Emergency Water Filtration – The Capillary Siphon

The principle of capillary action is that water moves on its own up a porous medium by the action of surface tension. There is a way to move water from one bucket into another of the same height via a capillary siphon. Being able to make and use a capillary siphon will allow you an effective and simple way to treat turbid or cloudy water before disinfecting.

One of the most practical uses for a capillary siphon is to filter cloudy water before disinfecting it. By simply using a couple of containers or buckets, along with a towel, bandana or other piece of cloth rolled up into a tube you can very effectively filter cloudy or turbid water. This can be very effective if safe water sources become contaminated or the quality of your water is unknown.

Source:
http://www.drinkingwater.utah.gov/emergency_water_storage.htm

This method can also be used for “wick irrigation”. By placing some cotton string or cord dipped into a reservoir or bottle filled with water and then burying the string down in the dirt of a potted plant, the resulting capillary action will transfer the water to the soil via the string and keep your plants soil moist.

The principle of the capillary siphon is also used in many forms of clothing to “wick” or siphon moisture away from your body.

You can view a simple capillary siphon here (Figure 5): Capillary Siphon (Figure 5)

Using a capillary siphon doesn’t require any special knowledge or tools to make it work. The items that are required to make a capillary siphon are readily available in most emergency situations. The combination of these two factors make a capillary siphon an ideal survival tool.

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker