Digging a Filtering Water Hole

This post was last updated on July 1st, 2021 at 08:35 am

There are many ways to filter water for survival. Some methods of water filtration are much easier than others. This method I will show you here is by far the easiest way to quickly give you water, with very little effort.

In order to pull this off you will not really need any tools or materials other than some standing water and perhaps a stick to dig with. Using the water hole method is fairly safe, but not the most safe of the known water filtration methods. You should take it easy and not use this unless you are in dire need of water and there are no other options.

How to Filter Water For Survival Using Just a Hole Dug in the Ground

You will not need any fancy materials to get fairly clean water using this method. The first thing on your survival agenda should be to find some water. You can use a river, lake or even a puddle.

  1. Begin to dig a hole about a foot or two away from the water source.
  2. Allow the water to slowly filter through the dirt and gravel and seep into your hole. This will often take some time for the water to make its way into your water collection hole. If the water happens to come into your hole really quickly, you should consider digging it further away from the source. Because the water may not have been properly filtered by the material in between the source water and your hole. This will depend upon whether you are in clay, sand, or even in high gravel areas. If your water flows too quickly, you should assume that it is not properly filtered (just to be on the safe side). Often there will be water in the “zone of saturation” so simply digging down near the source you will be digging below the water line and water will be simply coming from underground (this should be good water).
  3. Give your water some time too settle before you drink it: You should wait approximately 30 minutes to allow any sediment to settle on the bottom of your hole. This will ensure that you are drinking the cleanest possible filtered water and leaving any large material in the bottom of the hole.
  4. Wait for any mud or large material to settle to the bottom: Once your water looks fairly clear you can begin drinking. Simply stick your mouth into the hole and drink directly from your newly filtered survival water source. Drink carefully and Try not to stir up any sediment that is rested on the edges and bottom of your water hole.

You can often just dig a hole in a wet area where the ground seems to be saturated. This will also be a viable source of water. Remember, if at all possible you should boil this water before you consume it. If you are in an extreme survival situation and you have no way to boil water, this method might be your only option. By careful use of this water filtration survival method, you can enjoy relatively safe drinking water quickly and easily almost anywhere you find it.