Drinkable water is one vital necessity that we can only go without for a few days’ time. If you happen to find yourself in a survival scenario where fresh drinking water isn’t available, there are a variety of ways of finding, filtrating and purifying water to stay alive. It’s essential for both short and long-term emergency preparedness to have a way to create and maintain a constant source of clean, drinkable water.
In a survival situation, your first task should be to locate water, preferably clean drinking water. As that isn’t always possible, water can be procured from different sources such as; streams, lakes, creeks, underground springs, ponds or rainwater collection. Basically, wherever you can get your hands on it. Depending on your situation and location, water could be abundant around you or very difficult to find.
Water filtration vs. purification (disinfection): Filters are devices that remove particles from the water. Purifiers don’t remove particles, but instead, render dangerous contaminants inactive. In some cases, it may be necessary to both filter and purify water before drinking it.
There are different types of water filters available, such as; in-line filters (water purification straws), hand pump filters and gravity-fed filters. Water bottle filters have become very common and can be readily purchased. Charcoal filters are another great option, as well. You can even build your own water filtration system using sand, rocks or moss. Sedimentation can also be utilized to filter water for drinking purposes.
There are numerous options when it comes to water purification. Boiling is the simplest way, and stone boiling is another technique. Water purifier tablets (sodium chlorite/chlorine dioxide, potassium permanganate and Chlor-floc) are an effective way to treat water, as well as using small amounts of bleach or iodine. Optionally, UV water purifiers or implementing solar disinfection can prove to be effectual. Some flowers and plants (Xylem, cilantro, fruit peels, Jackfruit seeds, and the Oregon Grape shrub to name a few) can be used to purify water and remove dangerous contaminants.
I found a great article, which goes into further detail on water purification methods. Read the article here >>> 10 Ways to Purify Water
Here’s another excellent article that I read on purifying water, along with some helpful videos to watch. Click here to check it out >>> How to Purify Water in the Wild
