ remove 

_http://www.thewatersite.com/activate...er_filters.htm_

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## Delta 5168

> In my woods there is no stream, etc. only very, very muddy pools, so if I wanted to get water I would have to get it from these pools. I know I would have to boil it to get rid of the bacteria, etc. But I heard that to get rid of the mud you have to filter it through charcoal, etc, and could you please tell me how to make this filter, and how to make the charcoal for it? Thanks.


  Carlo, if you will check around in some of the survival manuals out there on the market, you'll find a diagram for a tripod with 3 levels of filtering; grass, charcoal and sand.  Usually made with large handkerchiefs or pieces of fabric.  As you noted, you'll still have to boil.

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## Delta 5168

Thanks Ken.  I appreciate the reply.  D

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## Carlo QC

> Your other option is to collect the water and let the silt settle out of the water. Once the silt has settled carefully pour the water into another contain trying not to disturb the silt. Then strain if necessary and treat to make potable.


I've tried that, but the silt doesn't settle, not even days afterwards, the water is just a very brown color.

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## Carlo QC

> If you have a means of boiling the water do not worry about charcoal.  
> 
> Filter the water through a tee shirt or anything you can find.  You can cut the bottom out of a 2 liter bottle, stuff the tee shirt in the bottle and pour the muddy water into the bottle letting it run out the mouth.
> 
> Then boil it.
> 
> If the water is real muddy use some kind of fabric that you can rinse out and get the mud out of it.  Muddy water will clog a filter real quick.


Thanks but I've tried filtering it with a tshirt, but this water is like REALLY brown, and that doesn't work

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## hunter63

Did you try digging a hole a foot or so away from the pot hole, and let the water seep in?
Might be a tad cleaner....

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## RangerXanatos

Try taking alum from your kitchen and mixing a little in with the water, shake well and then stir it for several minutes.  What should happen is the alum will stick with the silt and floc to make particles that will settle and can be filtered.  Getting the right amount of alum is tricky at best.

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## Carlo QC

Thanks but I mean in a survival situation where all you have is a knife and the clothes on your back? And obviously stuff you can make in the wild.

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## hunter63

That's always been my goal....if you gotta bring it ....it's camping....I hear ya.

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## Carlo QC

> You can cut the bottom out of a 2 liter bottle, stuff the tee shirt in the bottle and pour the muddy water into the bottle letting it run out .


I tried that, but the mud is basically dissolved in, so that doesn't work either  :Frown:

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## hunter63

So you tried filtering it thru the cloth?

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## GreatUsername

The other thing to recognize is that unless you're using a purpose-made ceramic filter or something similar, these homemade filters are simply never going to produce water as crystal clear and mudless as what comes out of your tap. Part of what comes with filtering this way is accepting that water which is boiled but muddy will not kill you, but it will taste a little silty. Just a fact of some water sources. If you're just looking for a filter you can take camping with you, don't try doing it with homemade methods unless you like a little bit of dirt with your drink, invest in a ceramic filter. For survival purposes too, this will solve a lot of your needs, as such filters can serve a person for months before needing to be replaced, and most survival situations are over within a few months. If TEOTWAWKI happens... learn to enjoy silt, I guess, or find a spring way up the mountains. Nothing any one person does will meet modern tapwater standards, without the proper equipment.

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## Carlo QC

http://www.instructables.com/id/Lost...ly-over-the-f/ but I mean is it ok to drink water that has been boiled like what's in this picture (this is what mine looks like).

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## Carlo QC

> So you tried filtering it thru the cloth?


Yep, but it didn't work sadly... Thank you though

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## hunter63

I don't think you will die....but might not taste real good.

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## Carlo QC

But it won't make you sick or give you some condition?

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## hunter63

> But it won't make you sick or give you some condition?


Don't know....I don't drink stuff like that......so yeah maybe?
Might just keep you alive till you can get rescued and have proper medical attention.

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## Carlo QC

BUt if you're gonna do this thing where you have to survive for 3days in the wild with just a knife would it be safe to only drink that for 3 days?

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## Ken

Carlo, we don't do the "survive with just a knife" thing around here.  Most of us don't, anyway.

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## Rick

As long as the water has been treated to be potable the suspended material should not be a problem. It's generally clays and organic matter. As long as you are reasonably certain that the standing water is not tainted chemically by farm chemicals or industrial pollution then you can treat the water to make it potable and drink it. You know with certainty that you will die without water in roughly 3 days. If this is a true survival situation then treat and drink. Spit out the chunks.  :Wacko:

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## hunter63

One way to tell is to try it.....leave word to where you will be and if you are not back, in three days......come and get you.
Make it easy of the SAR.

