Quick turnaround from the folks at pwgazette.com. Heard good things about them from other folks as well.

I ordered two of the Style A siphon kits (tubing), one for a chemical filter and one for a bacterial filter. (Hate all this filter stuff, you don't know what to prepare for. Y2K I was only concerned about bacteria, now it's the full spectrum.)

It's a passive system that can be set up anywhere. I'll be trying them out this weekend since they need a clean slug of water run through them anyway for starters. I figure if I need to use both filters I can run them in tandem.

I already had a filter, a small camping ceramic handpump style. I couldn't get the water to start (I'll take it back to the store for some pointers), but I was more concerned that someone (moi??) would have to manually prepare the water. If I need it I might find I have other ways I want to spend my time.

What I ordered looks like this (well, one of the filters does, the other is smaller and black):

http://www.pwgazette.com/stylea.htm

One set was $42, the other $35. If they work well I may splurge for my siblings if they indicate any willingness to use them.

More information and lots of other products at:

http://www.pwgazette.com/gravity.htm

Brooks

-- Anonymous, September 28, 2001

Answers

I donated my filters to a guy visiting India right after the big earthquake. I need new ones so please let me know how yours work. I have the usual Brita and somewhere I have a hard copy of how to make a simple solar collector and a sand filter. I've got some charcoal somewhere too.

-- Anonymous, September 30, 2001

Forgot to mention--I got my water filters from realgoods.com. They're the hand-pump style and very reasonably priced. Realgoods.com has a lot of neat stuff.

-- Anonymous, October 06, 2001

Ceramic (the white chaulky one) is working fine. Having trouble getting the charcoal one moving. But I think it is probably something simple. pwgazette has great customer support, so I'll drop them a line on Tuesday.

-- Anonymous, October 07, 2001