If you have access to a water outlet but don’t have a commercial (or industrial, for that matter) filter, don’t succumb to the temptation of drinking the water raw. No matter where you are unless you’ve received notifications from the local authorities explicitly stating the tap water is safe for consumption, it’s not worth the risk.

With the right materials and a little ingenuity, you can easily make your own water filter.

First, you need a clean, flexible hose of some kind. Even a length of PVC pipe will do (in fact, it’s what researchers and humanitarians often use for providing water filtration in developing and underprivileged communities).

Securely attach a piece of pine sapwood – any conifer wood will do if you don’t have access to pine – to one end.

This is easiest if you can force your wood chunk into the pipe without breaking either. But if not, don’t stress! Either way, you’ll want to use some epoxy to create a watertight seal to ensure none of the water bypasses your wood filter.

Take the necessary safety precautions when working with epoxy.

With some experimentation, you could use this homemade filter to purify several quarts a day. It’s not enough to be your only source of purified water, but will certainly help bolster your supplies and take some of the pressure off your disinfectant tablets stock!