Long term water purification

[Timelord]

Using sand is fine for a particulate filter, but it will not remove pathogens. Fortunately this bit is also relatively easy.

Forget all the high tech sounding mumbo jumbo of the water purifying device retailers, (hope they don't take a contract out on me for what I am about to divulge ) all that is inside is a v.simple material filter that is about 1 micron hole diameter in its matrix. This is the part sand or an alternative can replicate. The other part is just "activated charcoal". This is ordinary granulated charcoal that has been polarised with an electric field. Ok, so this polarisation is a much more recent enhancement and increases the efficiency of the charcoal, BUT just normal charcoal on its own is still effective, especially seeing as you should have a lot more of it to pass water through than the measly amounts inside these personal water purifiers.
So all you really need to do, is make charcoal & crush it. Now how hard is that?? this is v.old tech...
100% endorsed system.

See what is inside NBC suits...

Yes it takes a while, but eventually all the clues start to line up. TL.