What does "tired and dehydrated" mean exactly? Dehydrated could be anywhere from slight discomfort to close to death.

As a general observation, lots and lots of people fail to drink ENOUGH when outdoors, even if water is abundant. Cleaning water takes time and resources, no matter what method you're using.

It's not only about having the right gear - you have to know how to use it. In this case the gear can be as simple as a pot, and the knowledge part is simply being aware that you should use that pot a lot more than your reflexes and feeling of thirst and general discomfort tells you.