In wilderness survival, one of the most important things is to find drinking water. To maintain good health, the human body needs at least two liters of water every day. If you are in a hot or cold environment, your demand for water will increase even more.
In any survival situation, water is the most crucial survival resource.
You can go without food for a day, and unless the weather conditions are severe, you usually don't need to build a shelter immediately. However, going without water for 24 hours will deplete your physical and mental strength, making survival much more difficult. If you don't replenish water for three days, your life will be threatened with death.
The human body is approximately two-thirds water, which is involved in the metabolism of all substances throughout the body, transports substances for the body, regulates body temperature, and ensures the normal secretion of glands. The water in the human body must remain constant, neither too much nor too little. Once the human body is dehydrated, if it cannot be replenished in time, normal physiological functions will be affected.
In addition, after sweating a lot, while replenishing water, you also need to replenish salt to maintain the balance of electrolytes in the body.
In the wild, if your water intake is insufficient, you will become dehydrated. In severe cases of dehydration, cell contraction and circulation will stop, leading to insufficient oxygen supply. Muscle dehydration can start after six hours without drinking water. Going without water for more than a whole day is a cause for serious concern, and going without water for three days may lead to death.
Outdoor enthusiasts must understand the importance of water. Shelters should be as close to water sources as possible. If you find a water source, you also need to ensure that the water quality is clean. Clear rivers and lakes may look clean, but freshwater contains millions of organisms. If you don't purify it, you may get sick from bacteria or viruses.
How to Effectively Purify Wild Water Sources?
1.Boiling
The most common method of water purification is boiling. Boiling water for one minute can kill almost all bacteria, viruses, and parasites. The boiling point changes with altitude, roughly following the rule that for every 1.0km increase in altitude, the boiling point of water decreases by 3.0°C. Some data show that even at an altitude of 6000 meters, where the boiling point is 80 degrees, it is sufficient to achieve general sterilization effects. However, compared to low altitudes, boiling water at high altitudes requires 2 to 3 times longer to kill most bacteria.
Advantages: No need to carry additional purification equipment such as filters. In cold and harsh environments, boiling water can both sterilize and warm the body, achieving two goals at once.
Disadvantages: It is not easy to remove floating debris in the water. It requires consuming fuel and time; you need to stop and set up a stove. Additionally, in hot summer, drinking hot water is not favored by most people.
2.Iodine
Iodine can inactivate bacteria and other microorganisms. Iodine comes in various forms such as tablets, crystals, and liquids. Dissolve it in water and let it stand for 15 minutes or longer.
Advantages: It is cheap and easy to carry, making it a choice for lightweight enthusiasts.
Disadvantages: Even "tasteless" iodine has an unpleasant taste. Iodine cannot kill parasites like Cryptosporidium with hard shells, nor can it inactivate chemical substances.
3.Chlorine Dioxide
Chlorine dioxide is a chemical used in public water supply purification. It can break down cell walls and kill pathogens.
Advantages: Like iodine, it is cheap and easy to carry, and has no taste or only a faint chlorine-like taste. Chlorine dioxide can also improve the taste of water by breaking down bacteria that cause odors, which is a very prominent ability.
Disadvantages: It requires waiting time. Chlorine dioxide can work within 15 minutes, but if your water is turbid or icy, it may take up to 4 hours to work.
4.Water Purifiers/Filter
There are various types of portable outdoor water purifiers or filters on the market, each with its pros and cons, but the basic principles are similar. In addition to the basic ability to filter impurities, most water purifiers can also filter out bacteria and parasites. Even more powerful water purifiers can use medical-grade hollow fiber technology to block the tiniest aquatic microbial pathogens such as viruses.
Hand pump water purifiers -- Hand pump water purifiers are very easy to use. Just put the pre-filter into the unfiltered water source, gently press the pump to draw water, and you can easily get filtered and safe drinking water.
Emergency straw water purifiers (multi-functional straw water purifiers) - -They mainly use suction as the power to make water pass through the filter element to achieve filtration. You can directly put the water inlet of the purifier straw into the water to be filtered and suck out the water for drinking. When it is inconvenient to get close to the water source, you can also connect an extension tube (optional), put the extension tube into the water, and suck out the water for drinking. In addition, straw-type water purifiers can also be connected to collapsible water bags or beverage bottles; by squeezing the collapsible water bag or beverage bottle to let the water out, you can drink it.
Advantages: They can filter out larger impurities. The filtering effect varies depending on the filter screen; most filters can filter out bacteria and parasites.
Disadvantages: Compared with chemical agents, filters are slightly less portable, and filters may get clogged, so they may need frequent rinsing and occasional chemical cleaning.
Mountaineers on long trips mostly rely on water sources for supply. When finding a water source, it is actually very necessary to be a bit picky. Comprehensively evaluating water quality, learning water purification skills in advance, and bringing proper equipment to minimize risks are the prerequisites for us to hike safely and enjoy the outdoors.
