Tourists and experienced travelers are all subject to circumstances beyond their control. Any of them could find themselves alone and lost, relying only on their wits to survive. The only thing you need is to live in water. If you are resourceful and know where to look, you can find or collect good drinking water in almost any environment on Earth.
The human body needs two liters of water per day at least. You may find yourself in a hot or cold environment. These factors mean that you should drink more than the minimum amount. It’s easy to think that a cold climate might pose less risk, but that’s not the case. You may sweat less, but you lose water through your skin due to the dry air. You should also drink more water if you are out in strong winds.
Your shelter should be close to the water source as possible. When you find a source, you should make sure that the gadfly in it is fit for consumption. Clean rivers and lakes may seem clean, but fresh water is home to millions of organisms. If you don’t clean it, you can get very sick. Freshwater may be safe to drink without filtration, but you can’t be wrong in a survival situation, as it could cost you your life.
Find Water sources
The first thing to do if you get stuck in the wild is to find a drinking water source. The essential sources are streams, rivers, and lakes. Animals always know where to find water, so be on the lookout for animal tracks. Lush green vegetation is also a sign of water’s existence.
Swarming insects can be a nuisance, but they also signal that a water source is nearby. Bird flight paths can point you in the right direction. Stay looking for a water source. When you want to rest, use your ears, the river water can be heard in the quiet forest from a great distance. Remember that water always flows downhill, so looking for low-lying areas and valleys is a good bet.
If you find dirt, there may be groundwater available. Dig a hole 30 cm deep and the same diameter and wait. You may be surprised that the hole soon fills up with water. This groundwater will be cloudy, but it will be purified and drinkable if it is strained through some cloth. It is essential to remember that every time you drink, find water without filtering it. You are at risk.
Most rainwater can be consumed without the risk of getting sick or poisoned. Use all the containers you can get to collect the water if it’s raining. If you have bags or can find some plastic cover, spread it out and tie the corners to trees a short distance from the ground. Do this with some sag so the rain can collect and run into the container. If rainwater tastes a little different, it’s because it lacks certain minerals found in groundwater or streams.
If you are near snow or ice, melt it and drink water. Never eat frozen – it will lower your body temperature and lead to dehydration. Melted snow and ice should also be cleared if you have the funds.
Abundant dew can also provide drinking water. Before the sun rises, wrap your shins with some absorbent cloth and take a walk in the tall. Maybe you can. You can soak up enough water for your morning drink. Vegetation also helps supply you with water.
No matter how dire your circumstances are, it would help if you never drank the following:
- Blood
- Urine
- fish juices
- Salty water
- Alcohol
- fresh sea ice
Fresh sea ice is milky or gray, has sharp edges, does not break easily, and is extremely salty. Old sea ice is usually salt-free; you can identify it by its blue or black tint, rounded edges, and brittleness. As with snow, you should melt ancient sea ice and clear it before drinking.
Water Collection Methods
If you are stranded, and there is no source of fresh water nearby, then you need to get to work collecting water. The more water you can manage, the higher your chances of survival.
To do this, you will need plastic wrap, a digging tool, a container, a drinking tube, and a stone.
Choose a humid location that gets sunlight most of the day.
Dig a bowl-shaped hole about one meter across and half a meter deep, with an additional sump dug in the center.
The sump should be flat and large enough to hold the container.
Place the container in the sump.
Make the drinking tube in the container.
Get the bag over the hole and cover the sides with rock and soil.
Place the stone in the center of the bag and let it hang down directly over the container, forming an inverted cone.
Add more soil around the edges for stability.
Moisture from the earth reacts with the sun’s heat, forming condensation on the plastic. The condensate will run down the film into the container. You can add vegetation inside the hole to increase the moisture; make sure the plants are not poisonous. Use the tube for drinking from the container. If you don’t have a tube, remove the container and put it back in place after drinking the water. This method can produce up to 1 liter of drinking water per day.
To clean the water, leave it for 12 hours if you can afford it. You can make a filter to remove any particles:
Find a large plastic jar, hollow log, or plastic bag.
Punch five-ten small holes around the base of your pot and hang it above the ground.
Fill it with alternating layers of stone, sand, and cloth.
Use both thin and coarse layers; the more, the better.
Pour the collected water into a jar, which should be cleaned through a filter and drained at the base.
The water will become clear. If not, you can pour it out again. Add charcoal from your fire to remove the smell. This method removes a lot of sediment and improves the taste. You should always purify water by boiling it.
If you’re low on energy, you’ll still want to avoid digging underground. All you need is a plastic bag; then, you can use the transpiration technique to collect the water:
In the morning, tie the bag around a green leafy branch of a tree or shrub.
Weight the inside with rock to create a low point for water to collect.
During the day, the plant will evaporate and produce moisture, collected at the lowest point. Make a hole to drink the water, or flow it into a container. The water will taste like the plant you choose, but it’s better than nothing. It is also essential to use non-poisonous vegetation. Once you’re done, tie up the hole and reuse the bag.
If you’re low on energy, you’ll still want to avoid digging the ground. All you need is a clear plastic bag, and you can use the transpiration technique to collect drinking water:
Take a clean bag and tie it around a green branch of a tree or shrub.
Weight the inside with a load to create a low water collection point.
During the day, the plant will produce moisture, collected at the lowest point. Poke a hole to drink water or pour it into a container. The water will taste like the plant you choose, but it’s better than nothing. It is also essential to use non-poisonous vegetation.
If you get lost in the wild near a river or lake, use water purification. To drink this water, you need to clean it. Boiling is the easiest way to make refreshed water safe. Boiling water means you need a fire and some pot or iron container. If you do not have the necessary container, you can use the following items:
- aluminum can
- Can
- big sink
- Glass jar
- Plastic bottle
Use a shirt or other cloth to filter out large sediment particles then you can boil. Should know that Plastic bottles do work for boiling. One way is to fill the bottle thoroughly with water, close it with a cap and throw it into hot coals. The lack of air in the bottle will prevent it from melting. If you have only a little water to fill the bottle, hang it over the fire with a string, so the flame touches the bottom. If you can’t make a fire, leave water in a clear container in the Sun to kill bacteria.
Another step to purify water is to use cleansing tablets. Many companies make them, which are a must in any survival kit. They use chlorine or iodine to treat the water. But Make sure you are not allergic. Cloudy water often needs more than one tablet to make it safe; any one tablet takes at least 30 minutes to kill germs. As with boiling, it is best to strain the water first with a rag. Also, it’s safer to drink warm water, so if it’s from a cold mountain stream, let it warm up in the Sun first.