Sounds like you have something to prove....
You do know of course these techniques are to help you if you find your self in a bad situation....not looking for trouble, Right?

It's good to learn and practice......but you need to have the skills, or can learn them.
How old are you?....your line of questions tell me you should talk to your parents first.

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## jerrynj

I'm not sure what's available in your environment (there are no rocks in these Georgia swamps!!!!) but you can make a pretty good filter with a soda bottle if add a few more things. Try putting the T-shirt in the bottom, covered by sand if available. Put stones on top of the sand or large chunks of wood if you can't find stones. Its a good idea to put charcoal on the top to catch some of the toxins, poisons, etc... You can get the charcoal right out of your camp fire. I have developed the habbit of grabbing some charcoal from any fire I make in the field just in case. I would still boil the water after running it through the filter if you can but if you can't, you should be fine drinking it right from the filter.

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## Ken

> I would still boil the water after running it through the filter if you can but if you can't, you should be fine drinking it right from the filter.


Following that advice can make someone quite sick - or worse.

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## Carlo QC

> As long as the water has been treated to be potable the suspended material should not be a problem. It's generally clays and organic matter. As long as you are reasonably certain that the standing water is not tainted chemically by farm chemicals or industrial pollution then you can treat the water to make it potable and drink it. You know with certainty that you will die without water in roughly 3 days. If this is a true survival situation then treat and drink. Spit out the chunks.


 thanks, sounds good

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## jerrynj

> Following that advice can make someone quite sick - or worse.


Sorry. I should have mentioned the risks. Ken is right, you can get sick if you drink it without boiling. With that being said, I have done it and was fine but you are rolling the dice and that shouldn't be recommended and only done as a last resort..   Thanks for having my back Ken...

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## Ken

That's what we're here for.  Here's a good read on water.

Dirty Water
http://impossible2possible.com/modul...ty%20Water.pdf

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## Wildthang

Cheap coffee filters will get some of the sediment out and they are cheap and lightweight!

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## ClayPick

Sphagnum peat moss.

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## Seniorman

> If this is a true survival situation then treat and drink. Spit out the chunks.


Yep, treat it like drinking moonshine.  Just strain it through your teeth and you'll be fine.   :clap: 

S.M.

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## Gille

I realize this whole filter system is not easy to carry even though it is light but I once became quite ill after drinking water in the bush so if I was actually planning ahead to be in the bush for any length of time I'd go with this one as it is inexpensive and can be hidden well ahead of time. Pre-delivered cashes of food, water filtration, and other necessities such as tools seem to me to be the way to go should anything go wrong and one have to head out quickly. You might be camping but you won't be hurling..lol
This filters $29.97 at cheaperthandirt.com
Here's a video of the product.

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## welderguy

> In my woods there is no stream, etc. only very, very muddy pools, so if I wanted to get water I would have to get it from these pools. I know I would have to boil it to get rid of the bacteria, etc. But I heard that to get rid of the mud you have to filter it through charcoal, etc, and could you please tell me how to make this filter, and how to make the charcoal for it? Thanks.


When you say POOL's are you referring to swimming pools?  If not what caused these pools of water? if its rain wouldnt collecting the rain be a good idea.

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## thefemalesurvivalist

I've seen this brown water up in Pennsylvania back on the AT. A sign said it was that color because of a mineral in it (not sure, but I think it was Iron). It was not due to mud. Mud should settle out.  

I've always used chlorine for purification after pouring the tainted water through a cotton bandana.

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## mistersir

to get charcole for the fillter you should just get some out of the fire

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## mistersir

the bandana workes 100 percent i have used it several times

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## Rick

You are not going to do much with charcoal from a fire. There is a huge difference between that kind of charcoal and activated charcoal, which is found in many water filters.

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## edr730

Get a pot, boil the water. Wait over night for it to cool. The next morning you will see a scum floating on the top and sediment in the bottom. Drink the water that is in the middle, it will be clear.

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## Rick

I've researched this a bit and have come up with a solution that all of us can use. It apparently works great on silty water so you Alaska folks can really benefit because I know your glacial fed rivers are muddy gray from the silt. The answer is alum. Who knew? 

