I've been looking for a SHTF water filter/purifier system.  I've been looking at things like the Berkey Light or just getting their ceramic or black filters and making my own.  I've seen videos of folks taking river water, filtering through these type of systems and then drinking it.  But I've also seen a video from a guy that says that is very risky because the ceramic filters don't filter out virus's.  If I'm learning towards a Berkey Light (or similar) with ceramic filters system or just the ceramic filters themselves, would I have an effective system of creating safe water?  Would all I would need to do to make it safe is add in the required amount of bleach after it is filtered?  Looking for a simple but effective solution.

Tag as I'm interested.

Look into viruses and what specifically are the waterborne viruses you may encounter in north america, and are those viruses in more urban, rural , or wilderness areas?

In a backcountry setting, I believe the virus threat is slim to none.  But look into it for yourself and decide.

Check out the sawyer's water filter systems.

I've used and own the following.

Katadyn hiker- I've had this since 2004-+. I've replaced the filter once. I used it in stuff from mud puddles to clear spring Fed lakes. But mostly just ponds. It's cheap..light..simple to use and pumps fast. Down fall is filter life. 200 gallons. Mine didn't make that..but again..I was filtering shit water. Combined with hypo drops I trusted it and I'm still here.


Katadyn mini - not as much trail time as the hiker. But it's small..super light..serviceable ..filter life is 2000 gallons. Its a ceramic filter vs pleated like the hiker. Cons cost a tax more 80-100$. And pumps slower. No hose attachment on the spout. Great GHB ..day hike filter imho.


Katadyn pocket - this is your last Ditch filter everything post apocalypse filter. Cons price 2-300+$.


Katadyn ceradyn - this is a table top unit. I've used it daily for 6-7 years now. Filter life is crazy high...does 10+ liters at a go. Filters can be rigged gravity Fed if needed. Imho way better than the berkeys...but get over looked because they are hdpe plastic body vs pretty stainless. Cant have mommy embarrassed to serve water now can we. Cost runs 3-400.

I run two vs three filters in it. Plenty fast on fill rates.


Ymmv.

Thanks TJ.  So what water filtering system do you recommend for pond/like/creek water...the Berkey with the black filter?  The Katadyn ceramic filter looks interesting to and better for moving around.  If using these systems, anything you recommend doing to the water before drinking it if virus is a concern?

Do you work in water treatment filtration. You seem pretty knowledgeable to the subject. I have been in filtration for almost 10 years. Most of my time has been in industrial / oil & gas filtration, but I did work for a manufacturer of High-Purity (water, electronics, biomedical) filters for 2 years. It can get pretty complex, but as far as a survival / personal filter systems...there are a lot of gimmicks and marketing strategy that come into play. And really if it's not NSF certified, there is no telling exactly what you are getting. For particulate filtration, micron size rating is not as irrelevant as most think. When the manufacturer says it filters down to 0.5 micron or even 0.05 (50 nanometer) they rarely say at what efficiency or Beta ratio. So 0.5 micron at what? 99%, 90%, 10%? Just be mindful of that. If there was a larger market for personal filters, you would probably see more independent testing (particle size distribution, effluent quality, etc.) I haven't personally looked into that many survival filters, but if you are truly going to have something that removes fine particles, cleans up taste, and removes / kills bacteria and viruses...it's going to be tough to get it done with one cartridge. I have sold and consulted to several water bottlers and you would be surprised at how the final quality is not all that great after going through a series of pre-filters, carbon, chemical cleaning, polishing, RO, and other membranes.

I personally don't buy into the gravity type filters for anything other than basic particulate removal. Some of these membranes that claim to get down to 0.02um are going to have to have some type of pressure behind it to even penetrate the media and make it to the effluent side. A pump or suction straw type filter will at least lead me to believe that the membrane or cartridge inside is 'tight' enough that it requires some sort of acceleration.

Without a challenge study to back up the manufacturers claim, you really are just taking chances. Sometimes the best way to remove nano sized contaminants is not just with a tight barrier media, but with a modified highly positive charge such as a Nylon 6,6+. It allows for the removal of particles that are significantly smaller than the membrane’s rating (such as endotoxins). However, I may be going too deep here. If you are having to use one of these personal filters in real life, chances are things are not going so well for you in the first place.

Most bacterial and virus removal CAN be achieved with a true media in the 0.08 - 0.16 range. If there is a heavy concentration of the bacteria, it can cluster or attach to larger particles, making it easier to capture.

Honestly, you would probably be fine with the inexpensive 'Survivor Filter'. The MSR SweetWater is another that looks promising. I recently came across the Renovo Trio, which makes a lot of sense if it works right. It supposedly has 3 true stages of filtration...pre-filter, membrane, carbon.

Four basic ways to treat water for drinking.
Filter
Chemicals
Boil
UV

In a pond or still lake, while the sun is out, the top layer of water is hit with UV which kills many things (as long as it is not too murky).  If you filter the water from this source then you are doubling up on your purification system.

