A person can last weeks without food but only days without water. This fact promotes the ability to find potable water to the most important survival skill you can learn.
Some symptoms of dehydration are physical and emotional weakness accompanied by impaired judgment. Dehydration is the most critical obstacle associated with extreme survival situations. It weakens then kills. Lack of water also impairs your body’s ability to keep warm, or cool. Drink plenty of water when it is available and when it’s not avoid eating too much food.
Water can be a breeding ground for harmful organisms that could make you sick or worse. It can also contain chemical contaminants which can have a variety of ill effects. If at all possible purify and filter your water before drinking it.
Any water source that is known to be contaminated with a toxic chemical, or biological contaminate should be avoided. If you have to drink from this type of contaminated water source, find any way you can to purify and filter it. Boiling will kill most organisms but is not so effective with toxins.
If you do not have a way to collect water easily, improvise by using plastic, cloth, paper, etc. A straw will help to extract water from crevices in rocks and trees and cloth rags can be used for absorbing water & condensation. For catching rain water and condensation a tarp or plastic sheet is an invaluable.
If you are near a salt water source a fire can be used to get fresh water from the salt water. Heat up some rocks with a fire then drop the rocks in the hole and slowly pour the salt water on them. Use a tarp to catch and collect the steam then channel the condensate into a container.
Collecting condensate from the air is a great way to get clean drinking water, but it will takes a long time. Building a water still using a large tarp can help to collect considerable amounts of water from condensation. Blankets and clothing can be used to absorb moister. Then wring them out or suck on it to remove the water.
Areas Where You can collect water are:
- Low lying areas
- River beds
- Depressions cracks and holes in rocks
- Areas of where the vegetation is unusually green
Final Thoughts
If you’re faced with dehydration and no immediate means to purify or filter your water source, then drink it; it is better to take a chance on contaminated water, than to die of dehydration. Lack of water will impair your judgment, and your will to survive.
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