We are thrilled to be getting the word out about the water filters. Having clean water in an emergency is so important! Make sure you attend an upcoming water filter class if you have purchased one so you know how to use it and see our "beefed up" version complete with the giant water sock. And if you haven't purchased one...come learn about it and you will have a chance to buy one if you would like. Next class June 24, Nibley, UT 5:30 PM (see above post for details).
Here's some info on the water filters that you can print off and keep with your filter.
Ceramic Water Filter – General Information
When a disaster strikes
When there is a disaster, the devastated areas always need clean water right away. Over and over, you see a certain number of people are killed or injured by the disaster, but many more times that die from unlean water. This portable water filtration system is a simple and effective way to bring that safe water to you and your family.
How do I know it really works?
These filters were created to fill the need for clean water throughout Third World Countries where serious outbreaks of numerous epidemics occur, including Cholera, Giardia, E. Coli, and many more. The filter will accept water from floods, lake, rain, well, tap, river or stream. John Hopkin’s University tested these, and made an impressive report on their findings, as well as a number of other prestigious scientific research groups. All gave a thumbs up rating. (all below).
When I talked to a man ‘in the field’ that actually places them, and sees first hand how they work, he said, “The filters stop an epidemic RIGHT NOW, PERIOD! Always works, the sickness goes away, every time.” He’s seen them work in India, Africa, Afghanistan, and a number of other places around the world.
What you get:
There are (2) 4 gallon square buckets that come in the kit. The holes are already drilled for you. The only thing you need to do is wash the buckets before storing. (To keep the cost down, we have used food grade buckets). And the buckets ‘nest’ inside each other. You can store your water equipment, and any other equipment that will fit, into the nested buckets.
Easy to Put Together:
When ready to use,
(1) Install the spigot into the bottom bucket (3/4” hole, about ½” from the bottom). A plastic gasket goes on inside between bolt and bucket, and the larger gasket goes on outside between spigot and bucket.
(2) Put ceramic dome filter into bottom of top bucket. To do this, hold securely onto the black plastic base of the filter, taking care not to put undo pressure on the ceramic portion. When I think of the ceramic portion as delicate as a chunk of big chalk, then I am more aware of it’s delicateness. Instead of shoving the plastic tube through the bottom of the top bucket, and through the lid, hold firmly to black plastic base, and turn counter clockwise to slowly move tube into position., and apply steady downward pressure all the while.
(3) Put felt water sock onto the ceramic dome and put a rubber band arount the bottom of the ceramic dome to keep more dirt out, and thus prolonging the life of the filter. It can be removed for cleaning.
Note: Be careful not to apply pressure or ‘torque’ on the water tube. To do so can cause the ceramic dome to crack around the base.
This may seem like a lot of cautions, but people around the world have been sucessfully using these for a number of years.
Easy to Use:
Just pour the dirty water in the top bucket, and take get it out the bottom bucket. It has a spigot for easy dispensing. It has a good flow rate of up to one gallon of clean water per hour. Because it is ‘gravity flow’ there is no pumping. Simply pour it in, and get it out from the spigot.
When I talked to the president of the company, he said that it was demonstrated to him by a man who put some mud puddle water in the top bucket, then added some dog manure. He then drank what came out of the bottom bucket. He said that this is how it is for third world countries around the world. They have pond water, water from floods, lake, rain, well, tap river or stream. This filter is rated to handle all of these.
John Hopkins rates it as a level #4 for dealing with viruses, and takes care of 100% of the bacterias, and viruses 100%, most of the time. Bacteria in the water is what is so prevalent, and viruses rarely can exist in the water. If you suspect a water source has been infected with a virus, then you can treat it first with a water disinfectant, like chlorine, or iodine. The one that comes the highest recommended by two preparedness experts, is “Polar Pure.” This will be offered soon at a great discount by the food storage emails/blog I send out.
How long will it last? How can I extend the life of my filter?
The shelf life is indefinite. Once it gets wet, the charcoal inside the ceramic shell will last 6 months. This is what makes the water taste so good. So you could put in some more activated charcoal from the pet store in the bottom of the upper bucket. But you wouldn’t have to; the water just wouldn’t taste as good. The ceramic portion will continue to work and block the bacterias and viruses.
The ceramic portion is impregnated with silver, and lasts until it is worn away from scrubbing/cleaning it (100 plus times). The need for washing the ceramic filter goes down when you pre-filter first. That is why we recommend the large water sock. It’s only an extra $15, will last indefinitely with proper washing and drying, and extend the life of your filter considerably. The ceramic portion of the filter is 3/8th’s of an inch thick, and generally lasts a small family about one year.
Tell me about this water sock…
It acts as a pre-filter, and a back-up to the ceramic filter in the event the ceramic filter wears out or breaks. It is made out of polyester, is several feet long, the shape of a wind sock, and filters water up to .05 microns. Rinse well and air dry, but do not leave out in the sun. UV Rays can break the sock fabric down. Keeps indefinitely if you take care of it like this. Would help the ceramic water filter stay cleaner longer. And ‘cleaner longer’ translates into not needing to scrub the ceramic filter as often, and so your ceramic filter would last even longer. We feel it is well worth the several extra dollars to have it.
