Monday, February 1, 2021

The Water Contamination Problem

Clear, safe water is a necessity for good health and we all must have it. We are faced with a serious water contamination problem, but we can still have safe water, if we become aware and take the necessary steps to provide ourselves with it.

Pharmaceuticals, and industrial (PFAS) chemicals, have been being found in rivers, streams and public drinking water throughout the USA. I don't know if other countries are also faced with this problem, but at least some may be.
Scientific reports, which date from 2008 to 2020 state that higher levels, than what has ever been found, of various types of industrial chemicals and 56 pharmaceuticals, have been being found in rivers and streams and public drinking water supplies throughout America. So, this is not just city water that is a concern. Wells out in the country and bottled water have been effected too.
The news reports on the pharmaceuticals stated that the amount of each pharmaceutical was small, but that there is cause for concern about the effects of the combination of all of them together. They stated that the effects are unknown. I feel that this is far more serious than they realize.

Environmental engineer, Nancy G. Love said, "pharmaceuticals are designed to be biologically active in your body at low levels and so a low concentration of a pharmaceutical is of greater concern... than industrial chemicals at the same level."

Several years ago, I watched a report which also stated that with some of the psychiatric pharmaceuticals, which were found in the water, miniscule traces can have big effects. I feel this to be very true.

In a 2019 report David Andrews (of the Environmental Working Group) stated, in regards to the PFAS chemicals in the water, "This should be frightening to Americans in many ways." He also said that common water filters do not take all of the chemicals and pharmaceuticals out.

Regardless of how this contamination happened, the focus right now should be on solving the problem for ourselves and our loved ones, especially for the sake of our children. We should all have healthy water to drink and cook with. So, the wise thing for us to do is build simple water filters for ourselves.

Natural and untreated charcoal has proven to be effective with removing the pharmaceuticals and chemicals from water. And making a charcoal water filter is so easy that just about anyone can do it for free. I share instructions on how to do this below.

If you have your water tested be sure to realize that the usual water test will not detect the pharmaceuticals and other chemicals. EVERY SINGLE PHARMACEUTICAL AND CHEMICAL MUST BE TESTED SEPERATELY WITH TESTS THAT ARE SPECIFIC FOR THAT SUNSTANCE. So we have to know what to look for. The EPA website has a list of the chemicals and pharmaceuticals that were found in the water.

P.S. I had a prophetic dream that warned of water contamination, that was happening underground, so I believe there is cause for deep concern and that we must build effective water filters for ourselves, NOW.

P.S.S. As I listened to and read many reports on our water contamination problem, I looked for wise suggestions to stop using the harmful pharmaceuticals, that have been contaminating our bodies and water, but found none. :-( It really is what we must do, as much as possible.

Please print and share this five page document

Video for 300 liter - four barrel system;
 

 Printable design of 300 Liter Per Day Water Filter System 

 Printable design for 2000 Liter Per Day Water Filter System

 Designers of this Water Filter System; AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS www.aqsolutions.org



Making my own Water Filter 

 Pure clean water is a necessity for good health and we must make sure we get it. Psychiatric pharmaceuticals, as well as other chemicals, have been being found in both public and bottled drinking water since 2008. There appears to have been a massive underground contamination, in the USA, that may even be getting into many private wells out in the country. The full effects of these chemicals cannot be fully known by anyone, not even the experts. Some of the pharmaceuticals, that were found in our drinking water, are known to have the effect of numbing our minds and blocking our instincts, feelings and hearts.
   Regardless of how this contamination happened, the focus right now should be on solving the problem for ourselves and our loved ones, especially for the sake of our children. We should all have healthy water to drink and cook with. So, the wise thing for us to do is clean our water. Cleaning the chemicals from our water can free our hearts, instincts and minds and prevent other damaging effects.
 