Here is a Youtube showing how it works. 






and here is some technical information for you. 

http://www.gcrg.org/bqr/7-4/water.htm

1/8 teaspoon per gallon of water. Stir and let sit for 30 minutes. 


Chlor-Floc is the military version for clearing silty water and sterilizing it but doesn't get all the buggies apparently. 

http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?verb=get...fier=ADA262226

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## crashdive123

Pretty cool idea.  I'll bet if you get your bottle mixed up and accidentally drink your alum solution.......that'll make you pucker.

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## hunter63

Cool vid.....

So, where does one get alum in the wild?.....or is it another bring along item?

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## crashdive123

Gum wrappers, candy wrappers, foil from campers.......then you have to process it to get the inum out of it. :Whistling:

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## Rick

or the inium out of it if you're in Australia or Britain.

You can find Alum in the spice isle at the store.

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## hunter63

So do you still need the water tablets or filter, or boiling....this is just to clear our the silt and such right?

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## crashdive123

That just takes the silt out.  You will still need to filter, boil or treat.  Saves filters and keeps the grit out of your teeth if you boil or use tablets.

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## hunter63

Gotcha....thanks for the clarification.

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## Rick

Or the rocks from pelting you when you take a shower in that river thingy you put together.

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## RangerXanatos

> Try taking alum from your kitchen and mixing a little in with the water, shake well and then stir it for several minutes.  What should happen is the alum will stick with the silt and floc to make particles that will settle and can be filtered.  Getting the right amount of alum is tricky at best.





> I've researched this a bit and have come up with a solution that all of us can use. It apparently works great on silty water so you Alaska folks can really benefit because I know your glacial fed rivers are muddy gray from the silt. The answer is alum. Who knew? 
> 
> Here is a Youtube showing how it works. 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Post 12.  Didn't watch the video or read the link, but the amount of alum would be different for each time you get water.  Don't know if it's significant enough for any real difference, but the amount and type of silt could play a role in getting the right amount of alum.  That's why your public water treatment plants have to do so many jar tests in a day to get the right amount of alum.  There could be not enough floc and you have silty water, or the floc could fall apart.

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## Rick

Totally missed your post. Mea Culpa.

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## DSJohnson

Okay in the original post Carlos asked how to get his water cleaner, after saying he understood that he would still need to boil it to make it "safe" to drink.  Just my two cents worth here.
1. Use whatever type of fabric or grass/moss/fiber you have to filter the big chucks out,
2. If you have a way to do it make a simple sand filter(plastic bottle full of creek sand, the finer the better)
3. Let it set for a while, and dip the clearest water off the top of your pot, bucket or pan.
4.Then if it is still not crystal clear use a very old trick to make it more palatable.  Use it to make coffee with.  Coffee is supposed to be brown and nasty tasting anyway. You end up with boiled water that is brown and safe to drink.

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## Rick

I'll bet you think bacon is supposed to be brown and nasty tasting too don't you. Sacrilegious, that's what it is. Nasty tasting coffee indeed.

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## MamaBear

You should be able to make a pretty good water filter using layers of sand and charcoal.  It will remove a lot of the bigger particulates and you can then boil the water to make it safe to drink.

Other option is to make a solar still.  I've never made one but there are quite a few tutorials out there.  You'll need a couple of bottles, tubing, and sunlight!  The basic premise is to heat up the dirty water in one bottle, and evaporated water (which should be clean) will condense in the second bottle.  I think I will make it a project this weekend, been wanting to make one for a while now.

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## DSJohnson

No, Bacon is supposed to kind of floppy and served hot although I would never turn down bacon in any form or state if I have a choice.  Coffee on the other I have no real use for. Except to hide nasty water that I am trying to convince myself that it is okay to drink...I do carry some coffee in my kit but I am not a coffee drinker.

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## crashdive123

> Coffee on the other I have no real use for.


Sacrilege I tell ya!  Sacrilege!  I'm keeping an eye on you.

Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.

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## zezlan

Something I had heard was take a tshirt and carefully soak up the water. It will get a little muddy but maybe not quite as much as scooping. Try to ring out the shirt into a container or pot and repeat the sponge style process. Then boil. 

Thoughts?

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## welderguy

> Something I had heard was take a tshirt and carefully soak up the water. It will get a little muddy but maybe not quite as much as scooping. Try to ring out the shirt into a container or pot and repeat the sponge style process. Then boil. 
> 
> Thoughts?


  That is a good method if you have no bail handy. bandannas are good for collecting water as well.

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