Do I need to have a water disinfectant with my ceramic water filter?
Even though the people in the third world countries do not use any disinfectant, in an extremely deadly virus, this would be a good choice as an added safety measure. Here are two good choices:
Polar Pure $12 with tax and shipping. Does 5000 qts, or 10 barrels.
Lasts indefinitely. Fill up over and over until crystals are gone. It is iodine, so you will want to filter out. Much more cost effective than a bottle of iodine drops at the camping store. Great for short term. Very simple, and fast to use.
For longer term though, you can use powdered chlorine. It will keep indefinitely, unlike the liquid chlorine bleach. That will keep only a year before it loses its potency. You may be wondering why you would even want a year’s worth. I have an article written by an engineer who works for a city’s water municipal system. It the article, he states that in the event of a pandemic, we will only have clean water for perhaps as little as one to two weeks. That is all our cities have on hand. After that, the sewage water will be circulating from the homes of infected people, and there will be no chlorine to disinfect the outgoing water to the homes. So having your own cleaning system becomes vital.
Powdered chlorine is very concentrated. 1/4th tsp will disinfect (1) 55 gal drum of water. It is the chlorine for the swimming pool or hot tub. There is no place in Logan. You want 97-99% pure chlorine. Can find on-line. Caution: when it gets wet, it lets off a very poisonous gas, so you must be aware, and never let children get into it. I plan on canning mine in a #10 can to keep them out. It’s a great bargain for how many gallons it will treat. If you buy with some friends, you can get the cost down to about $15 for six people for 1 year. Can also use for disinfecting surfaces.
Other Special Care:
Cold weather; will freeze and crack. Must keep air tight with moisture packets to keep moisture vapors from entering ceramic portion. Will freeze and crack. One solution is to always store it indoors. Another option is to ‘can it’ in a #10 can with some oxygen absorbers. Or in a mylar bag with some oxygen absorbers.
As with all ceramic filters, once you begin using them, and it is in freezing temperatures, you will need to keep them warm enough to keep from freezing or they will crack. The way to do this is to give it to your husband to sleep with. Keep it close enough to have body heat keep it warm.
But how much does it cost?
This is the best part. Ceramic filters of this nature and quality run $250-$330 for a gravity fed system. This one runs $40, and $55 for the whole kit with the advanced water sock. It is sold by a non-profit organization to help the people in the third world countries. So we get quality, without the big price.
If you would like to have a “Clean Water” class for your neighborhood or family group, or your ward, just let me know, and my friend and I will come and show you more about the filters, assembling them, extending their life, proper storing of both the filter and water in general, and in cleaning and gathering safe water.
Joan Elder
435-757-6854
Ceramic Water Filtration Specifications
Product is manufactured to meet:
National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) Standard 42
National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) Standard 53
ISO 9002 Quality Standard
USA AEL Laboratories
USA Analytical Food Laboratories
USA Johns Hopkins University
British 5750 Quality Standard
England’s Water Research council (WRc) Performance Standards
The filtration efficiency is 0.5 micron
Removal capabilities as follows:
>99% Arsenic 5 and 99% Arsenic 3 (special order)
>99% Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S)
>95% Chlorine and Chloramines
>99% Taste
>99% Odor
>98% Aluminum
>96% Iron
>98% Lead
>90% Pesticides
>85% Herbicides
>85% Insecticides
>90% Rodenticides
>85% Phenols
>85% MTBE
>85% Perchlorate
>80% Trihalomethanes
>95% Poly Aromatic Hydrocarbons
>99.999% of particles larger than 0.5 micron (Staffordshire University Labs) (includes Anthrax)
>99.7% of particles larger than 0.3 micron (Staffordshire University Labs)
>98% of particles larger than 0.2 micron (Staffordshire University Labs)
>100% Giardia Lamblia
>100% Cyclospora
>100% removal of live Cryptosporidium (WRc Standard)
>100% removal of Cryptosporidium (NSF Standard 53 – A.C. fine dust – 4 log challenge)
>100% removal of E. Coli, Vibrio Cholerae (Johns Hopkins University)
>99.999% removal of Salmonella Typhil, Shigella Dysenteria, Kiebsiella Terrigena (Hyder Labs)
Product is silver impregnated
and will not permit bacteria growth-through (mitosis)
provides a hostile environment for all microbiological organisms and will not support their growth
Ceramic elements may be cleaned 100 or more times with a soft brush or damp cloth.
Performance Features:
Easy installation
Good flow rate / Up to 1 gallon of clean water per hour (gravity flow)
Up to 300 gallons per hour (pressure flow)
Filter will accept water from floods, lake, rain, well, tap, river or stream
Semi/Annual filter replacement Cleansable with clean damp cloth
