Water filteration with charcoal

by Jake
(Missouri, USA)

Get a large (clean) trash can and drill sevral 1/2 inch holes in the bottom then cover the bottom with a cheese cloth. Next fill the can with about 4 or 5 inches of sand fill the rest with activated charcoal up to about 1 1/2 foot below the rim of the can. Top the charcoal off with another 4 or 5 inches of sand then 4 or 5 inchs of small pebbles (like for a fish tank)fill the remainder with the water to be filtered and let gravity do the rest. This will remove all particulate contmaination and should remove most chemicals and heavy metals. Be sure place a collection bucket underneath the whole thing and you should still boil the water to make sure you kill any bactiria or parasites.