Is this SAFE? Testing the Gypsy Well Primitive Water Filter

Clean drinking water is critical to life. Without it, humans couldn't survive for more than a few days. In this week's video we're continuing the series on low-tech primitive water filters by testing out the Gypsy Well, one of the oldest and most reliable methods for producing reliable, clean, and safe drinking water with very minimal tools. Gypsy wells, aka coyote well, seepage basin, etc. is basically a very shallow, hand dug well placed in a wet area where water will seep into it from the surrounding earth. At their most basic, it's simply a hole in the ground. But with the addition of a bucket the primitive well is a lot more practical. I show how to build to gypsy wells then draw water samples and send them to the lab for analysis. Although e. coli was present in the nearby swamp water, none was detected in the samples from either primitive well. Near the end of the video I give the water a taste test by drinking nearly an entire pint! The take away, with basically nothing but a shovel you can create an effective survival water filter near bogs or wetlands that, otherwise, would make you sick!

Don't forget to subscribe to the channel. We're uploading a new video each week that features one of the following topics: archery, bow hunting, bow building, survival skills, bushcraft, self reliance, primitive skills, primitive bows, hunting, camping, fishing, and a lot more!

GEAR I USE:

You can also connect with me on my other media outlets!

[shanaalford]

Hey Clay,

The lab here to explain why 2 sample were run instead of 1.
It is required by a lab to run a duplicate with every batch of samples. Since yours was the only surface water test that day we had to run a 50/50. Less than <2 is a non-detect. Thanks

[EidolonandOnly]

What a lovely little green frog. Amazingly patient and unafraid of the human contact. I'm sure it was grateful in its own way of the rescue.

[jamesmcswain]

Some of my favorite videos, the blending of primitive with science

[DavidKissinger-cmlh]

when i was a kid, back about 65 years ago there was an old man named Dover who lived in a house with no plumbing, down at the end of the lane. he had an open spring house near his house and we used get water out of it on hot summer days when we played near his house. the spring was lined with flag stone with a 3 sided shed with an open front. he kept half of a coconut shell there to drink from. we never got sick from that water and it was crystal clear and cold. i still get all my drinking and cooking water from a spring pipe along the state game lands road which is dirt. it's called the " ox bow " spring. never get sick from it. water right of the ground is the cleanest water you'll ever drink, tastes better to. find yourself a spring and enjoy. nice video.

[jcknives]

Clay, I am tempted to remain silent but I looked through some of your comments and notice that no one talks about parasites.

I accept that especially in deep soil wells like you are using the incidents and likelihood of parasites is severely reduced. Similarly your lesson specifically talks about dewatering and part of the reason for that isn’t just bacteria but parasites that live in dirt.

Most if not all community testing facilities don’t test for them because most deep well systems that are using aqueducts that are essentially free. But especially your dirt well (frog in the water) having natural dirt and other creatures which sometimes have parasites in their system it is worth mentioning. Even worse are human excrement transmissions in the dirt where the passage of parasites is even more likely.

Also the eggs (cysts) of parasites that require the warmth of a body to hatch are very durable and remain inert for long periods of time even when frozen (snow and ice).

All this to say that it is worth mentioning that great care should be taken when dewatering and protecting the well from creatures.

Also I think the use of UV might be even more useful where cryptosporidium cysts are possible.

Your use of plant stalks to wick and filter water is an excellent method of filtering these parasites.

Lastly it might be worth mentioning the signs and symptoms of infections along with treatments (namely rehydration with treated water). But also as we drink and survive longer in an area we change our natural flora and fauna in our gut and then no longer have many digestive or health problems.

Being aware, knowledgeable and ready to live in our natural environment is most definitely a valuable skill. Thank you for these great videos.

[BrandonDunkinsel]

“If you don’t hear from me next week then this was probably all bs” bruh took me out with that comment 😂😂😂

[bradlafferty]

I’d seen this well purification method used on hillside underground rain runoff by Taromovies channel, so it was great to see the lab analysis prove the concept. I especially appreciated the use of the sun’s UV as a secondary purification step. This is solid skill-building stuff! Please keep it coming. Thanks!

[PRINCESSDREAMYLYN]

I've known about this for about 50 or so years give or take. Something to do before digging your well is to look around the area you will be digging for signs of animal trails and avoid those areas when possible place branches or other debris around as a deterrent to keep animals from walking over it or thru it. I like the bucket idea. however we did line the water hole with rock. We did this along side of a creek several feet from the bank. Also I've done it near a lake as well. Thanks for the lab tests we never tested the water and I'm sill here so it is drinkable. lol

[adreabrooks]

A warning about your tip of using tree bark to line the natural well:
When wood rots, it produces methyl alcohol (aka wood alcohol). This isn't the alcohol that's fun on a Friday; it's the kind that makes you go blind (and worse). As long as the water is being cycled through (drunk, dumped out), it's probably fine for short-term use; but it's not great as a long-term option, and you're probably better off with silty water. If you must use bark to line your well (e.g. in soil that collapses in on itself and fills the basin), use green bark from plants you know to be non-toxic, empty the water daily, and change the bark out regularly - like every week or two. A better option would be small rocks or sand or (if you're lucky enough to be in clay-rich soil) bake some tiles.

[arrisslee]

You have given this 72 year old woman such valuable info!! Water has been one of my prep worries! I on a well but with no electricity it is useless. Bought a lot of filtration supplies and tablets and a sand point well set up but 20 ft water supply kind of scared me. Your videos have given me more confidence in the sand point …..plus other alternatives. Thank you SO much for the information you share!! I have a creek for my goats but was concerned about my potential drinking water problem

[BruceMarlier]

This is so interesting... Love this series of videos. Please, do keep making these.

[LoreTunderin]

I've seen this done near the ocean with the pit dug far enough inland to get fresh instead of salt water, and filling the hole with beach sand to act as a filter.

[JustinBilyj]

I was very amazed at the treebark in your previous video on how clear it got the water. I'd like to see you do something like that again but with the charcoal and gravel like you mentioned. Great work Clay!

[AffectiveApe]

Great video! The lab analysis is a fantastic addition.

[Johnbobon]

Thanks for running this experiment for us, Clay. Interesting results. Here's to hoping you've evaded ye olde Beaver Fever. 😄

[mr.somebody]

Want to see a homemade charcoal filter tested.

[marigoldjanies]

Not many people can make survival skills look easy, but you sir, continually surprise me. Still reeling over that season 8 dominance!

[to]

Thanks again Clay!! I must say you pay WAY too much attention to negative people never leave their parent's house!!

[overrideFunction]

I was one person that mentioned being interested in seeing a test on that previous video as I waa a bit sceptical. Thanks for revisiting it!

[dbsalzw]

I love these practical ideas on using primitive methods to get water, good to know!