If layers of materials like sand, charcoal, gravel, and pebbles are used in a handmade filtration system, then the water will be purified more effectively.

Ways to filter water at home

Boiling - Boil water for 1-3 minutes to kill germs and bacteria.

Cloth Filtration - Strain water through a clean cloth to remove large particles.

Activated Charcoal - Add activated charcoal to water, let it sit for a few hours, and strain.

Sand and Gravel Filter - Layer sand and gravel in a container and pour water through it.

Water Distillation - Heat water to create steam, then collect the condensed water.

Plastic Bottle Filtration - Cut a plastic bottle, layer it with cotton, sand, and gravel, and pour water through.

There are a few ways to purify water naturally

Natural Filters - Use layers of charcoal, sand, and gravel to filter water.

Sedimentation - Allow water to sit undisturbed, then collect clear water from the top.

Activated Charcoal - Add activated charcoal to water and let it sit for a few hours.

UV from Sunlight - Leave water in a clear glass container under sunlight for several hours.

Clay Pots or Ceramic Filters - Filter water through clay pots or ceramic materials.

Copper Vessels - Store water in copper vessels for 6-8 hours to kill bacteria.

Solar Disinfection (SODIS) - Place water in clear plastic bottles and leave under sunlight for 6-8 hours

• he water looks cleaner by removing large dirt and some bacteria.
• Cotton balls trap bigger pieces of dirt, making the water clearer.
• Charcoal gets rid of bad smells, chemicals, and chlorine, improving taste.
• Sand removes tiny particles, helping the water look cleaner.
• Rocks catch large debris like sticks, leaves, and twigs.
• The water becomes 50-70% clearer.
• It will look fresher and more inviting.
• There will be less dirt floating in the water.
• The water will look clearer and more pleasant.
• It’s safer to use, but it may need more cleaning to be fully safe.
• The water tastes better after removing chlorine and chemicals.
• Some harmful bacteria are removed, but some may still be there.
• The filtration system helps reduce cloudiness and debris.
• The water is better for things like washing or bathing.

Controlled variable: The contaminated water, plastic bottle, and type of materials (sand, dolomite, salt, cotton balls, etc. ) used will remain the same throughout the experiment.

Responding variable: The effectiveness of the filtration system, measured by the level of water purification (e.g., clarity or contaminants removed).

Manipulated variable: The number of layers of each material used in the filtration system.

1) Prepare the Plastic Bottle

• Use scissors to cut the bottom off the plastic bottle.
• Invert the bottle so the neck is pointing downwards, like a funnel.

2) Create the Base Layer

• Stuff a few cotton balls into the neck of the bottle to act as a first barrier to prevent smaller materials from falling through.

3) Layer the natural resources

• Top Layer (Cotton Balls): Place cotton balls at the top to catch fine particles and act as a pre-filter.
• Second Layer (Sand): Add a layer of sand to filter out smaller particles.
• Third Layer (Charcoal): Place a layer of crushed charcoal to absorb impurities, odors, and some bacteria.
• Fourth Layer (Gravel): Add a layer of gravel to trap larger particles.
• Fifth Layer (Dolomite): Add a layer of dolomite to neutralize acidic impurities and further filter fine particles.
• Bottom Layer (Pebbles): Place pebbles at the bottom to catch any remaining medium-sized debris and provide support to the other layers.

4) Stabilize the Filter

• Press down gently on the layers to compact them and ensure proper filtration.

5) Set Up for Filtration

• Place the bottle over a clean container to collect the filtered water.

6) Filter the Contaminated Water

• Pour the contaminated water slowly into the top of the filter.
• Allow the water to flow through the layers and collect in the clean container below.

7) Observe the Results

• Observe the clarity of the filtered water with the naked eye.
• Use a microscope to examine the filtered water for remaining impurities or microorganisms.

8) Repeat Filtration if Necessary

• If the water is not clear after the first pass, run it through the filter again.

9) Test and Compare

• Create variations by adjusting the order of materials or adding/removing layers.
• Record which setup produces the cleanest water.

10) Clean Up

• Discard the used materials into a plastic bag for proper disposal.

After passing through the first filtration machine, 50% of germs are removed, leaving 50% behind. The second filtration machine reduces this further, leaving only 40% of germs. With the third filtration machine, the germs are reduced to just 30%, and after further filtration, only 20% remain. Finally, the process continues, reducing the germs to just 10%, until no germs are left after the final filtration. Each filtration step progressively eliminates more germs, achieving a cleaner result at the end.