What is your budget? We use the 4x4 dome filters from justwater.me They are ceramic shell and carbon filled. We use it for all drinking/cooking water. Our water is well water, not city water. This filter is .2 micron. They are MUCH cheaper than the Berkey units. If it is just for a camp/stationary SHTF situation, a pair of food grade buckets will be your filter system. $50 and you make filtered potable water. They also make a small bottle size filter, and other options that are more mobile. If the water is SUPER NASTY, I would boil it first, then let it cool and then filter. Although if the water was that bad, I would look good long and hard at another source. I keep a spare bucket kit with a few filters in the root cellar/shelter area.

Carbon is the best cost effective way to get rid of chemicals. As mentioned, carbon filters have a service life before they plug up.


Sawyer mini is a good portable option that I have fallen into favor with. No carbon to get rid of chemicals, but gets the nasty bugs out that make you sick. They last up to 100,000 gallons (manufacturer claim), are rugged, space efficient and very portable. Great for a city boil water order of otherwise clean water.


What is your expected water source? Makes a difference to what you want to filter out. Mountain stream: the sawyer mini would work well. City runoff: something to also get rid of chemicals would be a top priority for me.

forgot distillation.

 

Life Straw


On sale BTW !  

I bought the same thing but in the family size.

Lifestraw Family

I bought a couple of LifeStraws to check them out.  I look at them more us bugout gear.  But what I'm looking at here is bug-in gear.  No matter what all else you may have to sustain and defend, if you don't have drinkable water, that could shorten up the situation fast.  Its not possible to store up enough bottled water for several people and once its consumed, its gone.  So, looking for a device here which can turn dirty water into drinkable/cookable water (without having to burn fuel to do it).  Hearing a lot of great info here.

Anybody think something like the Katadyn ceramic + a few measured drops of chloride or chlorine would not do the trick?  I'm talking going down to the dirty creek down the street or the closest town pond/lake as the source.

I would add some kind of carbon filtration for any water that is next to fields or ESPECIALLY anything that is town runoff. You don't want to drink those chemicals.

 

Chlorine WILL kill viruses if you are concerned about that.


Make sure you have 2 of your filtration system, as a minimum. Especially with ceramic, if they get handled rough and crack, they are garbage. Water is so important, make sure you have non-ceramic options (like the life straw) as a backup.

Here toy go (Sawyer Mini)

Some caveats about bleach/chlorine since everything you read on the internet is not true.

Chlorine has a definite shelf life. Liquid bleach is about 9 months if stored reasonably. I use 1" pool tabs.
The effective levels  of chlorine are affected by outside temps.  More chlorine is required in the summer to get the same result.
Since you are dealing with strength and dilution variables affected by shelf life and outside temps, you MUST be able to measure FREE chlorine in your water.  I use Sensafe strips weekly.

Take this into consideration.......... It takes about 45 minutes to kill giardia at 1ppm free chlorine. It takes 15,300 minutes to inactivate crypto at the same level. I feel comfortable with 2-3ppm free chlorine in my bulk water supply prior to filtration.

I also run a UV light unit as the last stage on my drinking/cooking supply.  

Chlorine Producing Unit (CPU)

Chlorination of water has been used in the United States for well over 90 years and has proven to be safe, fast and effective as a disinfectant. SWIM uses a simple ready-to-use device that generates chlorine and other oxidants by the electrolysis of common table salt and water. The result is a natural chlorine solution which doesn’t affect the odor or taste of the treated water and is much safer than other forms of chlorine.

The Chlorine Producing Unit, or CPU, uses 12 volts of electricity to function, which is common in any part of the world. The 12 volts needed for the process can come from a small battery recharged with a solar panel, or a small transformer, depending on whether electricity is available or not. The devices are portable and compact, yet capable of meeting the needs of an entire village of 1,000 people. If used properly, they will last for many years of service. There are no harmful byproducts and training takes only minutes.

As a ministry, it is SWIM’s desire to make the CPUs available to as many people as possible and so our cost of production is basically your price. For just $50, SWIM can manufacture a CPU that will disinfect water for a village! Distribution to locations worldwide entails costs are in addition to manufacture.

http://swimforhim.org/chlorine-producing-unit/

When I did it, I used iodine tabs and then filtered the water with an MSR waterworks and ceramic filters.  I am still alive.  My main concern at the time was particles or sediment that were radioactive.

Personally, I would boil all questionable water first then filter it.  Never can be too careful.

I'll have an after action report for this topic in July.  

6 of us are going up to northern Quebec for a fishing trip (walleye and northern pike). Strict weight limits for the float planes mean that bottled beverages will be kept to a minimum.

Water source is a large lake with from what I can tell by maps, zero agricultural or industrial activity nearby. As I understand it, the primary concern will be from wildlife bacteria.

I've got a sawyer .1 micron and an MSR gravity filter (.2 micron) that I will be bringing. I did a lot of backpacking in my youth with a Sweetwater filter, but probably haven't used one in 15 years.

Anybody have thoughts on what I'm bringing? I think this will be a good shakedown on providing clean water for a decent sized group.

I've used this all over Washington state to mountains to the high desert where cattle drink out of ponds...works great.

