Purifying the Water

Water is the main elements when you are in a survival mode. Human can stand for more than three days without any water intake. Beyond that timeline, surely the cells & the brain can't working at the normal condition. So that water is life!

In a fallout-contaminated area, available water sources may be contaminated. If you wait at

least 48 hours before drinking any water to allow for radioactive decay to take place and

select the safest possible water source, you will greatly reduce the danger of ingesting

harmful amounts of radioactivity.

Although many factors (wind direction, rainfall, sediment) will influence your choice in

selecting water sources, consider the following guidelines.

Water Sources

Water from springs, wells, or other underground sources that undergo natural filtration will

be your safest source. Any water found in the pipes or containers of abandoned houses or

stores will also be free from radioactive particles. This water will be safe to drink, although

you will have to take precautions against bacteria in the water.

Snow taken from 15 or more centimeters below the surface during the fallout is also a safe

source of water.

Rivers and Streams

Water from streams and rivers will be relatively free from fallout within several days after

the last nuclear explosion because of dilution. If at all possible, filter such water before

drinking to get rid of radioactive particles. The best filtration method is to dig sediment

holes or seepage basins along the side of a water source. The water will seep laterally into

the hole through the intervening soil that acts as a filtering agent and removes the

contaminated fallout particles that settled on the original body of water. This method can

remove up to 99 percent of the radioactivity in water. You must cover the hole in some way

in order to prevent further contamination. See figure below for an example of a water filter.

Still Water

Water from lakes, pools, ponds, and other standing sources is likely to be heavily

contaminated, though most of the heavier, long-lived radioactive isotopes will settle to the

bottom. Use the settling technique to purify this water. First, fill a bucket or other deep

container three-fourths full with contaminated water. Then take dirt from a depth of 10 or

more centimeters below the ground surface and stir it into the water. Use about 2.5

centimeters of dirt for every 10 centimeters of water. Stir the water until you see most dirt

particles suspended in the water. Let the mixture settle for at least 6 hours. The settling dirt

particles will carry most of the suspended fallout particles to the bottom and cover them.

You can then dip out the clear water. Purify this water using a filtration device.

Precautions

As an additional precaution against disease, treat all water with water purification tablets

from your survival kit or boil it.

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