Survival Skills 101: Water Collection & Purification
Question: 1) how would one purify water on a boat in the lost at sea exercises?
2) What are effective ways of treating water which you should have
prepared, before you enter the wilderness?
Water treatment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pl225vqkQI
Water Treatment Methods
Iodine: Iodine is widely used where viruses are a concern (Third World). It is effective against bacteria and viruses, but won’t always kill protozoa, and won’t remove chemical pollution and particulate matter. The taste is not very pleasant and long term use can cause of health problems
Chlorine: it is effective against bacteria and viruses, but it break down quickly after opening, can produce carcinogens, as by products, and is ineffective against protozoa cysts.
Boiling: heating water for 1 minute at a rolling boil is effective against all micro-organisms, but is slow, uses fuel, the water tastes flat and the particulate matter is not removed. It also leaves the water hot which is not always desirable.
Water Filters: They are most effective against bacteria and protozoa. At 0.2 microns, all bacteria will be removed but not all viruses. Particulate matter is also removed, improving the taste, odour and clarity.
UV Light Purifiers: are portable devices designed to treat small amounts of water, 0.5 or 1L at a time. By beaming UV light through water, they damage the DNA of microbes and pathogens (even viruses), so they cannot reproduce and cause illness.
Collecting Drinking Water
The basic sources of water are lakes, rivers, streams, groundwater & vegetation. To find water sources look for the following signs:
-animal tracks or wildlife (may lead to water or indicate source in the area)
-lush vegetation
-swarming insects
-low-lying areas or valley
Rain collection-use water materials and containers you can to collect the water. Usually a tarp on a slant channels water that eventually drips into a container. Rain water is free from impurities in most rural areas.
Beech/shore wells – 3-5 foot deep holes dug into the depressions about 100 feet from a saltwater body of water (closer for freshwater). Even if the body of water is salt water the water in the well will be drinkable. Always purify the water you drink.
http://adventure.howstuffworks.com/survival/wilderness/how-to-find-water3.htm
Transpiration Bag Technique: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXjW5Veb5Rk
Note that you will need some common items you need to have to be able to collect and purify water:
-Knowledge of where to find the water and how to treat it.
-energy source (fuel, batteries, sun, chemicals, muscle power)
-large heavy plastic bag
-Metal pot or mug
-rope (natural or manmade)
*Note-If you are in winter conditions, always melt snow and boil it, never eat it or try to melt it with your body heat.