How to filter water? Steps for survival situations

For those who enjoy outdoor sports activities, such as camping and hiking, some items are very important and must be ensured for the adventure.

Potable water is essential in these circumstances. However, some unforeseen events can occur, and the amount of water carried may not be sufficient during the journey. If this happens, filtering water from a river or the sea can be a solution to ensure survival.

No matter how clean the water appears to be, it should not be consumed without prior purification. Therefore, we will help you with 4 tips for filtering water found in nature during survival situations. Keep reading to find out more!

1. Filtration

The first step is to collect the water with whatever object is available, be it a plastic bottle, a bucket, or a pot. Then, let the water rest. After some time, particles like sand or mud will settle at the bottom of the container. This allows for a physical separation from the water.

After separating the decanted water from the coarser elements, we have an important phase: filtration. In this stage, residues mixed with the water, such as leaves and other sediments, are separated.

To filter the water, you can use a clean cloth, such as a T-shirt, sock, or a piece of fabric, or a coffee filter, if available, which will retain the flocculated particles that did not decant.

Example of filtration with a PET bottle

If you have a container like a PET bottle, it's possible to perform an even more efficient filtration. Natural elements are used, such as stones, sand, charcoal from a campfire (if available), and a piece of clean fabric. For this process, follow these steps:

• Remove the bottom of the PET bottle with a knife and cap the spout with a piece of fabric or cotton. Position the bottle with the spout facing down and the bottom facing up;

• After that, add a layer of charcoal, a layer of sand, a layer of fine stones, and finally, a layer of coarser stones.

With these steps, it will be possible to eliminate even smaller particles present in the water. However, this separation is only physical, and the water should not yet be consumed, as it still contains substances that cannot be ingested.

2. Boiling

This process is essential to make water safe to drink. Boiling is capable of killing microorganisms present in the water. This eliminates the risk of undesirable reactions, such as vomiting and diarrhea, which increase body dehydration.

For this step, you need access to fire and a stainless steel bottle. Another option is any clean container that can come into contact with the heat of the flames. Then, you should boil this water for approximately 10 minutes.

If you only have a PET bottle, the flames should not come into direct contact with its surface. You should suspend it by any available cord.

Also check out the main foods to eat in survival situations!

3. Solar Exposure

Transparent plastic packaging is common in survival kits. So, if boiling the water is not possible, there is another alternative to eliminate pathogenic organisms.

The recommendation is to leave sealed plastic containers for 6 hours in full sun exposure for each liter of water. This consideration is for full sun. If the day is cloudy, the water should be kept directly in the light for at least 10 hours.

4. Chemical elements

Here, two agents that aid in water purification can be proposed: chlorine and iodine.

Chlorine

Chlorine is well known for being an element used in the conventional treatment of wastewater treatment plants. Similarly, it is also found in tablet form to act as a water purifier for human consumption.

For an emergency kit, tablets are a great option. They act efficiently and safely for removing viruses and bacteria from the water to be consumed. They should also be used according to the supplier's instructions.

Another way to purify water with the active ingredient of chlorine is to use bleach. When diluted in drinking water, it forms a substance called hypochlorous acid, which eliminates the pathogenic organisms present. For this, it is necessary to add two drops of bleach per liter and wait thirty minutes before consuming.

The disadvantage of this method is that the water may have an unpleasant taste. Thus, transferring the water several times from one container to another is an alternative to lessen the bitter taste.

Iodine

Iodine has a similar effect to chlorine, killing viruses and bacteria in the collected water. It can be found in pharmacies, as it is used to treat injuries in general.

The method of use is to apply 2 drops of iodine per liter of water. The solution should rest for at least half an hour. As with chlorine, iodine also tends to leave an undesirable taste in the water and has restrictions for pregnant women.

With these tips, it is possible to purify water for survival moments during an outdoor activity. Prepare your backpack with basic items, such as chlorine tablets and clean cloths, which do not take up space and make all the difference in these situations! And of course, don't forget your water bottle!

Now that you've learned about filtering water in the wilderness, we have complete content on the best foods for camping. This way, you can have an ideal checklist for your outdoor adventure!

See you in the next post!