Survival Tips on Cleaning Salt Water

In any survival situation, securing a source of safe, fresh water is the most critical task early on. The human body will not last longer than three days without fresh water, but salt water will dehydrate an individual even faster. Before drinking any water in the wilderness, make sure that it has been both desalinated and decontaminated.

Saltwater and Dehydration

• According to the United States Search & Rescue Task Force, rationing your water wisely gives your the best chance of survival in the wild. The Task Force advises individuals not to drink on the first day and to work off the reserves of water in their system first. Over the next few days, you should lower your daily water intake from 14 oz. to between 2 oz. and 8 oz.

  Under no circumstances should you drink salt water. The major danger involved in drinking saline water is dehydration. Although the human body needs sodium to function properly, a sudden influx is very damaging to an individual's health. The human body reacts by drawing water molecules from blood cells to dilute the sodium, leaving them dehydrated. As Bill Bryson, author of "A Short History of Nearly Everything", says: "This leaves the cells dangerously short of the water they need to carry out their normal functions...Meanwhile, the overworked blood cells carry the salt to the kidneys, which eventually become overwhelmed and shut down. Without functioning kidneys you die. That is why we don't drink seawater" (resource 2).

Desalination

• To desalinate water and remove most large particulates (not including heavy metals), a simple filter will work in a pinch. Make a tepee out of three strong sticks, and use pieces of fabric tied between them to make the filter layers. Places alternate layers of sand and charcoal on the filters, and place a pail on the ground in the center of the tepee to catch the desalinated water at the bottom.

  A solar still will also provide desalinated water, but requires a clear sheet of plastic and direct sunlight. You will need a pail and a hole in the ground deep enough so that the top of the pail is below ground level. Dig the hole in direct sunlight and place the pail in the center. Pour the salt water in the area surrounding the pail, and cover with the plastic. Clean water will evaporate and leave the salt behind. The evaporated water then collects on the plastic, eventually dripping into the pail (resource 1).

Purification

• Even after you have desalinated your water, chances are it is full of harmful microbes that can cause much more harm than a glass of saltwater. Purification is the best way to ensure that your salt-free water is potable.

  To take care of both desalination and purification in one step, a makeshift distillery is your best bet. Boiling water for 20 to 30 minutes kills most microbes. After the water has been purified, situate a piece of plastic over the top of the water in a manner that will allow the plate to catch steam and funnel it into a pail. Any water collected by this method will be desalinated and germ-free.