Water is life... period. end of discussion. You have a responsibility to take care of and provide for your family. Having access to clean safe water is truly what built any city at any time, throughout any civilization…EVER… its importance has been taken for granted for far too long. You MUST plan ahead, according to your situation, location and abilities. Please, please stay abreast of situations around you. Make good safe smart decisions.
Water Wednesday…. Three days without water… That is the general consensus on how long the human body can go without water.
I’m here to tell you, that isn’t always the case. Depending on your health, environment and activity level it can be a heck of a lot shorter than three days.
Water is life. We have all heard it, read it and seen it in every movie, every survival story. It really is that crucial.
Good clean water is the key. There are several things to keep in mind about your body and water. You are not a camel… while you can keep yourself hydrated at all times; your body doesn’t store water to be used at a later time (within practical limits). one of the greatest advantages you can give yourself, is to stay hydrated. Especially if you know you are going to be outdoors and in a physical environment. Another advantage is to continually consume water throughout your adventure. Much like what Louis Lamour once quoted “adventure is just a romantic name for trouble”. Running out of water is trouble… So what do you do? In most places of the world water is not safe to drink . Doesn’t matter if you are in the U.S. or Africa. Contamination from man made activity, pathogens, bacteria, parasites.. can literally kill you. There are steps you can take to ensure safe drinking water. ( disclaimer inserted here. Any advice or written word here is not foolproof, nor shall I be liable for any action on your part for doing or practicing anything I say , write or do.) Ok whew! Glad that’s out of the way!! So here are the three main ways of dealing with suspect water. Purification Filtration Boiling These are the most common ways while outdoors to acquire drinking water.
Most water is purified and disinfected for human consumption (drinking water), but water purification may also be carried out for a variety of other purposes, including medical, pharmacological, chemical, and industrial applications. The history of water purification includes a wide variety of methods. The methods used include physical processes such as filtration, sedimentation, and distillation; biological processes such as slow sand filters or biologically active carbon; chemical processes such as flocculation and chlorination; and the use of electromagnetic radiation such as ultraviolet light. (yes I pulled that straight from the dictionary, thanks Webster)
When we talk about purification, we are usually talking about adding something to our water supply. Aqua tabs are commonly used, Bleach (unscented) or potable aqua tabs. There are a bunch on the market and readily available. Most require one or two tablets (read the instructions) and let the water sit for a period of time before drinking.
While these do work, and work well, it doesn’t always ensure safe drinking water. Heavy metal contaminants are not absolved, ph levels are not addressed. So, keep in mind purification isn’t always a completely safe system.
Filtration is another process many outdoorsmen use to process water for consumption. Water filtration is the process of removing or reducing the concentration of particulate matter, including suspended particles, parasites, bacteria, algae, viruses, and fungi, as well as other undesirable chemical and biological contaminants from contaminated water to produce safe and clean water for a specific purpose, such as drinking.
Filtering water is not easy, nor is it quick. There are many systems out there that do a great job, however there are drawbacks and considerations. Cost, time, complexity and user error are all things to consider. The basic principle behind filtration is that whatever media is used it must be small and dense enough to “catch” parasites, microorganisms, solids, bacteria, etc. this is at a micron level (really really small) the lower the micron level, the harder it is for water to pass through, but the better it is to “catch” undesirables. This directly equates to time and pressure. this can be accomplished by gravity or muscle power. Gravity bag filter systems have a “dirty bag” that is connected to a filter that then flows into a” clean bag”. You hang the dirty bag up in the air and let nature take its course. These are great for extended trips. (Set up at night and by morning you have clean water). There are multiple sizes to choose from and some are better than others. Do your research!
NSF/ANSI 42, 53 and 401 are the leading industry standards for filtration products and systems.
Such as: Berkey, Sawyer, SImpure.
In addition to gravity fed systems there are also pressure fed (or suction) systems.
These systems are typically smaller and more portable. While they have their advantages, like instant access, ease of use. They also have some disadvantages; some require very close contact to the water source. (Just saying if there are crocs around, I’m not too keen on sticking my face 6” from the water, I’ve watched too many National Geographic wild Africa documentaries). And they require effort to suck the water through the filter.
There are alternatives to the Sawyer and Life straw type filters. Such as Grayl where you fill a cup and insert the filter and cup combo and push down. (my personal favorite). It is quick and easy, requiring upper body weight and strength (not much) to use. Sawyer makes a good filter that you squeeze. And there are many pump systems on the market as well.
The positive of a good filter is that some remove not just all the biological but also contaminants like bpa, metals etc.
The last method is to boil. We have all heard and used this method. It is common and effective. It works by temperature and…. Molecular vibration… bet you didn’t know that. most microbes are killed by the heat, but also through vibration. Whereas the heat begins to break down cell walls, the actual movement of molecules helps to break those cell walls down completely. It is a tried-and-true method for making water safe from biological and parasitic baddy’s. It however does not remove contaminants such as pesticides, heavy metals and plastics.
Side note. Recent studies have shown that most viable fresh water is contaminated with micro plastics… scary stuff...
So… what to do to ensure good clean healthy drinking water? While this may seem like overkill to some. Here is a process I use when I am in doubt and have the ability to do so. 1. Pre filter through a wet bag (mil bank makes great filter bags. This helps remove large solids and ensures longer life through your filter and or removes solids that bacteria, pathogens, and parasites can hide in or on during purification process. 2. Boil... roiling boil for at least 3 minutes… 3. Filter… through a good nsf rated water filter system. Yes, it takes longer, but if it isn’t a life-or-death situation, well worth the time and effort.
Points to consider: All systems fail…have a backup plan. One is none, two is peace of mind.
Read and learn your operating system, back flush and cleaning procedures for your equipment. Your wellbeing depends on it (if you have never had” the squirts” for a solid week, having diarrhea while on a backpacking, bush crafting, camping trip is less than desirable, it can be life threatening.
Do not attempt to gather water from questionable sources. It just isn’t worth the hassle. Gypsy wells are not always the answer by the way… common sense should tell you that if a water source is contaminated with animal shit and dead animals, stagnant and smells like death…. digging back from the water's edge several feet and “letting the ground filter it” is plain stupid and ignorant... I said it, and I’ll stand behind it… don’t let those fake shows on discovery channel fool you into trouble. They are tv shows…. Do your research some of those contestants literally have spent months to years, to a lifetime of consequences…trying to recover from bad choices.
Heavy metal… is not listening to Metallica riffing the intro to “one” when out in the wilds. Very few places on this planet have not been mined or have naturally occurring heavy metal water contamination. Do your research on the area you are going into and plan accordingly. (It really is important)
Keep yourself clean, keep your tools clean, keep your equipment clean and keep water systems clean and properly back flushed… in most survival situations that last longer than three days, it’s the little things that get you!!
Keep your powder dry and your paddle wet. J
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