Finding clean water when youre out in the wild… well, it can be a real pickle. But knowing a few tricks to get drinkable H2O from what nature offers? That’s a game changer. Forget fancy gear for a moment; sometimes, all you need is a bit of know-how.
Building a simple solar still
A solar still is a nifty way to pull moisture from the ground or even non-potable water. Its not gonna give you gallons fast, but its steady.
Heres the basic idea:
- Dig a hole in a sunny spot. About 3 feet across and 2 feet deep works.
- Place a container, like a cup or small pot, right in the center of the hole. This is what will catch your water.
- Put any damp vegetation or even suspect water around the container in the hole. Dont let it splash in the container though.
- Cover the hole with a clear plastic sheet. A tarp or even a clean trash bag can work.
- Anchor the plastic edges with rocks or soil so its sealed.
- Put a small stone or pebble in the middle of the plastic, right above your collection container. This creates a dip for the condensed water to drip from.
The sun heats up the ground and vegetation under the plastic. Water evaporates, then condenses on the cooler underside of the plastic sheet. Because of that little weight, itll drip right into your cup. Pretty neat, huh? Expect to collect maybe a cup or two a day, depending on sunshine and ground moisture.
Rainwater harvesting basics
Catching rain… sounds easy, and it mostly is. If youve got a tarp, poncho, or even a large, clean leaf, you can direct rainfall into a container.
Think about it:
- Spread your collection material out, creating a slope towards your bottle or pot.
- If using a tarp, you can tie its corners to trees or prop them up with sticks to make a funnel.
- Even a depression in a clean rock can collect a bit of rainwater.
Always try to collect rain before it hits the ground if you can. Less chance of picking up contaminants. And while rainwater is often cleaner than surface water, its still a good idea to purify it if possible, especially in areas with a lot of air pollution or if it’s run off a dirty surface.
| Collection Method | Potential Yield (per hour of moderate rain) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Large Tarp (10x10ft) | 5-10 Liters | Depends on rainfall rate |
| Poncho | 1-3 Liters | Easy to set up quickly |
| Large Leaves | Minimal | Good for small sips |
Creating a silt straw pre filter
Sometimes the water you find is just plain mucky. Full of leaves, dirt, general gunk. You dont want that clogging up your main water filter or boiling pot. A silt-straw pre-filter is a rough first pass.
Heres one way to make a basic one:
- Get a hollow tube. A wide straw, a piece of bamboo, even a plastic bottle with the bottom cut off.
- Stuff one end with layers of filtering stuff. Think grass, then small pebbles, then a piece of cloth.
- The idea is to create layers that catch bigger particles first, then smaller ones.
- Outer layer (water entry): Coarse grass or a loose bundle of small twigs. This stops leaves and big bits.
- Middle layer: A thicker wad of grass or several layers of cloth.
- Inner layer (closest to drinking end/collection): A tightly packed layer of grass or a dense cloth.
You suck water through this, or let gravity do the work if using a bottle. It wont make water safe to drink on its own, not by a long shot. But it removes the big floaties, making boiling or further filtering much more effective. Its about getting rid of the visible yuck.
Other field expedient water collection
Beyond stills and rain, theres a few other ways to snag some moisture.
Dew collection is one. Before the sun gets high, wipe down broad leaves or grassy areas with an absorbent cloth. Wring it out into your container. Takes time, but every drop counts.
You can also sometimes find water in tree hollows or rock crevices after a rain. Always inspect it carefully. If its stagnant or full of algae, probably best to pre-filter and then boil or purify it hard.
Transpiration bags are another trick, kinda like a mini-still but using a living plant.
- Find a leafy, non-poisonous tree branch thats getting good sun.
- Slip a clear plastic bag over the end of the branch and tie it off tightly at the base.
- The plant will “breathe out” water vapor (transpire), which condenses inside the bag.
- Check it after a few hours. You might have a small amount of clean water.
Remember, any water sourced this way… its always best to purify it before drinking if you have the means. Better safe than sorry when youre relying on yourself.