Water Filter Project 

For this project in STEM Chemistry, we were instructed to create a DIY water filter for contaminated water. Here are pictures of our final design: 

Here is a link to our presentation, showing our final anaylsis and result of our project: https://www.canva.com/design/DAGhWWzVuII/evPAUoUKQOcdrd5x3gXU9Q/edit?ui=eyJEIjp7IlAiOnsiQiI6ZmFsc2V9fX0 

For our project we came up with a easy design that requires minimum materials. We use a big plastic water bottle and flipped it upside down so the water would enter our test bottle once finished filtering. We put multiple coffee filters into the water bottle to filter the water of sediments and any chunks in the water. We would then put a chlorine packet into our water to finalize it the cleaning process.  

Our project focused on creating a DIY water filter using simple, accessible materials. The design featured a cut plastic water bottle layered with coffee filters, sand, and activated charcoal. Coffee filters were placed both above and below the sand to help catch debris, while activated charcoal played a key role in removing chlorine. This setup helped purify the water by trapping dirt, non-liquid particles, and harmful chemicals through a combination of physical filtration and chemical reactions. Initial tests of the untreated water revealed unsafe levels of iron (5 ppm) and hardness (250 ppm), both of which exceed safe drinking standards. Our goal was to reduce iron to below 0.3 ppm and hardness to between 60–120 ppm. The chlorine level was already safe at 0 ppm, and copper and pH levels also remained within acceptable ranges. We enhanced the filtering process with chlorine dioxide and a water softener, which removed hard minerals through ion exchange, making the water safe to drink.

After filtration, the water underwent a dramatic transformation. It changed from a yellowish-brown liquid with a noticeable odor to a crystal-clear, odorless state. The combined use of charcoal, sand, coffee filters, and chemical treatments successfully removed visible impurities and reduced harmful elements, making the water safe and pleasant to drink.

As you can see from the images above; the images show real life images of our water from before and after filtration. 

Reflection: Overall, I feel proud of the work I did on this project. One of the things I did well was using critical thinking to design and build an effective water filter using everyday materials. I had to research how each layer of the filter (like sand, charcoal, and coffee filters) worked and figure out the best order to layer them. Another strength was my Collaboration skills. While working on the project, I communicated well with my team and shared tasks fairly. For example, I took the lead on testing the water's chemical levels and helped others understand what the results meant. This helped the whole group stay on the same page and move forward together. 

However, I could have improved my creativity by trying out different filter designs instead of sticking to a simple one. I also struggled with communication during the presentation and found it hard to clearly explain how the filter worked because I have a history of mispronouncing my words from getting nervous presenting in front of a crowd. This project helped me grow in teamwork and problem-solving, and I’ll keep working on being more creative and confident when sharing ideas.