So i have a large pond on a farm. If anything happens id like to be able to go down, get some water and purify for use in home.
Have well water now, the spring feeds the pond. I mention the farm thing bc of fertilizers and other potential runoff. We dont drink our home water rn but use it for brushing teeth and ice cubes. Its been tested and isnt bad but has some turbidity so its not aesthetically appealing.
One of the best filter system on the market are the Berkey filters. They are also expensive and they charge a lot for replacement filters.
That said... if you go on Amazon and look up the filter elements for the Big Berkey filter system, you will find knock-off versions of their filter cartridges that are also highly rated for 1/3rd the price also on Amazon. Berkey charges about $180 for 2 filters. You can get similar knock-off versions for about $60 for 2 filters.
You can buy these activated charcoal filter elements, then easily build your own system using either stainless steel pots or using 5 gallon food grade plastic buckets. If I wanted a gravity flow system where I could pour water through a strainer on one end and have the water crystal clear and drinking quality as an outflow... that's my preference.
They are great: I've had mine a while now and am amazed at how much my skin has changed.
5 gallon bucket system. Rocks, pebbles, sand, charcoal. Designs online.
https://youtu.be/0DlnAq5UAqY?t=1
I just watched this one today. Low-cost, but it depends on how well you make your own charcoal.
I purchased mine a long time ago. Not sure where to get it these days.
There are also good products out there that you can drink from a horse trough with. Can’t remember the name right now, though.
I like the LifeStraw products and I have several in case the suburban water infrastructure fails. I keep it as a prepper but not for everyday use.
LifeStraw sell large-scale water purification systems, not just those little straws.
Their website has a Shop menu with a Water Concern submenu that may answer some of your questions to see if it's suitable for your needs.
https://lifestraw.com/collections/lifestraw-purifiers
https://lifestraw.com
I've seen a few YouTubers review those and the assessment is usually, yeah, it filters the water but the effort to suck it through the straw is far too tiring to be worth it in anything other than a do-or-die situation.
So, good to have in your kit, but definitely not a first-choice if you're a camper.
No. They sell large-scale water purification systems.
Click on the links I already provided in my previous comment and you'll understand.
Ah, good point.
Fire fire fire
I use a countertop water distiller that also incorporated a final charcoal filtration. It makes really good water. Yes, it requires electricity, but since it is a small appliance, perhaps a small solar panel and converter could keep it running.
Otherwise, here are some other options:
~DIY filtration utilizing zeolite gravel, sterile sand, diatomaceous earth and charcoal.
~Solar water distiller made from hole in the ground, plastic wrap, etc.
~Sunlight, glass jar and Shungite stones
~Solar generated dehumidifyer that captures atmospheric air that is run through a filtration medium and into drinkable water
For emergencies and every day, the Alexapure Pro is our most powerful gravity-powered water filtration system. Reduces up to 99.9999% of 206 contaminants, targeting heavy metals, lead, fluoride, chlorine, viruses, bacteria, pesticides & pharmaceuticals.
https://mypatriotsupply.com/collections/alexapure-pro-water-filter
This is what we have been using and we really like it
Use a coffee filter (or two) first to filter out p-scum and tiny debris. Then proceed to whatever method you chose. Coffee filters are cheap.
I was looking in to this as well. anybody user experience with Berkey?
they claim it can filter river water: https://www.berkeyfilters.com/blogs/berkey-blog/can-you-really-filter-river-water-through-a-berkey
would like a third party verification of the claim though.
If you are able to provide 40-60psi of line pressure, your best bet is R/O. A 75gpd system will run about $300 including fittings, extra filters, etc.
There are a lot of things posted here that will filter contaminants and debris. But easiest is gonna be manual filter and bleach.
But I dont know of anything that will take care of possible chemical runnoff.
Best bet is to have manual backup for your well and use bleach to kill of organizms and have some meds on hand to deal with issues related to microbiological contaminants that cant be screened/killed.
Nextbest option if you have space is a catchment system
You need one big stainless steel pot, the kind restaurants use for refried beans or soups, 5-10 gallon. You want these instead of plastic so that you can boil it. Large kitchen strainers for pond scum, a small aquarium skimmer to follow up once it's in the pot, then you need water purifying chlorine drops to handle bacteria, and If you have gas burners or propane, you can then boil that water. Run small batches of this water through pitcher filters and it should be 100% drinkable, probably better than tap water too.
Double boil it for using with powder mixes or contact lenses
I'd also start IDing what fish and reptiles/amphibians inhabit your pond. Since it's a natural pond and you probably don't need to worry about chemical waste, there's probably good protein living in there
Sand Filter, Sawyer filter.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ja0ioX6GSz0
Take your pick. I bought a Zero filter pitcher recently, and it works alright with tap water. Not sure if it can help with pond-scum though.
If you want something more than just a pitcher, I'm stuck wandering in the dark on that too.
We had a Zero water filter but it needed a new filter every 2 weeks and we switched to Alexapure Pro. The filter will last for a year.
I also have a Zero Water Filter and it works fine for tap water. I imagine it would work for pond water as well, but because of all the impurities and silt, the filters probably won't last very long.
We made our own biosand filter 7 years ago and use it for all our drinking and cooking water. It has required zero maintenance so far and will only likely ever need a simple cleaning in the future. Simple, cheap, silent and no consumable purchases ever needed.
https://www.cawst.org/services/expertise/biosand-filter/more-information
boil water on a fire in an enclosed system with a marble slate to condense the steam, collect the condensate, purest water there is.
I bought Potable Aqua with PA+Plus Germicidal Tablets. Contains 50 tablets and treats up to 25 quarts ... but i have not tried it yet. Bought in case of emergency as we live near a river where we could get water.
https://duckduckgo.com/?q=berkefeld+water+filter
Or, for a non-electric distiller: https://mypurewater.com/shop/portable-emergency-water-purification-system/. ["Limited supply" in case you're interested in one of these]
EDIT: We use an electric distiller for our well water (the water is very hard and Berkey's don't remove minerals); this one in particular: https://mypurewater.com/shop/mini-classic-ct-distiller/ -- it's been terrific for us; have used it for years.
Liquid chlorine is cheap enough. Buy a few gallons. That's enough to treat several hundred gallons of water.
In a liquid state chlorine only has a 6 month shelf life. You’re better with chlorine tablets or powder. Hope that helps