Issue #016
A coffee filter doubles the life of your 0.1 micron element
Plus the August heat that lands after sundown, and one gallon treated two ways.
Saturday, August 15, 2026 · Emergency Skills
Sediment, not bacteria, is what kills a water filter. One coffee filter in front of the element can double how much dirty water you get through it.
Today’s Skill
Pre-filter before you push
Your filter clogs on grit, not germs. Pour cloudy water through a coffee filter, a bandana, or a clean cotton shirt first. Better yet, let it settle in a jug for an hour and pour off the clear top. Then run it through the 0.1 micron element. Keep unscented bleach or tablets as method two, because pumps crack and cartridges plug up. Never one method.
On The Radar
The heat that waits until sundown
August heat does not quit when the sun drops. Humid evening air keeps the body from shedding heat, so cramps, headache, and heavy sweating show up during yard work and practice after five o’clock. Move to shade, sip cool water, lay a wet towel on the neck and wrists, and stop the activity for the night. Confusion or hot dry skin means call for help right away.
The Drill
Muddy one liter tonight
Today, drop a handful of yard dirt into a liter of tap water and shake it. Pour it through a bandana into a second bottle, let it sit ten minutes, then run it through your filter. Time the flow and write the number on tape stuck to the housing. Then treat a separate gallon with tablets or bleach so both methods have been used once by you.
Ready beats lucky. See you tomorrow.
- Survival Rise
P.S. Forward this to the person in your house who has never touched the filter.