The necessity for safe 
and pure drinking water is an innate need for all human beings. While most of us do have the means for uninterrupted access to clean and fresh drinking water, there may be times when the same is not easily reachable to us. There may be times when you’re out for a stroll in the forest and run out of water. It is indeed necessary for all us to know how to purify water in the wild. Trekking and hiking enthusiasts often face the problem of lack of clean drinking water while they’re in need of the same. We all know that nature has provided us with everything we can possibly ask for and everything which we would ever be needing to sustain a healthy and happy life as human beings. When we’re in the wild, we should make the most of nature. Did you know that you can get access to home-like, clean drinking water even when you’re out and about in the wild? Let’s tell you how!
* We’ve also listed the 08 Best Emergency Water Filters (Must for your camping survival kit)
The Perfect Way to find Clean Water in the Wild!
In this article, we would throw light and explain you about all the ways and procedures you can use to obtain healthy and drinkable water, in whatever circumstances you choose to be!
#Boiling
Boiling water in order to purify it is perhaps the most simplest as well as effective technique one can use to purify water in the wild forest instantly. This process is amazingly simple to execute a
nd is convenient and one of the quickest methods to be used to purify water. It has been scientifically proven that boiling helps to kill 99.99% germs within a fraction of a few minutes. Nonetheless, the most remarkable quality about this scientific process is that it kills all germs present in the water without damaging the vital minerals which are innately present in water. Boiling is one of the most widely used water purification techniques and its usage can be traced back to thousands of years ago. Early humans have been practicing this proven technique ever since they lived in the forest.
#Purification Tablets or Drops
The next way of water purification has a lot to do with Science, especially Chemistry. Certain minerals such as Magnesium, Potassium and Iro
n have an evident capacity to purify water. Dissolving Fluoride or Alkaline capsules in a large water body is another remedy to obtain purified water through a safe and scientific method. This method of water purification is widely used in places of large water bodies, swimming pools, reservoirs and other larger and more such maintainable places. Different types of ionised solutions can be used to resolve the above purpose. Such ionised solutions are available in the form of tablets or droplets and are easy to be carried around especially when you are out for a wild trek.
* We also put together a post on the Top 4 Best EmergencyWater Purification Tablets
# Iodine
Iodine is considered as a very effective water purifying compound. To purify water using Iodine, it is usually suggested to go for a pure iodine tincture. Ad
ding 4-5 drops of iodine tincture into a small quantity of clear water can help to eradicate germs and contaminants from it. If you’re willing to purify cloudy water, then you must pour over 9-10 drops of this tincture and let it work. It is recommended to let the water stay still for about 15-20 minutes after pouring the iodine solution into it. This helps to ensure that the saline solution has worked up to its entire capacity and has been successful in eliminating any germs or harmful components from the water. A little bottle of iodine tincture should be one of the necessary items you need to carry with you while you’re traveling in the wild and you don’t know how to purify water in the wild.
#Survival Straws
A less known and comparatively more expensive way to purify water is through the usage of a surviv
al straw. Nowadays, mostly people who go out for trekking or travel a lot make it a point to carry an emergency survival straw with them. This wonderful little device can be used anywhere to purify water and works extremely well. Numerous different kinds of survival straws are available in the market for varying prices. These straws must be a part of your backpack necessities if you’re planning to go hiking in the Jungle or if you intend to visit any location where clean, drinking water isn’t easy to find.
Video: How to use this great product conveniently
* We also put together a post on the Top 3 Best Water Filter Straw
# Distillation
Distillation is one of the most ancient approaches of water disinfection. This system is a combination of the two processes of boiling and ion exchange. This mode of purification is relatively easy to execute and is equally effective in cleaning water and helping in getting rid of all its contaminants. Distillation does not require any set of complicated equipment or any tedious procedure. To distil water, 
all you need is a deep boiling pot with a lid and a glass bowl which is capable of being floated in the water. To begin with, you need to pour some water in the pot and then keep it on the stove in order to be heated. Put the glass bowl inside this boiling pot of water and let it float for some time. After this, you need to cover the pot with the lid and fill the lid with ice. The ice helps to ensure that the distillation process takes fast and properly.
#Water Bottle Filters
Water bottle filters are the most widely used water purification gizmos and are used by a lot of people while they are out traveling or even hitting the gym. The
se category of filters are very handy and they are also worth every penny paid as they are quite affordable. Water bottle filters are offered by a variety of brands and are available in great, chunky designs and patterns. The best part about water bottle filters is the fact that they are extremely easy to be carried around and they can be easily fitted in any corner of our bags. No matter where you go, Water bottle filters can make almost any kind of water drinkable and are easy to be cleaned and maintained. Out of the many great features of this product, the most commendable one is the fact that a water bottle filter does not affect the PH level of the water while purifying it. This helps to ensure that the water does not lose any of its vital components and minerals after purification.
* We also put together a post on the Top 7 Best Water Filtration Bottle
#Carbon Water Filters
Carbon water filtering is a scientific process of water purification which takes place with the help o
f activated carbon compounds. When you come across how to make clean drinking water then Effective Carbon filtering helps to remove unwanted adulterants and contaminants from the water thereby leaving it pure and absolutely fit for drinking. In this process, the activated carbon molecules act as a trapping medium for the toxins. While the water is passed through the carbon layer, all the impurities and contaminants get trapped with the carbon and what flows downwards is clean, dirt free water. The most widely used carbon filters are the ones which are equipped with charcoal molecules. Such filters help to remove sediments and harmful chlorine compounds which are dissolved in the water.
