Last Time we talked about how to properly store water, but what if you find yourself in a situation where you have run out of stored water and are resorted to find, filter and purify your own. Would you know how? One thing to keep in mind is to NEVER drink from an unknown water source without purifying it somehow. Untreated water can contain microorganisms that can cause diarrhea, dysentery and even death. There are several treatment options, so know them all so you can decide which is best for your situation.
Boiling: Bring water to a rolling boil then let it remain boiling for AT LEAST 30 minutes. Cover the pot with a lid to contain the steam and reduce the evaporation. The temperature of the boiling water will kill microorganisms and render the water safe to drink.
Water purification tablets/Chlorine drops: Commercial water treatment drops like THIS can be used to treat water. Simply follow the instructions of the container to purify water. Instructions usually require a few drops then waiting for a period of time.
Charcoal filter: You can create your own charcoal filter as demonstrated by How Stuff Works which can filter your water using the materials you find around you. At home water filters use charcoal in the filter – so why not try it for real!
Water filtration system: Having a portable water filtration system in you emergency bag will be a huge benefit to your survival if needed. The Sawyer Straw is a perfect example. This little guy can filter up to 100,000 gallons of water from the source! Check out this video about the Sawyer Straw.
Whatever your choices are – make sure you understand how to properly clean, purify and filter water when you need it. Another great item to have is Coast Guard approved water packs like these.
They are EXTREMELY affordable at $0.23 each from HERE. They are light and compact enough to fit into any bag and can save you in an emergency.
So get out there. Test out these methods or others you find during your own research. Take care with water – you can’t live without it – but if it’s not potable it can kill you!
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