Access to clean water is key to human survival because around 60% of the human body is water. In fact, the WHO has explicitly mentioned safe water to be a basic human right. The specific mention of the term ‘safe water’ is to exclude water that has contaminants and is therefore dangerous.
It may sound ridiculous to some, but even now over 1 billion people or over a sixth of the world’s population does not have access to clean water. Therefore, we decided to share some tips on how you can filter out toxins from drinking water using natural techniques such as shungite stone, activated charcoal, and so on. Before we get there, here’s a round-up of the various toxins present in water.
What Types of Toxins Might be in the Water You Drink?
If you think you have access to clean water, think again because water that looks clean, smells okay and tastes normal might not be safe. It could still contain microbial contaminants, toxic waste, and chemicals that come from industries, agriculture, and other human activities. Also, it may contain heavy metals like aluminum, ammonia, arsenic, lead, cadmium, and so on.
When consumed without purification, these toxins can be very harmful and cause several health concerns such as cholera, diarrhea, dysentery, and so on. Unfortunately, people consume unclean water without realizing there could be a problem until they begin to fall sick.
Despite there being so much awareness about it, soon people are going to have no choice but to consume unclean water due to water scarcity. Experts estimate that by 2025, close to 50% of the world’s population would be struggling for clean water. The reasons are haphazard urbanization, climate change, and wastage. So, we decided to discuss some natural water filtering techniques you could start using right away.
Tips to Filter Out Toxins From Water Naturally
Now that we have discussed the impurities present in contaminated water and the hazards it can cause, let’s move on to discuss what can be done to remove them naturally.
1. Boil Water
The easiest way to purify water is by boiling it up to 100 degrees Celsius, cooling it, and then consuming it. Sounds simple? Well, it sure does and in some parts of the world, this is how people consume water on a daily basis. However, you must know that boiling water only eliminates bacteria and harmful microorganisms present in the water. It does not remove harmful toxins like lead and chlorine which makes it a lesser desired option.
2. Shungite Stone
For ages, the shungite stone has been used as a natural water purifier due to its inherent chemical composition, which includes fullerenes. This rare stone found in Russia is made of 99% carbon and can effectively eliminate bacteria and other harmful pathogens within a span of 24-72 hours.
Besides pathogens, it also removes heavy metals and harmful chemicals such as chlorine and nitrates from the water. Sounds interesting? Let us now discuss how to make shungite water in the best manner possible.
- Fill a clean glass or ceramic container with water.
- Rinse the shungite chips thoroughly and then immerse it in water.
- Leave it there for 24-72 hours.
- Make it a point to choose a container that can breathe during those 24-72 hours.
While making shungite water, a rule of thumb is to use a minimum of 200 grams of shungite chips for two liters of water. You can increase that proportionately.
3. Use Activated Charcoal
Just like the shungite stone, leaving activated charcoal immersed in water for 48-72 hours can give you clean water. Don’t believe it? Experiment by adding some color to a jar filled with water and leave some activated charcoal in it for the said period. At the end of it, you will find clear water.
The activated charcoal works by adsorbing impurities in the water and leaving behind filtered clean water. The adsorption process does not assimilate substances into it, but rather pulls the molecules towards it.
4. Use Alum
Alum is the common name given to aluminum sulfate, which can filter out the teeny weenie particles from water effectively. Alum is basically a coagulant and works by clumping those small particles and making it easier to filter impurities. To get the most out of it, we recommend first filtering out impurities by using alum and then boiling and cooling that water before consumption.
5. Sunlight
Solar water disinfection is an old water filtration technique that involves using the sun’s UV light to kill microbes in the water and make it fit for consumption. You can simply leave a glass bottle or jar filled with water in sunlight for six hours or more to purify it using this technique.
Final Takeaway
We have discussed some of the most effective natural water purification techniques, which can clean up toxins without any chemical processes. These are natural and energy-efficient water purification techniques that you can use on a regular basis. Do try them out and let us know which one worked the best for you.
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