This was on the local news and also a some other news websites. I did not see any mention that the people were dehydrated from not being able to filter water.

The Kananaskis area and Peter Lougheed Provincial Park covers a vast area and although there are plenty of streams,creeks, accessing the water is not always easy due to terrain etc. For those not familiar with the area, this is very rugged, mountainous country.

Nonetheless, the mention of the importance of carrying a SPOT or PLB is very important and every back country user should carry one.
_________________________
Earth and sky, woods and fields, lakes and rivers, the mountain and the sea, are excellent schoolmasters, and teach some of us more than we can ever learn from books.

John Lubbock