How to Drink Ocean Water

Water in nature falls into 2 categories: freshwater and seawater. Freshwater is safe to drink when found, provided it is clean. Seawater, on the other hand, is incredibly dangerous when consumed, due to its high salt content. Such high quantities of salt are lethal to the kidneys, and drinking seawater can quickly lead to kidney failure and death. A person should only ever attempt to drink seawater if his life literally depends on it. Drinking the water without treatment should be done in drastic moderation and only every other day. However, there are ways to treat the water to make it safe for everyday consumption.

Things You'll Need

• Seawater
• Fire
• Container
• Large flat, broad object to collect condensation

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Instructions

• 1

  Collect a great deal of seawater in a container. Avoid plastic containers if possible, since heating plastic causes it to give off harmful chemicals, which you do not want in your water.

• 2

  Build a fire. Construct an apparatus on which the water container can hang so you do not have to hold the container over the flame. A large branch dug deeply into the ground and angled upward would work well.

• 3

  Hang the container from the apparatus, and place a large, flat, broad article above it. A clean sheet of metal would work well, as would a large leaf or frond.

• 4

  Angle the broad surface toward a second container if one is available. It is safe for this container to be plastic.

• 5

  Boil the water. As saltwater boils it reduces, raising the salt content of the boiled water. Do not drink the boiled water from the container! That would be even more dangerous than drinking unboiled seawater.

• 6

  Drink the condensation that accumulates on the broad surface and collects in the second container. Drinking or licking condensation from the surface will be frustrating since there will be so little and it will be warm. However, if it is the best way to ensure survival, do whatever it takes to consume as much condensation as possible.