If you went for a hike in the woods and got lost, would you be able to source water and ensure that it is safe for drinking should your supplies run out?
The saying “water is life” is not just fanciful; the human body consists of around 70% water and we humans need to drink water constantly to maintain this balance; we cannot last more than a few days without water.
Finding a water source, especially in the woods is not that difficult, as there is usually a stream around, or an underground water source; what is not that easy though is finding water that is safe to drink.
Fortunately there are several methods of filtering water to make it safe for drinking, including boiling it, creating some sort of filtration system, or using chemicals:
Boiling water and chemically treating water may kill or remove some toxins, but it will not remove sediment or other particles and will also not help for the taste, which could be rather unpleasant. You may also not be in a position of being able to make s fire or have containers handy in which to boil water, and may not have or may run out of purification chemicals, so it is best to have a backup plan.
It is actually not that difficult to make a simple purification filter with normal everyday items that you will probably have on hand or can access easily:
You will need some sort of cylinder for the body of your makeshift filter; an empty plastic soda bottle will work perfectly, and you most probably have one or unfortunately can find one lying around easily enough.
Cut off the bottom of the bottle and turn it upside down, using the small end as the bottom of your filter and create layers:
- Layer 1: Add a layer of clean fabric, if possible, otherwise use some small pebbles or dried grass;
- Layer 2: Charcoal removes impurities and improves the taste of your drinking water. Get charcoal from an old fire or make a fire and use the coals once they have cooled down; pack it tightly;
- Layer 3: Insert another layer of cloth if possible and then a layer of sand;
- Layer 4: Add another layer of pebbles or small rocks.
If possible add some cloth to strain out debris before pouring water through the filter. If your layers are thick enough and packed tightly enough, it will take some time for the water to filter through. For the purest water, use this filtration method with chemicals or boiling, otherwise as a last resort on its own.
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