I have a question. I s there any natural ways of purinfing water, besides boiling? Is there some kind of plant or something that you can put into your water to make it cleaner?

You can put the water in a clear plastic container (such as an empty 2 liter bottle), shake it up, and leave it out in the sun for a few hours to kill the nasties inside if I recall correctly, but I've never tried it and I think it requires a warm/hot day. I don't know exactly how it works... I guess shaking it up aerates the water and UV light and heat from the sun kills the things inside or something.

Or you can put a cup of contaminated water in a solar still. Instead of producing water from vegitation like traditional solar stills, this is supposed to evaporate the existing, contaminated water, have the steam condense on the plastic, and have this water drip down into a clean container. Again, requires some warmth I imagine.

I dunno, someone who knows more about it can probably clarify whether these methods would work or not. I don't know if these methods kill viruses and crypto...

The use of the plastic soda bottles and UV/heat from the sun works better in the middle latitudes. You can check these web sites for additional information on the technique, as well as the use of solar stills.


http://www.sodis.ch/

http://solarcooking.org/soda-bottle-pasteurizer.htm

http://solarcooking.org/


As to the use of natural plants, etc., I am sure there are plants/herbs out there that have microbial cidal and or static effects, the problem would be they may not be effective against a broad range of bacteria, viruses and parasites. Even if you found one or more, there would be a high probability they would also be toxic to humans in the concentrations necessary to be effective against pathogenic (disease causing) organisms.

Pete

i remember that bee's produce iodine to clean there homes (whats the correct name for it ?) up. Maybe it's possible to use that, but than you still got the problem how to get the right dose and i'm not sure about the effectiveness of the iodine, since it's exposed to air. And ofcorse manage to pass there defences... But hey, atleast your getting acces to the honey too !

The irony is that 'natural' methods are seldom needed in a natural world. The world water supply is largely contaminated via human activities. It can be chemical pollutants from industry and agriculture or natural critters spread as a byproduct of our many activities. Unless you can collect virgin steam produced by Mount Saint Helens most water is suspect. Sad, but manmade problems sometimes require manmade solutions.

Thanks for the help guys. But if you do the 2 liter plastic Coke bottle thing than won't the plastic melt after awhile?

Most plastic melts at more than boiling point, so with water in there it won't happen. Anyways, it doesn't ahve to get to boiling to be sterilized- just up to about 160 for more than a couple hours, which is really about as far as it gets.

Not exactly, but sort-of. First of all, boiling is best if you can find a natural container in which to boil water.

I know I touched on this in the other thread it probably fits better in this thread. Charcoal filtering is one natural method considering that all you really need is wood and fire in order to make charcoal. Another method (though I personally do not recommend it) is evaporation/condesation methods such as a solar still.

In a lot of situations nature has already done the filtering for you if you know where to look. Morning dew is a great example of naturally clean water, provided you aren't pulling the dew off poisonous plants. Rain water is also relatively clean provided that you aren't in an area known to have excessive amounts of air pollution. These are not the only types of natural filtration. Sand, rocks and certain animals also help clean your water under the right circumstances. It is way too complicated to explain in one reply (at least with the time alotted to me while I type this from my desk at the office <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> ) but the information is out there. Many of these techniques aren't simple and you have to know where to look and a high stress survival situation makes it even more difficult. However, if can be done and the more you learn and practice what you learn, the better off you'll be when in need.

Also keep in mind above all else. Three days (give or take) without water and youre dead and long before that you'll be in really bad shape, so drinking even the nastiest water is WAY better than none at all!

I have had some training in teaching Sodis to folks overseas and they are finding
it works even better than they expected, killing up to 100% of bacteria and viruses and that it also is working well at the high and cold elevations in Nepal.
At these higher elevations a clear 2 liter pop bottle disinfects clear water in
about 4 hours. This method is typically combined with sand filtering systems for
(long term home use) which themselves do an excellent job.
http://www.cawst.org/technology/watertreatment/filtration-biosand.php

The CAWST website that clearwater cited (thanx for the great resource, btw), also has a page on use of native plants for water purification...

(Also, just a brief safety note on brian's charcoal suggestion - I'm pretty sure everyone here already knows that you make lye by trickling water through hardwood ashes - so unless you want to tan your own hide from the inside out, be sure to rinse the charcoal well before using for water filtration...)