Please print and share this five page document
www.poeticpublications.com/waterfilter.pdf
 

     I recently found a water filter design that is simple and natural and has been repeatedly tested and proven to be effective with removing E.coli and farming chemicals and pharmaceuticals from water.  
The full design is freely printable from the web links at the end of this article. It is for large community systems but it gives us the general idea of what is needed, so that we can make other designs that are the appropriate size for our needs. Most people will need smaller, simpler ones. I'm sharing my plans for smaller ones with the hope of inspiring you to make your own. I feel certain that these small filters will be effective, with at least making the water a lot safer than it now is, but I have not tested them. So, if you make your own you should have it tested to see how effective it is and for how long... or just listen to your own instincts. Hopefully they are not too numbed by the pharmaceuticals that are in the water.  

Materials Needed for All Size Filters 

Rocks 
Sand 
 Natural Charcoal (Untreated) 
Cotton Cloth or Screen 
Container to put them in 

Plumbing is only needed for the largest ones, but even they can do without that if they were modified to be stacked on top of each other. 


   The best type of container to use would be glass, wood, stainless steel or pottery, but a high quality plastic is better than nothing. The container just has to have an opening at the top, to pour water into, and an opening in the bottom to let it out. The hardest part is making the natural charcoal, but even that is easy and can just be a fun couple of hours with a campfire. I'm Making My Own Water Filter and You Can Too 

Small Filter for Tap Water 

   The materials that finely clean the water are the sand and charcoal, the charcoal being the most important one, because it removes the pharmaceuticals and other chemicals. A filter, that is only used for tap or well water, does not need the other layers on top of the charcoal, which are to catch larger debris, like what can be in a lake or river. In this style I've only added layers of sand and rocks under the charcoal so that the water has a chance to regain some of the minerals that the charcoal may remove. 
   This can be done with any size container. I plan to do it with a one gallon jug until I can do a five gallon bucket or a single barrel size. The thicker the charcoal layer is, the more effective it will be and the longer it will last. And the thicker the layer of sand, the more minerals the water will have. 
   I don't know how effective a gallon size will be, but it will surely be far better than nothing until I can build a bigger one. A five gallon size will surely last longer and I plan to also make one of those with the same layers I list below. I'll crush the charcoal as fine as possible, without it being powder, so that as much as possible can fit in. 

Natural Charcoal (finely crushed) 
Sand (rinsed) 
A layer of cotton cloth 
Rocks (rinsed) 




   The top of the container should be cut off so that the cotton cloth can be spread on the bottom more easily. I'll leave enough space on top to let a whole glass of water in at a time. I'll probably use some sort of cork, in the bottom hole, so that some of the water can sit in the sand and rocks for a while before I drink it. I want it to gather as many minerals as possible. 


Single Barrel Water Filter Idea 

I'll want to use this filter for water from a stream or pond, so I'll add layers of rocks and sand on top of the charcoal. I'll use a standard wooden barrel, like what is used for wine. The thickness of the layers are approximate, and (of course) would be less for a five gallon size, which can also be done this way. I feel certain that this barrel size will be very effective and will probably last for at least a couple years, since it will be only for my own cooking and drinking water. It will be interesting to run tests to see how much water I can get through it, before having to replace the charcoal layer. 

3" of Small Stones (nickel and quarter size) 
3" of Pebbles (pea size) 
3" of Course Sand 
9" of Fine Sand (but not too fine - not like powder) 
A Piece of Screen (with smaller openings than the fine sand) 
9" of Natural Charcoal (finely crushed) 
2" of Course Sand 
A Piece of Screen (with smaller openings than the course sand) 
2" of pebbles (pea size) A Piece of Screen (with smaller openings than the pebbles) 
3" of Large Stones (Up to 2 - 3" around) 

   The sand can be sifted through various sizes of screen to get rid of the finest particles. The sand and rocks should be rinsed clean, before being layered in the container, so that the water flows clear faster. After it is assembled Water should be flushed through it, until it comes out clean. 


  
    I'll set up a little faucet in this one. Wouldn't a barrel, sitting on a little square table, be a cute rustic addition to a kitchen? It could also be painted and made artsy or be a more contemporary type of container. It should be kept covered, so it can also be used as a plant stand...etc. The possibilities are endless. We can use whatever containers are easiest or will fit in with our decor. 