In the first filtration machine, we used 2 cm of gravel, 3 cm of sand,4cm of charcoal, 1 cm of pebbles 1 cm of domite, and 3 cotton balls to filter dirty water. While this setup helped remove some impurities and improved the water's clarity, it still left 40% of the germs behind, indicating the filter's limitations in purifying the water. To address this, we are building two additional filtration machines with extra layers of materials. These improvements include finer sand and higher-quality activated charcoal, which will capture smaller particles and microorganisms more effectively. With these enhancements, we aim to significantly increase the filter's efficiency, providing cleaner, safer water by removing a greater percentage of germs.

For the second filtration test, we made several improvements to the filter by adding additional layers to enhance its effectiveness. The new system included 3 cm of gravel, 4 cm of sand, and 5 cm of charcoal, 2 cm of pebbles, 2 cm of dolomite, and 7 cotton balls. When we passed dirty water through this setup, the results were noticeably better than the first filter. The water was clearer, and more impurities were removed. However, 20% of the germs still remained, indicating that while this design improved filtration, it is not yet fully effective. This shows that further experimentation is needed to develop a filtration system capable of completely purifying the water.

In our final filtration setup, we incorporated 4 cm of gravel, 6 cm of sand, 7 cm of charcoal, and 3 cm of rocks, and 3 cm of dolomite, and 11 cotton balls, creating a more complex filter with additional layers. This combination was designed to enhance the water purification process. When we tested it with dirty water, the filter performed the best of all our attempts, removing the majority of impurities and leaving only 10% of the germs behind. This result demonstrated that by adding more layers and using a variety of materials, we could significantly improve the water quality. As our final test, it confirmed that a layered filtration approach is highly effective in reducing contaminants and producing cleaner water.

The hypothesis that using layers of materials like sand, charcoal, gravel, and pebbles would help purify water was supported by the results. The third filtration system, with the most layers, produced the cleanest water, showing that more layers are more effective at removing impurities. Each material likely filtered out different types of contaminants, with sand and charcoal removing finer particles and gravel and pebbles trapping larger debris. Possible sources of error include uneven water flow and improper arrangement of the layers, which could have affected the purification process. In conclusion, this experiment demonstrates that adding more layers to a filtration system improves water purification, and understanding how different materials work together can help create better filters in the future.

This project provides a simple, affordable way to filter dirty water, making it safe to drink and helping prevent illnesses. Unlike expensive filters, this solution uses easy-to-find materials, making it accessible to communities in need. It improves health by providing clean water and is easy to use and maintain.

One possible source of error in this project is uneven water flow. If the water wasn’t poured evenly or at the right speed, it might not have filtered properly, which could have affected the results. Another potential source of error is improper layering of the materials. If the layers of gravel, sand, charcoal, and rocks weren’t arranged correctly, the water may not have flowed through them as effectively.

• https://www.motherearthnews.com/diy/how-to-make-a-diy-water-filtration-system/
• https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/resources/project/make-a-water-filter/
• https://www.h2odistributors.com/info/how-to-make-a-water-filter/?srsltid=AfmBOorSUBV0fgqgWYGCPl0VvdSm68ot-Rw_8_AXWRuiw00oWRGYb8h3
• https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/367224/clean-drinking-water-access-four-billion-science-stud
• www.who.int/teams/environment-climate-change-and-health/water-sanitation-and-health 
• https://www.wisewell.com/blogs/news/natural-water-filters?srsltid=AfmBOor9DsuKSafa7Pfr3hGEE3nBSuML1l1ZKA60loG8mtzoH557AduM
• https://www.nps.gov/articles/2wayspurifywater.htm
• https://www.outdoorlife.com/survival-skills-ways-to-purify-water/
• https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/how-to-filter-water
• https://letstalkscience.ca/educational-resources/hands-on-activities/what-are-best-materials-use-cleaning-water
• https://www3.epa.gov/safewater/kids/waterfactsoflife.html
• https://melscience.com/US-en/articles/diy-water-filter/#:~:text=Process%20description,in%20a%20process%20

We, Hafsah Shittu and Nabiha Asim, would like to express our sincere gratitude to our teachers (Mrs. Bennacer and Mrs. Khalil) for their invaluable guidance and support throughout our Science Fair project, Revolutionizing Clean Water with Natural Filtration Hacks. We also appreciate our parents for purchasing the materials, and our friends for their encouragement. Additionally, we are grateful for the research materials and resources that helped us deepen our understanding of the topic.