What you need is a water purifier not a water filter...especially if you want to take water out of park ponds where you would have to deal with pesticides, chemicals, and who knows what else.

Systems That Treat Viruses

UV light systems, like the SteriPEN Adventurer Opti and CamelBak All Clear
Iodine, such as Potable Aqua Iodine Tablets
Chlorine Dioxide (tablets or drops) like Aquamira and Katadyn Micropur
First Need XL Filter

warning from REI

Notes on chemical contamination and other urban hazards: Herbicides and pesticides can be absorbed by filters equipped with a carbon element or counteracted by some purifiers that employ a chemical component. With bioterrorism agents, it depends on the size of the organism. Anthrax, MSR Corp. reports, is a bacteria that can range from 1 to 8 microns. Thus it would be captured by all filters carried at REI. High concentrations of chemicals and heavy chemicals, though, cannot be reliably removed by portable filters or purifiers. Always avoid collecting water from water sources near agricultural activity, heavy industry, mines or their nearby tailing ponds.

 
You'll be good. I've used my hiker in Canada hunting with zero issue.

My long term water plans are the same as above, ceramic water filter.
Nothing is perfect, but the life span and filtration of the ceramic domes are a proven quantity. Nothing says good filtered water like something that works for disaster water filtering.
Monolithic Ceramic filter
At aprox 5,000 gallons of water each, I can supply a bunch of water for my needs. I basically built a little kit, The 5 gallon buckets, predrilled. The faucet, and the rest of the buckets filled with filters. I just kept buying one or two filters every month till the bucket was full. I am think of starting again and fill another 5 gallon, just for long term or possible second system.

I read that the filters once used would last 6-8 months.  What has been your experience with life span?  Also, do you can these with a plastic scrub sponge to remove the collected stuff on the outside of the ceramic?  Do you feel these filters are as good as any ceramic filter out there (Berkey, Aquarain, Katadyn)?  I've thought about getting something like one of the 3 I listed as primary and one of these Monolithic bucket systems as a secondary because of price.

http://www.majorpandemic.com/2011/11/monolithic-just-water-ceramic-filter.html

I use the same filters every day for all our drinking and cooking water needs.

 

I have not spent the money on the expensive units to compare.


With every day use, we get the 6-8 month usage, can push it further if you have already clear water and you don't mind a slower drip.


For a REALLY nice bucket, I got a water filter from Amazon, something like zenwater or something. Nice PBA free clear buckets. Very nice looking (except our poop brown well water in the top bucket ). It uses a cheap chicom imitation justwater filter. I threw that out, just wanted the housing.


I have had my water LAB tested pre and post filter. Our water is actually darn nice from the well, short of the 1/2 pound of iron per gallon and VERY hard.


I use the just water filter as primary, backup. I just stock filters. I have filters enough for at least 5 years at any given time.

Anyone consider building a sand filter for long term use during shtf?  Maybe to filter rainwater or cistern water?
And has anyone considered using a pool filtration system for water treatment (i.e. diatomaceous earth filter).  i don't know what micron size a system like that could filter down to.

There was a company selling the stainless steel nesting containers made for water filtration iirc on eBay in several sizes.
Sorry I can't remember the name of the company.  They were similar to the Berkey shells.

I've looked into it.  Depending on the sand filter they will only filter down to about 20 microns.  DE if coated properly will filter down to 2 microns.  Some water treatment plants use DE as part of the process then add chlorine for disinfection/oxidation.

 
De sand iirc is more like 5 microns ...but it's been a while.

I keep going back and forth between the Berkey light w/ black filters, Aquarain 402/404 ceramic or the Katadyn ceramic.  The Katadyn looks handing for outdoors situations with its plastic container suited for base camps.  The Berkey black filters may filter more plus there are attachments for more filtering.  The Aquarain looks like a good, solid ceramic filter system with lots of reviews and good feedback.  Keep in mind, I wouldn't be getting this for immediate daily use, just a backup system for emergencies.

Moose and beaver shit would be my concern in Quebec. Beaver fever is not a good thing.

I would recommend these brands:

Sawyer
MSR
Katadyn
LifeStraw

Other methods include:
Boiling
Iodine
Chlorine
Charcoal

-

Might apply, might not...



https://www.ar15.com/forums/t_10_18/685084_What_Base_camp_water_filter_and_portable_water_filter_.html

A couple other recent threads:

https://www.ar15.com/forums/t_10_18/685247_gravity_water_filters.html

https://www.ar15.com/forums/t_10_18/684474_Is_the_Big_Berkey_water_filter_all_it_s_cracked_up_to_be_.html

http://www.aquaticsintl.com/facilities/maintenance/defending-de_o

FYI, I decided to go with the Katadyn Ceradyn water filter.  I liked the fact that it is plastic and the quality looked good.  It won't be everyday use, but a backup system.  I got it from highwater filters and they were great.  I talked to the owner and she was very helpful in answering my questions.  She shipped it out same day and I received it in a couple of days and everything was in order (doubled boxed).  I also got an extra filter for backup.

http://www.highwaterfilters.com/Katadyn-Drip-Ceradyn-p/2110070.htm