Can You Purify Water Just by Boiling It?

[Michigan Swamp Buck]

Boil water, add 1/8 teaspoon bleach per gallon and let set appx. 24 hours, filter best you can (layered cotton cloth or coffee filters or layers of pebbles, sand and activated charcoal- whatever you have) for best drinking water. Life straws are a must have until you get a system in place. 

If you're not anywhere near a creek, river or spring you can collect rain water, collect dew and condensation, etc. Also remember hot water heaters, radiators and backs of toilets have water.

You cover the bases. Here is a link to how you can make activated charcoal.

Steps to Make Activated Charcoal at Home

Activated charcoal can be made at home by chemical activation procedure, provided you have the required materials and equipment. Though any organic material can be used as a precursor or raw material for producing activated charcoal, you should select a nontoxic carbon source with absorbent properties. Let’s discuss in brief how to make activated charcoal by using coconut shells as the raw material.

 . . .you need:

• Coconut shells (without meat)
  
• Burning sink, drum or an elongated iron container to burn the shells.
  
• Oven
  
• 25 percent concentrated solution of calcium chloride (CaCl2) or zinc chloride (ZnCl2) available in brewing supply shops or drug stores. To make this solution, dissolve 250 g CaCl2 in 1000 ml of water and increase the proportion in the same ratio as per your requirement.
  
• Sterilized water
  
• Plastic pail
  
• Draining tray
  
• Zipper bags
  
• Blender
  

LINK