Evaluating Your Source
The importance of knowing your water source.
What is it can contain harmful bacteria and viruses that impact your health?
The reason for using techniques while gathering water.
What is efficiency and cleanliness?
The only water purification method (discussed) that is highly effective at removing chemicals.
What is distillation?
You are stranded in the woods and need to hydrate within 5 minutes. There is a stream to your left. The supplies you have are: a heat source, container, and natural elements. You properly gather the water without any physical objects. The method(s) of water purification you use is...
What is boiling?
A good water source is from this type of body of water.
What is a flowing source like a river/stream?
Use a pre-filter or bandana to:
What is to keep out the bigger debris from the internal water element?
If used incorrectly or excessively, a type of this purification method can lead to health effects.
What is Chemical Treatment?
You are on a long hike, but you run out of drinking water! Suddenly, you remember you packed a quick and portable disinfectant in your backpack. This is...
What is a chlorine tablet?
A strong guide to seek out a clean, reliable water source.
What are animal tracks?
The safest and most reliable source of water is:
What is rainwater?
The importance of choosing the correct water purification method.
What is effectively removing the specific contaminants present while also considering practical factors, such as time, resources, and environmental conditions?
You are out camping with your family and decide to go for a walk. When you come back, you see your parents creating water from a metal coiling can.
This method is and it works like...
What is distillation and what is boiling the container, then trapping the steam, and finally cooling it so it condenses back into a liquid.
Three signs of contaminated water.
What are dead animals, debris, and discolouration/transparentness?
The tip to avoid disturbing any sediment settled on the bottom of the water supply.
What is gathering and scooping water near the surface?
Why the methods should not be used only by themselves to purify water.
What is no single water purification method is completely effective on its own?
(The safest approach is to use a combination of filtration and disinfection techniques to ensure the water is free of both physical and microbial contaminants)
You're out and about near a small stream with clear water. You need some water, but the only device you have in your bag can disinfect small quantities. This water purification method is...
What is UV lighting?
Three reasons why it is important to purify your water.
What is to remove pollutants, prevent waterborne illnesses, and improve the taste and quality of the water for safe drinking and use.
It is better to gather your water source from a flowing source because...
What is the movement of the water prevents bacteria and other contaminants from building up as easily, especially higher up bodies of water, such as mountain streams, which are more likely to be free of pollutants and decaying matter that can contaminate the water.
Boiling does not remove other types of contaminants, such as:
What is heavy metals, chemicals, and pharmaceuticals?
You are camping with your friends and realize you ran out of water; however, you recall some basic water purification skills from a camp a few years back. You hastily scoop water from a still pond and gather physical contaminants such as leaves, dirt, acorns, etc., causing your water to be mucky. Luckily, your friend brought all the supplies you would need for each purification method, and you are in no rush for water (you have multiple hours). The purification methods you use to purify your water, the order in which you do them in, and why you use them is...
What is first using the filtration method to remove the debris (physical contaminants).
After filtering, you should bring the water to a rolling boil for at least 1 minute, as it is the most reliable method for killing bacteria, viruses, and parasites that may be present in the water.