#Stone Boiling
Stone boiling is an ancient technique of water purification which can be traced back to thousands of years ago. Archaeologists 
from all over the world discovered this ancient cooking technique which involves placing stones into or next to a heat source until the stones are hot. The heated stones are then transferred to a boiling pot or other vessel holding water or partly liquid food. The hot stones basically work by transferring the heat to the water in the pot. Stone boiling is an approach of water purification which works without exposing the water to flames. The end results of this method are the same as what we obtain after boiling the water. If you’re out in the forest, finding stones would be a comparatively easy for you since they are scattered everywhere!
#Sedimentation
This method of water purification can be explained even by little kids, since we all grew up learning about this process in Science class! Sedimentation works solely on the principles of nature and is one of the easiest methods of water purification. All our natural freshwater sources are a result of naturally occurring sedimentation. This process takes place after muddy or impure water is poured into a deep vessel and is left in the same for a short period of time, then how to purify muddy water? When the water is left in the vessel for some time, all the thick layers of dirt and impurities slowly settle downwards at the bottom of the vessel thereby leaving the pure water on the top. After the deposition takes place, the cleaned water can be poured into another vessel and it is tidy as well as drinkable after sedimentation.
How to Make Drinking Water from Seawater
“Water, water everywhere but no water to drink!”
This quote fits very appropriately if we talk about the practical existence of water sources on our planet and also while you are traveling in the wild woods with limited access to water. More than 3/4th part of our planet is covered with water, yet we still face the problem of lack of drinking water and this problem doesn’t seem to end anytime soon. The main reason as to why we face the problem of drinkable water is because of the fact that majority of the
water sources on earth are present in the form of saltwater. Seas and oceans contain more than 90% of the world’s entire water sources. Sea water can surely be a bit more difficult to be purified but it is certainly not impossible. There are numerous different tactics such as solar desalination and boiling which can be used effectively for the purpose of retrieving drinkable water, even from saltwater.
- Boiling is one of the most medieval practices which is being followed since ages to desalinate and helps to purify water when our brain freezes with how to purify water in the wild.
- For cleansing salty water, boiling is perhaps the easiest process to execute and this can take place using merely a boiling pot with a lid and a stove or any other heating source.
- When the salty water is heated for a prolonged period of time, it slowly and gradually starts losing its saltiness and helps to retrieve clean and drinkable water.
- Other than this procedure, water can be purified using a comparatively scientific and solar method of desalination.
- Exposure to the sun’s heat also acts as an excellent method to separate the water molecules from the deeply dissolved salty molecules. But when your mind shouts how to purify salt water without boiling then other methods are also helpful.
How to Filter River Water for Drinking
Filtering river water is a bit more simple and undemanding procedure than doing the same for salt water. Since river water does not contain as much salt compounds and dissolved impurities as sea water, it is relatively cleaner than saltwater but still, like every other water source, so how to purify salt water without boiling. This one too needs to go through a set of procedures so that the end result comes out to be nothing but tidy and drinkable water. The main
pollutants present in river water are bacteria. Though the water present in lakes and rivers may look tidy and clear, but at the same time this water might contain a huge quantity of disease causing bacteria and pathogens which make this water infectious and unfit for drinking.
- The three most effective methods you can use undoubtedly to purify river water are water filters, boiling or chemically treated tablets.
- If you’re out camping and are searching for a way to purify and treat river water, then water filters would be an excellent option for you.
- A large array of water filters are available in the market and are perfect to obtain drinkable and clean drinking water instantly.
- Chemical tablets are another medium of treating water and are a really useful in times of emergencies.
- If you have access to a flame or any other heating source then boiling would be the most suitable and probably the safest way to obtain healthy and drinkable water.
How to Purify Water with Bleach
There may be times of uncalled emergencies when our access to drinkable water is
interrupted even when we are at home. If you face a similar situation where you cannot obtain purified water at home then using household bleach is one of the most sought after remedies which can immensely help to purify water in a the quickest way possible. Household bleach is an excellent disinfectant and what makes it the most sought after alternative for water purification is the fact that it does not make the water unfit for drinking and is safe to be used. So, how to purify water with bleach, it is generally advised to pour over two drops of bleach in liter quantity of water. After this, the water shall be left for some time to sit still and for the solution to work. This, in turn, helps the bleach to work and hence purify water.
Final Thoughts
Water purification is one of the most necessary procedures one needs to be well versed with. If you’re a traveler and happen to travel or stroll in forests or any wild areas very frequently, it is very essential for you to learn at least a few of the aforementioned methods of how to purify water in the Wild. As every scientific process has its own Pros and Cons, different modes of water purification also come with a few. While stepping out to buy the perfect water purifying equipment for yourself and your family, it is generally advised to go for a safe to use equipment which comes from a well renowned water purification brand. If you’re planning to purify water with the use of any solvents or chemicals then you must carefully select the right chemical and also ensure the same does not make the water hazardous to be consumed. Not all minerals are perfectly suited for the purpose of water purification. Some of them can be extremely hazardous, or in some cases, even toxic to health and surroundings. One such example of a hazardous water purification substitute is Chlorine. Chlorine is widely used for the aforesaid purpose as it is easily available and is cheap in cost, but at the same time Chlorine should not be used as a water purifying ingredient as it is highly toxic and carcinogenic in nature.
On a Concluding note, nothing matters more than our own as well as our family’s health and this is what we must keep in mind while we’re out to select the right mode of water Purification while we’re out in the wild!