Two Barrel Water Filter Idea 

I'm also thinking of doing one with two barrels stacked on top of each other and a thin container (4 to 10 inches thick) between the two of them. In this plan I will put more sand and charcoal in the top barrel, more sand and stones in the bottom barrel and organic material, that can be easily changed often, in a drawer in the middle container. The goal is not only to take the chemicals out of the water, but to also make sure the water contains the same minerals it would have in nature, because this is what is best for us. 

How to Make Charcoal 

Charcoal must be made with natural wood that has not been treated. Making it can be as simple as filling a tin with small pieces of dry wood, putting the cover on securely, drilling or nailing a small hole in the middle of the cover, throwing it on a campfire with the hole pointed up, and cooking it for one to two hours with the fire built up around it. 

The tin can be anything from a cookie tin to a clean gallon size paint can or a five gallon tin. A five gallon tin may need a half inch or larger hole on top. The bigger the container is the more venting it needs. And the wood can be as small or large as it needs to be to fit into the tin and secure a cover on it. The larger the wood pieces are the longer it takes to cook. Our first burn will be a fun experiment and, after that, we will know more about what works best for whatever size container and wood we are using. 

Smoke, and possibly flames, will pour out of the hole as it cooks and the gasses escape. When the smoke stops rising out of the hole it is done. Remove it from the fire, cover the hole and let it cool. 

The charcoal can be crushed through putting it in bags and stomping on it or hammering it. It crumbles easily. It can be more finely ground in a blender or food processor, but should not be powdered. 

Large Community Water Filtration System 

The larger systems below are for communities and are a bit more complex. But they are still very simply made. The four barrel system could be made even simpler, and less expensive, by rearranging the earthen layers and stacking the barrels on top of each other. What a fun project this could be for a community or neighborhood to pull together on.  

Video for 300 liter - four barrel system

Printable design of 300 Liter Per Day Water Filter System 

Printable design for 2000 Liter Per Day Water Filter System 


 Designers of this Water Filter System; AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS www.aqsolutions.org 


 How to Make Large Amounts of Charcoal 

   Large quantities of charcoal can be made in a large burn barrel. It must have a cover and holes cut into the bottom of the sides for air flow. Fill it with wood, light it on fire, let it burn (uncovered) until it’s all on fire - right down to the bottom and roaring for a while, (until it seems about half burned) then choke out the fire, through covering it and preventing oxygen from reaching it. To completely deprive it of oxygen; gravel can be raked up to cover the air holes in the bottom of the barrel and mud can be heaped onto the outer edges of the cover. Below is a video that shows one way to do this process. 
   Some people have put a pipe chimney on a large barrel, that they fill with wood, seal closed and build a large fire up around it - using the same method as described above for small tins. And some people have either made or purchased a "retort kiln" that is made just for this purpose. Left over charcoal can be used to cook with, instead of using the store bought charcoal. 

 Printable PDF on making large quantities of charcoal 
https://www.aqsolutions.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/EZ-char-drum-oven.pdf 

P.S. I am doing the best I can, to follow my own instincts, which are telling me that this information is needed by masses of people, before I am going to be able to complete my own experimentations with the small designs. I am sharing it prematurely, because it is needed and I trust the tested designs. Please listen to your own instincts, above all else, and do what feels best for you. Whatever the size, it’s sure to make the water better than what most of us have been drinking. 

We must use our own common sense and follow our own instincts above all else. And we must clear away all that blocks our instincts, like the pharmaceuticals that are in our drinking water. We must be free to think and feel and sense so that we can grow into all that we were born to be. 

 LET’S BE FREE 

Please print and share this article with other people

Please print and share this five page document
www.poeticpublications.com/waterfilter.pdf
 

Previous posting here was four page. But I updated a few things and added pictures. I am experiencing painful torture for writing and sharing this. They are blasting my upper spine with radiowaves and laser shots to my throat, as a warning to not say this. I hope this article reaches all who need it. Please help it to.

P.S. I built a small one liter filter to start with. It seems to work well. It has about two inches of charcoal and some rocks above and below it. I only use it for bottles and tap water.

No comments:

Post a Comment

A New Beginning

The past couple years of standing up for my father and myself, against my sister's abusive behaviors (which freely continued) have been ...